October 6, 2006 - Oktoberfest at Ludwig's Garten

Hazaa for our first excursion tasting! To celebrate the German beer festival, Drinker's Heaven met at Ludwig's Garten to sample their many German selections. Joe Dougherty chose the 6 beers that represented the German art of brewing. Potato pancakes and other delectables rounded out the experience. Even better was the clean air within the usually smoky walls of the tavern - thank goodness for the smoking ban!

Hacker-Pschorr, Hefeweizen. This lovely style of brew is always the ticket when searching for a light and food friendly beer. The aroma had a distinct smell of bubblegum, not unlike the saison style found in Belgium. The fruity taste of banana chips may sound unusual, but it's a truly great beer.

Franziskaner, Dunkelweiss. Darker than Hefeweiss and heavier on the palate, this Dunkel was nice, but not great. With almost no aroma and a strong tobacco taste, I missed the typical citrus and spice that a nice Dunkel usually greets me with. Slightly hoppy.

Kostritzer, Schwarzbier. Ooh, this was a pleasant surprise from a beer I had never tried before. The deep espresso and raisin aromas hooked me, then the coffee and chocolate taste reeled me in. The only caveat was a low fizz. Shucks, it was almost perfect.

Warstiner, Oktoberfest. Yes, it's true, there is actually a style of beer called Oktoberfest. Apparently this beer is named such because it is made in the spring, but left to age through the summer, until it is unveiled at Oktoberfest gatherings (which surprisingly occurs in September). This beer smells of caramel and other dessert-like flavors. Quite inviting. A crisp yet full bodied fall beer. Slightly hoppy. Good food beer.

Schneider, Aventinus. This weizenbock smells of candied cherries and plums - lovely. Tastes like a Belgian - fruity and dense. Another great discovery.

June 21, 2006 - New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc

Some years ago I had a Sauvignon Blanc, probably from somewhere in California, definitely cheap, and most likely at an event of some sort. Needless to say, it did not impress, and from then on I had declared myself a non SB drinker. Then, about 6 months ago, or maybe a year, I read about the wonderful SB coming out of New Zealand, most specifically, Marlborough. They were described as "zippy." I gave the Allan Scott a try, and boy was it tasty. I finally understood the hype. So with a warm summer evening upon us and a right price, June 21st became the wine tasting at my place. And it was sweet.

House of Nobilo, Marlborough, New Zealand, 2005. Citrus! Grassy! Juicy! This super yummy wine was a great way to start this tasting. A tropical burst of fruit on the nose as well as the palate had us pining for more. Pineapple stood out as the major flavor here, but the balance was just right. Went perfectly with the Chevrot goat as well as the gooey Perail sheep cheeses, and, well, pretty much everything else including the avocado and radicchio, and lovely shellfish and mango. A touch of sweetness too. A definite winner at $9.00.

Monkey Bay, Marlborough, New Zealand, 2005. Very little on the nose, especially compared to the Nobilo. Very dry, quite acidic, and very little on the palate as well. Pretty much pointless here. $12.00

Tohu, Marlborough, New Zealand, 2004. Not a lot going on here to stand out, but quite balanced and palatable. Paired well with everything. Not a standout, but fine as a quaffer. $14.00 - a little steep here.

Monkey Bay, Marlborough, New Zealand, 2005 (Chardonnay). Yes, it's true. Sue grabbed the Chardonnay instead of the SB, but since we already had a Monkey Bay, I'm glad she did, or we would have only had 3 different wines to try. Plus, it gave a side by side of a house's different varitals. Lots on the nose, inluding pear and toast. Rich, but not too buttery or oaky- a little hot. Not bad. A nice alternative for a lighter Cali style Chard. $14.00