Dinner with Cher and Chris

Our very cool and swanky neighbors Cher and Chris invited us over for dinner last night. We never get to hang out because Kara and I work in the evenings and they have normal human jobs that take place during the day. So, when a three-day weekend rolls around, we try to make up for lost time. Last night was no exception.

Cher and Chris prepared the menu. I swashbuckled with my winekey. Kara ate and drank.

The first course was served at the bar downstairs: Broiled BBQ Shrimp and Chicken Skewers with a Tomato Caper Relish. For this I prepared a Jacoby 'Urziger Wurzgarten' Spatlese Riesling 1993. The wine was pure honey-drizzled peaches with hints of grapefruit and lime. Just enough sweetness to match the BBQ sauce and refresh the palate from the dash of cayenne in the sauce. It was not quite as good a match with the Tomoto-Caper Sauce on the chicken, as it washed out the fruit a touch, but still worked fine.

Next, we were escorted upstairs for the unveiling of their new terrace party pad. I popped the cork on the J. Lassalle Brut Rose . It's a favorite value Rose at about $50 retail. Lots of mineral and controlled fruit. Strawberry, peach, green apple. Always a pleasure to drink.

For the first formal course, Cher made a Grilled Salad. Grilled Romaine leaves topped with halved cherry tomatoes and cheese. As salad doesn't often like a pairing, we just moved on to the first red, which was the Sine Qua Non 'Covert Fingers' Pinot Noir 2004. Classic Santa Rita Hills black fruits. This is not a particular style of Pinot that I like, a la Sea Smoke, but Manfred is a genius and even though the wines are over-the-top, you can't help but like them for their complexity and balance within their components. The wine was showing gobs of black cherry, pomegranete, smoke, a hint of cola and some blackberry jam. The SQN crossed over into Chris' fantastic Grilled Bread which was a real hit.

For the main course, they prepared Surf & Turf with Grilled Peppers and Zuchini. In my continuing mission to drink some of these cult/trophy wines, I opened the 2003 Sloan Cabernet Sauvignon. There has been a lot of uproar about this bottle on Cellar Tracker and I must say I was intrigued. I decanted the wine for a few hours to bring some balance (hopefully). What a mess! There was little more to the wine than a slalom of oak. It was virtually impossible to dig through it to the fruit. Loads of vanilla on ther nose, ground baking spices, toasted marshmallow. The fruit was barely a shadow under all of that, but I think it was typical Cab flavors. It's astounding that they're charging $400 a bottle for this stuff. To its credit, the wine did have an intriguing dollop of bitter earth on the finish. I couldn't really enjoy this on its own. But Chris' steaks, God love him, had a mesquite smokiness that cut the oak on the Sloan some. Ultimately, I had to run back home and get a bottle of Pichon Baron 1995 as I was ready for a little elegance. Lots of jalapeno pepper on the nose. The tannins have gone very soft and while I wouldn't have thought to pair it with lobster, the wine was soft enough to be enjoyed with that dish. Particularly with some of the zuchini lingering on the palate to cancel out the green note. I'd say drink these up before too long if you've got them. It seems to be as good as it's going to get.

For dessert, we roasted S'mores over their fire pit. Awesome! And Cher made some sauteed peaches and fresh whipped cream, which I paired a Lafaurie-Peyraguey 2003 with. I love a good Sauternes. Orange marmalade, coconut, stone fruit and honey. It had excellent balance, crisp acid, and wonderful complexity. I'm so glad I've got more of these little half-bottles in the cellar.

All-in-all, a magnificent evening. Great food, wine and company, which is what it's really all about. Thanks Cher and Chris!

Corkage and its Benefits

I am a firm advocate of the restaurant corkage policy. I'm not ashamed to admit it, even though my personal finances and job security rely on guests purchasing wine from the restaurant. I often take wine with me when I go out to places that I know have mediocre or mundane wine programs. I can't be bothered with unimaginative managers purchasing wine from no one but the big corporations.

However - I do not condone people calling me at 7:30pm on a Friday night from the liquor store to ask me about my corkage policy and ask me incessantly whether I carry wines that they are staring at on the shelf, wondering if they can bring it to Jar. There is an unspoken decorum in the corkage policy that, if you are not aware of, should be made perfectly clear:

Restaurants are not trying to rip you off! There is a lot of cost involved in storing and serving wines. As a sommelier, employed to help direct you to a wine that you will enjoy, I am also considered a part of the restaurant wine markup. I am not ashamed to admit that Jar spends $5000 a year in offsite wine storage to ensure that wines are kept at an appropriate temperature for long-term storage. And this is not just expensive stuff - I bought 27 cases of a wine we will sell for $70.00 a bottle that I want to ensure shows well today and six months from now.

The catalyst of this rant was a guest telephoning the restaurant. I was interrupted selling wine at a table to attend to the call about our corkage policy. I explained the policy: two bottles maximum at $25 per bottle, not available for wines featured on the wine list. The guest responded that they would call me back from the store to see if I had what they wanted to bring. Thankfully, they never called again, but did arrive with two bottles of Franciscan Cabernet. At its most expensive, this particular wine costs $20 at the grocery store. If I carried it, we would likely charge $40-$45 per bottle. So, said guest paid approximately $20 and added $25 corkage to pay about what we would have charged them at the restaurant. But cost themselves a trip to the store.

Similarly, I once had a guest bring a bottle of The Prisoner that they bought for $30 at the store and were livid that they could not open because we carried it. I explained that we were charging the equivalent of the bottle plus corkage: $30 at the store plus $25 corkage was about the same as the $57 we were charging on the list. The guest could not be appeased.

For those of you trying to save money because you heard restaurant are a ripoff on wine, it DOES NOT apply if you're bringing wines $20 and under. AND... a decent restaurant is likely to have more insightful options than the very generic and mass-produced Franciscan Cabernet.

I GET it! You're bringing a 1986 Lafite! Totally fine! We ARE charging you an extravagant price for the additional expertise involved in finding, shipping, opening and serving that particular wine. I understand how a $25 corkage and the price you paid back in 1989 is more appealing if you're trying to shave off a few bucks. That's what corkage is all about. I love you guys! Particularly if you're willing to share an ounce with the sommelier...

Long story short - if you know you're going to a decent restaurant with an employed sommelier, give them a chance to impress you. I can assure you that I will top your best $20 grocery store wine with something at the same price or less (after corkage) than what you paid. Give me a chance. That's what Jar pays me to do and I guarantee you I'm very good at it.

Cult Cabs: Sloan Asterisk 2003

California Cult Wines: I liken them to the housing market:

When they all rolled out, everyone bought in who was lucky enough to know about them and we all made a killing with these $200-$300 bottles of wine that we could turn around and sell a few months later for $500 - $750. Harlan, Screaming Eagle, Bryant, Colgin, etc.

And then we got bored of those. So, the new round of wines attempting to be California Cult Part 2 came out of the gate, charging $400 a bottle on their first release based on the relationship or employess they had in common with the orignal Cults. Levy & McClellan, Sloan, Maybach Materium, Scarecrow, Dana Estate, Schrader, etc. Unfortunately, the deciding factor if you reach cult status in wine is whether you are awarded 100 points (or thereabouts) consistently in good vintages. A couple of the aforementioned have managed to accomplish this feat.

But what about the old cults? Harlan is hanging in there on the secondary market, but sometimes at a loss. Screaming Eagle seems to be holding steady, although the winery has driven the prices up to what used to be a hefty profit for the consumers. If you buy Bond, you're pretty much throwing money away; the same with Sloan and Levy & McClellan. You can buy them cheaper on the secondary market than if you're on the mailing list.

So - I figured I'd start drinking some of these new Cult Cabs since they weren't the investment I thought they'd be. Like the housing market, sometimes it's better just to get out. The upside is that hopefully I get to tackle some really profound juice in the process.

Sloan 'Asterisk' 2003: Such was not the case with the Sloan 'Asterisk'. Sloan's "second label" which has never been reviewed except by wine drinkers on, say, Cellar Tracker. I bought this on the mailing list for about $136 by the time it was taxed and shipped. Very herbal aromas: sage, pine, anise, cola, cedar. On the palate, the wine is highly overoaked, showing loads of baking spices and sweet vanillin. If blind-tasted, I might have called it a small amount of American oak, which elicits a sweet coconut and dill component. The fruit is present, but masked by the oak - more black/red fruit than blue/black, which is appealing to me in Cali Cab - I only wish I could have experienced more of it.

It was certainly not my particular cup of tea. I found a lot more enjoyment in the Bond Matriarch 2001 from a short while ago, and at a little less expense. But, it was okay with the dry-aged Kansas City and loaded baked potatoes. A steak is about the only meal I can really enjoy with domestic Cab, because of the meat's simplicity - less for the wine to fight with. Still, I opened a half bottle of 2005 Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf-du-Pape anyway. I liked it much better with the food. It seemed tight in the glass, but the fatty steak really brought the fruit out.

The tragedy is that while I am wildly underwhelmed by this wine, especially at the cost, I still have two more bottles that I know are not worth what I paid for them and that I'm not going to be excited to drink.

Be careful in those wines you choose to invest in. You had better want to drink them if it turns out the market bites you in the bottom.

Monday Night Gauntlet

Wow! We had a couple of friends over last night for a casual dinner - nothing fancy, but good fun. I whipped up a homemade Chicken Pot Pie - YES, of course I made the crust from scratch!!! A few cheeses and some of the kickin' Costco Carribean Jerk Meatballs - you gotta try 'em!

I've had a box of samples I've been meaning to get around to. So, with friends at the bar, I proceeded to try to make a dent in these wines. Plus, we tore out some fun wines from the cellar, as well. Here is the recap:

2006 Kelham Sauvignon Blanc: Not sure why they're releasing this so late. It's tired. Nice balance, sure, and still showing typical flavors of a California Sauvignon, but where is that vibrance of SB...? The melon/citrus combo is lovely, and I could drink this certainly, but definitely lacking a "wow" factor.

2006 Pelerin Syrah Monterrey: This was my biggest disappointment tonight - I have liked this producer very much, in the past. Albeit, 2006 was a challenging vintage, but this tasted washed out and watered down. The nose was promising with violets and bacon fat/smoke, but as soon as it hits the palate, the character is gone and it feels as if someone has added a third cup of water to what was maybe a decent wine. Maybe they did add in a little too much Jesus juice...

2006 Steltzner Cabernet Sauvignon, Stag's Leap: The best of the red samples and, oddly enough, the cheapest. Showing ripe fruit, integrated tannin. It's fairly middle-of-the-road, but a good value, considering I could pour it by the glass for about $14. Less of the herbal and eucalyptus tones I have come to expect from Stag's Leap, but it makes up for it in jammy blackberry/cassis fruit. They also have a delicious Malbec that reresents a good value, as well. AND - they make a Pinotage that I am chomping at the bit to taste - Pinotage from Stag's Leap?!!!

2001 Kelham Cabernet Sauvignon: This was a real disappointment, particularly at the price. I believe they're asking somewhere in the ballpark of $60/btl for this wine. On the nose, the wine reeks of Brett, which is a strain of bacteria that makes wine smell like barnyard or horse poo. I couldn't get past it. Not really much fruit to back it up or balance it out. And I kept asking myself if I would be comfortable selling this to someone at any price, much less the actual cost. The answer was decidedly no. Everyone dumped this one. I'll be willing to retaste it after a day of air, but as far as restaurant usage goes, it's a no-go. First impressions count for a lot.

2008 Celani Chardonnay: My favorite of the samples, but this was about pairing - we backtracked to Chard for the Pot Pie. I have to say, it worked great! The wine had integrated oak and clean lemon/orange flavors to support the baked red apple and pear. My guests are not white wine fans, but they were thrilled to see how complementary this pairing was. Again - this wine did not stop me in my tracks and I wish I'd paid a little more attantion to it BEFORE I began eating, but based on its performance with the dish - I was very pleased. God, I wish we made a Pot Pie at Jar!

2004 Guido Porro 'Vigna Lazzairasco', Barolo: We started digging into the cellar at this point. Kara wanted a Barolo and, while I would have loved to pull something fancy, I was reaching palate fatigue. This bottle is a fun, early-drinking Barolo that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. Imported by one of my favorites, Kermit Lynch, the flavors are consistent, but the tannins are softer and the body a touch heavier. If you're really craving a Barolo, it's not likely to satisfy, but for a delicious Old World drinker, it does a nice job.

2000 Vieux Telegraphe, Chateauneuf-du-Pape: Bill was remarking how he hadn't had a Chateauneuf. He drinks a lot of Cote-du-Rhone and has tried Gigondas, but somehow the king of the Southern Rhone has managed to elude him. SOMMELIER TO THE RESCUE!!! This is drinking awesome! Juicy red fruits with lavender and herbs. The tannins are soft and juicy. There is always a little seaweed-like character to this wine. Vieux Telegraphe is one of the few wines I've been able to nail blind-tasting down to the producer because of it. Some might want a little more structure on this. I think it's doing great and I will probably drink my last bottle over the next couple of years.


After all this, the Rock Band ensued and the rational drinking ceased. A piece of homemade Pecan Pie with a scoop of Butter Pecan ice cream for desert and life is good. After everyone left and Kara slipped off to bed, I streamed Caddyshack through Netflix and chilled with the pups. Job well done and a pat on the back. Until next time!

Vouvray - a Lazy Sunday Friend

Vouvray is one of those wines that I never have around and never really think I want to drink, but when I do - I'm usually surprised at how much I enjoy it. We broke out a bottle of Champalou's Vouvray Sec 2008 yesterday and, as usual, I was in love.

The quick scoop on Vouvray: The Vouvray wine is made from the Chenin Blanc grape in the region of Vouvray in the Loire Valley. Chenin has a propensity for high acidity which makes it very common for producers to make it in an off-dry style that allows the acids to balance out the sugar (like German Riesling). The Champalou Sec still has some sugar in it (about 5 grams, I think), but only enough to make it feel like it just missed "bone-dry". I usually find the following flavors to be consistent: Red apple, honey, citrus and mineral.

It was a simple dinner last night. Costco has these Butternut Squash Ravioli. I just boiled some of those up and made a Browned Butter and added a shaved Parmesan with a "bam" of parsley and cracked black pepper. Worked great with the Vouvray because the sweetness of the squash cut the sugar in the wine and the acidity of the Chenin cut straight through the butter. A cheap and awesome dinner!

The Vouvray is only about $16 retail. We're pouring it by the glass now at Jar, too. Check it out! Maybe with some of those Ravioli from Costco.

The Joy of Cabernet Franc

I am a BIG proponent of domestic Cab Franc! It's so much more interesting and, in some cases, more food-friendly than Cabernet Sauvignon. I know - you probably think Cabernet Sauvignon is the best grape in the world - most do! I'm just saying that the more unique and aromatic properties of Franc, in lieu of the heavy body and drying tannins of Sauvignon,can be an interesting way to switch it up.

Last night, during our usual 1am dinner extravaganza at home, I popped the cork on a Paradigm Cabernet Franc 2003 that I've had in the cellar since it was released and haven't tried since buying. Figured it was about time. The Paradigm wines are made by Heidi Peterson-Barett (who made Screaming Eagle until recently) and, if you don't know the winery, represents one of the best "value" producers out of Oakville. Ren and Marilyn Harris, owners, also own the Napa Wine Company which is that huge crush facility across the street from the Oakville Grocery. They make a boatload of money there, so jacking up prices at the winery has never been a priority. The result: wines from Oakville at good to fair prices, which is hard to find these days.

So, the Franc then - It was showing great! Wonderful herbal aromas: eucalyptus, savory green spices, dried flowers. Still showing New World fruit with a strong core of red/black cherry, just leaning into blackberry. Soft, integrated tannin and still showing prevalent food-friendly acidity. Underlying cocoa and baking spices from new French oak. Everything that is classic about the grape, but offers that ripeness of California that France just can't usually get.

And it paired with Brussels Sprouts!!! When does that ever happen?!!! Mind you, they were braised in bacon, but all that green in the wine totally complemented the veggie and forced that beautiful red fruit to the forefront without getting dried out. Kara was impressed. Of course, it worked with the Filet Mignon, as well.

The best part about the Paradigm Cab Franc is that it's not wildly expensive, but they don't make a whole lot. You can get it through the winery - I think I paid about $40 when it was released. BUT - I also just saw two bottles sell on Wine Commune for about $18 apiece. I'm kicking myself for not buying them. If you're interested, keep your eyes open.

There are other really wonderful Franc producers in California, ranging in styles from French-influenced to those making it taste like Cabernet Sauvignon with that subtle added complexity. Usually an interesting discovery. Please, if you haven't already, give it a chance one of these nights when you're feeling wild and crazy. It's worth it.

Wine Out of Context- S.L.V. revisited

Well, it's amazing how taking a wine out of its context can change it dramatically. Perhaps you've experienced this when you're at a winery (maybe having made one or two stops too many in the day) and upon re-tasting the wine after the long journey home and opening it for friends - it just doesn't live up to the vibrance it had in the tasting room.

The same goes for those of us purchasing wines in the restaurant/retail world. Often, a wine gets purchased or considered at a large event with 50 or more wineries where the palate can become fatigued from tasting 100 or more wines. There have certainly been times when I've purchased a wine for Jar and been surprised to find that it didn't live up to my expectations from when I purchased it.

Such is the case with the afore-blogged-about Stag's Leap S.L.V. 2006...

It's true - I just couldn't keep my hands off for more than a couple days and I absolutely HAD to try it after the amazing showing at the Berling Tasting. With leftover burgers, no less. Not for the pairing as it was clearly not the right wine, being so austere, but merely out of morbid curiousity.

Aromatically, the wine was as I remembered it, although taking on more of the typical eucalyptus tone of Stag's Leap AVA. Decidedly an Old World-styled nose, though. I still love that element of it! What really distracts me about the wine is how much weaker and shorter it seemed to finish. The S.L.V. seems to pack all of its punch right out of the gate where it really pumps out the character with loads of eucalyptus, coffee and florality on the nose. On the palate, it shows cedar and bittersweet cocoa mixed with the red currant and black cherry. And then it kind of just fades quickly. Surprising and disappointing.

So - was it the '06 Lafite that I neglected to put in the top three at the Berlin Tasting that provided the decidedly Old World finish I assumed was from the S.L.V.? Could be... It was preceded by two decidedly Old World wines: Lafite in glass #1 and Sassicaia in glass #2. Guess I'll have to open a Lafite...

Well, I'm still going to put a couple of these S.L.V.'s in the cellar. Again - morbid curiousity. Will it age like a Bordeaux? I doubt it. But that's the joy of being in the wine biz is that you can satisfy these silly curiousities. I can certainly speculate that the Lafite will be blowing the doors off the S.L.V. in ten to fifteen years. Am I right? No more than any of those crazy critics...

Because wine is a surprise! And that's what makes it so wonderful, interesting and exciting. I love the surprises and the disappointments. Because when it's spot-on, it makes it that much more satisfying. I'm in for the ride - BRING IT ON!!!

OKAY!!! I'm not talking about Stag's Leap S.L.V. '06 anymore!!! I hate that winery anyway...

The Berlin Tasting - Musings

I had the pleasure of being invited to "The Berlin Tasting" this month and have been thinking about it a lot since. What is it, you ask?

Well...(to get really geeky for just a moment), back in 1976 Stephen Spurrier put on this little wine tasting to force California wines to compete with French wines. The California wines came in first place, both white and red, putting California on the proverbial map. (If you want a cheesy visual, go rent the movie "BottleShock".) The Chilean wine market is now trying to accomplish the same thing by hosting "The Berlin Tasting", which is matching Chilean wines, not only against French wines, but against top Californian and Italian wines as well. Their first effort was a success, held in 2004, placing one of their wines in first place. As a result, they have been touring the tasting around the world over the past few years, attempting to elicit the same results again and again.

So, they finally made their way to the U.S.A., stopping in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. Held at the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills, all walks of wine professionals were invited. Ten wines were poured blind and the tasters given thirty minutes to vote for first, second and third place. The wines were revealed and to everyone's surprise in Los Angeles, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars S.L.V. 2006 was the victor. Ironically, this is the wine that won first place in the 1976 Tasting of Paris as well.

Long story short: I also voted the S.L.V. in first place, not because I knew it was Californian, but because I thought it was Lafite-Rothschild. (I actually thought the Lafite was Chateau Margaux - silly me...) Honestly, I was miffed at myself for picking the Californian wine. I spoke with some of my colleagues and they had felt the same. So, I promptly placed an order to carry some at Jar. How could I not have this amazing Bordeaux-styled wine to share with others?

Now - the part that really burns my bottom - the critics gave this wine an 82 WS and and 85 RP. I continue to denounce ratings, but still keep track of them. This was really baffling to me. How can a room full of wine professionals place a wine in first place that is a "below average" wine? It's moments like these that really solidify my belief that wine ratings (in the numerical sense) are ineffective. Might I also mention that the Sassicaia, which scored a 97 by RP, was placed seventh out of ten.

I can't believe I'm going to bat for Stag's Leap Wine Cellars right now...

But the good news is that thanks to the critics hating this wine, we are seeing price drops at the retail and restaurant level. The S.L.V. might have been about $100, but it's down to about $70 now. A steal at the price, if you're deciding between that and a $600 bottle of Lafite-Rothschild 2006. Take it from me: at ten percent of the price, save the money and drink the S.L.V.

So, as I'm stocking my bottles of S.L.V. 2006 and wondering if I will ever find the chance to revisit it, please keep in mind that critical scores are not everything. Read the reviews and paint the flavor profile of the wine in your head. Based on the words, not the number.

I guess this counts as my first rant. Thanks for listening.

Bond and Burgers!

For about five years now, my folks and I have had this annual tradition when they come to town. It started out as "Bordeaux and Burgers", but every year we strayed a little from the original theme; "Cab and Cow", "Bond and Burgers", etc. I think we missed it this year because everyone was feeling too fat already and couldn't bear the thought of a 1 lb. burger.

"Bond and Burgers": What it essentially boils down to is getting a really awesome burger and drinking some really decadent wine with it. I LOVE the idea of tearing down the barriers of pompous wine snobbery. Having burger juice and condiments staining your glass of $300 Bordeaux is one of my favorites. Although, slugging Raveneau 'Montee de Tonnerre' Chablis 2004 out of the bottle with my colleagues is a close second.

So - last night I must've been jones-ing for it since we missed it. Kara (my wife) cam home around 1am from work at Osteria Mozza. I had everything prepped and ready to go: condiments sliced, onions sauteed, bacon cooked, special sauce made (this isn't dirty...), patties formed and wine decanted. The victim this evening was the 2001 Bond Matriarch, the second-label for the Bond in Napa, operated by the same folks who make Harlan Estate.

Well, the burger was awesome and moist. But the wine was drinking awesome - and I don't particularly get excited about Napa Cabernet. The nose was worth a paragraph of text: smoke, espresso, cassis and black currant, anise, purple flowers, pencil shavings. On the palate, consistent flavors, but surprisingly Bordeaux-like in character. The wine actually held some earth and mineral which the tannin had resolved to reveal. Not enough to blind taste this as a Pauillac, but a surprisingly good homage from Napa. The bitter earth clings to the palate and some cigar box and spices, particularly clove, drive the finish, which draws in a touch of blueberry. Great job, guys!

All-in-all, this wine (and meal) was a winner for me. But I think the Bond Matriarch 2001 is in its peak now. It will hold there for a while, but it's showing beautifully and if I had anymore, I'd probably choose to drink them soon. Don't slug them if you have them just because I said so, though. It's all about preference. I like my California Cabernet a little younger and fresher, when it still has its vibrancy.

Whatever you drink or eat today - enjoy!

Got the Night Off!!!

Rob Harpest here, Wine Director and Sommelier for Jar Restaurant in Los Angeles. If you don't know Jar or aren't in LA, perhaps you saw our chef and owner, Suzanne Tracht, on the first season of Top Chef Masters. Jar has been open for nearly nine years now, three of which I have had the pleasure of operating the beverage program.

It's my intention with this blog to share a little of my work with you. Everyone always tells me that I have the best job in the world. While some nights it might not seem like it to me, I always try to take a step back and remember that it actually is true. Humans have to eat and drink to survive - what's wrong with enjoying only the best the world has to offer?

So, I thought I might accomplish something with my "surprise" evening off (courtesy of both the Lakers and Dodgers playing games tonight). And hopefully you find some small amount of entertainment in this small undertaking as well.

In this, my inaugural blog, I'm only going to comment briefly on a truly wonderful beer that I'm enjoying at the moment (and struggling not to go pop a second one). Schonramer is a wonderful German beer producer we've been using at Jar for a while now. This year we were privy to their "Saphir Bock", of which they brew only 80 cases, once a year. A special strain of hops is used and the resulting brew is nothing short of spectacular. Rich and sweet as it attacks the palate - complicated with the delicious hoppiness that provide some astringency and cleans up the palate. If you can find it, I highly recommend it. Great for the summer!

Thanks for checking in and I will provide more exciting tidbits as the days roll on.