From time to time, we will set up a small panel of wine and beer aficionados and select a few items to taste and report on our findings. This tasting included some very common and affordable items found at any supermarket in the Southern California area.
Foppiano Vineyards' Lot 96 Sonoma County Petite Sirah is a casual and affordable table wine. Our panel wasn't impressed with the nose immediately, but showed quite a bit of potential. At the outset, we there were hints of blackberry and plum and I immediately began to crave a few slices of Gouda or a deep Parmesan ... or even an oven-fresh pizza. (Hey, a guy can dream, can't he?) And true to our hunch, the Lot 96 opened up considerably after a while and even developed a little complexity at the finish. We decided to bump up our score to an 88 -- and at 12.99, that's not bad. Score 88.
The Big House Red 2010 is often referred to as a 'fruit bomb' because of the 20 different grape varieties included. However, our panel thought the fruit may have been a little too explosive and overly sweet. While Big House has an easy finish and almost no tannins, the heavy cherry and raspberry accents were a tad much for even those on the panel who were unabashed fruit-forward fans. However, for what it is and what it's trying to be (especially at $9.99), it's just enough. If it's on sale, grab a bottle and check it out. Score: 84.
Newcastle's Limited Edition Founders' Ale was a pleasant surprise. Many on our panel were not fans of ales, citing their bitterness. But this ale is balanced with hints of caramel and fruit and the finish was very clean and smooth. We enjoyed how this Newcastle was 'hoppy without being heavy'. And while it was a cold January afternoon, we unanimously pictured ourselves at an outdoor patio during a lazy, sunny spring afternoon, enjoying a burger or barbecue with this one. Score: 4/5.
Foppiano Vineyards' Lot 96 Sonoma County Petite Sirah is a casual and affordable table wine. Our panel wasn't impressed with the nose immediately, but showed quite a bit of potential. At the outset, we there were hints of blackberry and plum and I immediately began to crave a few slices of Gouda or a deep Parmesan ... or even an oven-fresh pizza. (Hey, a guy can dream, can't he?) And true to our hunch, the Lot 96 opened up considerably after a while and even developed a little complexity at the finish. We decided to bump up our score to an 88 -- and at 12.99, that's not bad. Score 88.The Big House Red 2010 is often referred to as a 'fruit bomb' because of the 20 different grape varieties included. However, our panel thought the fruit may have been a little too explosive and overly sweet. While Big House has an easy finish and almost no tannins, the heavy cherry and raspberry accents were a tad much for even those on the panel who were unabashed fruit-forward fans. However, for what it is and what it's trying to be (especially at $9.99), it's just enough. If it's on sale, grab a bottle and check it out. Score: 84.Newcastle's Limited Edition Founders' Ale was a pleasant surprise. Many on our panel were not fans of ales, citing their bitterness. But this ale is balanced with hints of caramel and fruit and the finish was very clean and smooth. We enjoyed how this Newcastle was 'hoppy without being heavy'. And while it was a cold January afternoon, we unanimously pictured ourselves at an outdoor patio during a lazy, sunny spring afternoon, enjoying a burger or barbecue with this one. Score: 4/5.
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