Mar 30 2013

Flirt 2010 California Red Wine

Be prepared for a wine with an alluring bottle. And…

Honestly, not too much else going for it. IMHO, you’re paying for the bottle, and MAYBE the Tempranillo (17%) that’s part of this blend. It’s mostly Syrah (70%) and a little Zinfandel, too.

What’s really funny here is that those are three of my favorite grapes – maybe this blend mellowed out all three grapes and the result is une grande boutaille de meh.

(Sorry, my French may be a little rusty.)

Flirt 2010 California Red Wine Review

Taste:

The winemaker says “juicy red plum, baked cherry spice and cherry cola layered with vanilla and butterscotch.” We noticed the fruit, maybe the vanilla – that was about it. (As you may have gathered, we’re not gaga about this wine.)

Profile:

70% Syrah, 17% Tempranillo, 13% Zinfandel.

Value:

Around $11 when we found it in Chicago. Worth that? Maybe. Not much more, though.

Metasip Grade: B-

Bear in mind that a “B-” is still scoring in the 80s on a 100-point scale. And if you beg to differ, let us know!

Mar 30 2013

Bodega Elena 2010 Red Blend

I was hopeful. I hoped that there being more than a little Malbec in this puppy would make it rock and/or roll.

The reality, though, is that it was a little bit above average, but barely so.

Bonarda might have something to do with its being a little above average – this is a grape that COULD BE THE NEXT MALBEC. (I had to shout that because, well, it sounds exotic, doesn’t it? Bonarda! No…BONARDA!)

Anywho, onto the breakdown:

Bodega Elena 2010 Red Blend Review

Taste:

Malbec plus Syrah plus Bonarda. If you’re not taken with Malbec – and a few tasters we met thought that it’s too…peppery? Fruity? Spicy? Those are all fair assessments, and the Bonarda grape has a tendency to “cut” the Malbec down to size.

In other words – no “fruit bomb” here. So if you’re into blends that taste like blends – might not be a bad thing to take a flier on.

Profile:

62/21/17 – Malbec/Syrah/Bonarda. (Honestly made me want to hunt down a straight Bonarda; more to come on that quest down the road.)

Value:

Boom! This is where it scores above-average for sho. We got our bottle for $6.99. It didn’t knock our socks off – but it was under $10 and probably drank like about $10.

Metasip Grade: B-

But, have YOU tried it? What do YOU think?

Mar 30 2013

Four in Hand Crafty Ale

On the one hand, you can say that Four in Hand Crafty Ale is a really deep, complex and, well, crafty brew.

On the other hand, though, you might ask if this is the best they’ve got.

We’re not sure: we’ve had the Winter Brew and like it, and this is a definitely quite likable brew as well. We’re not sold – but we’re not scared away, either. Color us…satisfied. But not turning cartwheels.

Four in Hand Crafty Ale Review

Taste:

Slightly bitter and hoppy. Yet smooth. Slightly bitter finish.

Profile:

IBUs: 60. ABV: 6.3%.

Value:

It’s around 8 bucks for four pint-sized cans.

Metasip Grade: B

And let’s talk about a couple other things here. First of all – a grade of “B” isn’t bad at all. As was this beer – not bad at all. So don’t let that scare you – and let us know if you think we’re off the mark.

ALSO: We were told by an intrepid reporter that this is ostensibly Whole Foods’ house label. Who knew? (Well, they knew.)

Mar 30 2013

Jumping Cow Amber Ale

I still remember the first Jumping Cow Amber Ale I tried: shocked at how inexpensive, approachable, not pretentious. Then I stopped myself and said “Dude, it’s a beer, drink it.” And there we were.

This was a few years ago, mind you, and I think my palate has mellowed with age.

Now, this is something I’ll pick up from Trader Joe’s – still the only place I’ve found it – from time to time.

Jumping Cow Amber Ale Review

Taste

As ales go, this one is missing…something. When we’re able to put our finger on what it is that it’s missing, we’ll let you know. If beer had a “table wine” category, this one would be in it. You won’t embarrass yourself serving it to friends – but you won’t win over beer snobs, either.

Profile

ABV: 5.5%.

Value

Using the “buck a bottle” gauge, this is right about, well, okay. Not our favorite, and not a solid “B” when it comes to getting your money’s worth.

Metasip Grade: B-

Mar 30 2013

Double Take Pale Ale

So, in the Pale Ale category, you can spend $10 for a six-pack. And more. And be satisfied, too.

But does it make sense to pay that much when you can get something like the Double Take Pale Ale for $6.99 for a sixer?

By the way…can someone please explain the “It’s a Head Snapper” statement – and the fact we’ve found it on a wine bottle, too? Thanks. Anyway…

If there’s one thing we like here at Metasip, it’s value: and you can get that with Double Take, and specifically this Pale Ale.

Taste

We actually preferred their IPA to this Pale Ale – but there’s a “hey, that’s a pale ale” taste to it. Won’t overpower you, and won’t underwhelm, either.

Profile

ABV 5.1%. Light in color – thus the name.

Value

See above: $6.99 for a 6-pack of the Double Take Pale Ale and we’re in.

Metasip Grade: B

Have you tried this? Do you agree with our assessment? Want to write your own review – of this, or something else? Let us know!