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Samuel Adams® Double Bock

One can not help but appreciate Samuel Adams® Double Bock’s huge malt character. We use an enormous amount of malt, half a pound per bottle, to brew this intensely rich lager. Its deep brown-ruby color is all made in the kettle – no black malt is used, resulting in a rich sweetness that is free of the rough taste of burnt malt. All that remains is the velvet smooth flavor and mouthfeel of the two row malt. Samuel Adams® Double Bock’s intense malt character is balanced with a subtle piney, citrus hop note from the German Noble hops.

Oh man.  This stuff is GOOD.   Seriously good.  8.8% alcohol.

I was given a bottle of this as a gift.  It’s divine.

Oban 14 Year Old, 43% Volume

Keith Lovegrove, Publisher, Whisky.com:

Color – Deep gold.
Nose – Tendrils of smoke wafting on a sea breeze through a peach orchard.
Palate – Smooth and warming, with hint of peat and seaweed, yet medicinal and dry.
Finish – Smooth satisfying smoke.

Rating         4/5 Stars
For novices?     Hint of the sea might be intimidating

Michael Jackson’s Complete Guide to Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Color – Full gold to amber
Nose – A whiff of the sea, but also a touch of fresh peat, and some maltiness.
Body – Firm, smooth and slightly viscous.
Palate – Deceptively delicate at first. Perfumy. Faint hint of fruity seaweed. Then lightly waxy, becoming smoky. Dry
Finish – Aromatic, smooth, appetizing..
Score     79

Malt Whisky File: John Lamond & Robin Tucek

Sweetness – 5
Peatiness – 7
Availability – 7

Color – Very pale straw with gold highlights.
Nose – Medium-sweet and lightly peated, quite rich with a burnt heather character.
Flavor – Smooth, lightly sweet and creamy with a very delicate peatiness.
Finish – Smoky, dry and delicate.

taken from http://www.whisky.com/brands/oban_brand.html

I had this wine this evening at the 36 Club. Excellent.

Far Niente 2000 Estate Bottled Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2000 offers a perfume and bright raspberries up front with complementary layers of cassis and cedary oak. This vintage has produced a soft, supple wine with moderate tannins that will only become more velvety with further bottle aging.

Far Niente Cabernet Sauvignon is grown primarily in our estate Stelling Vineyard, located behind the winery in Oakville. This 100-acre vineyard produces wines that exhibit the cassis, blackberry and “dusty” components typical of wines grown in the soils of western Oakville.

Vineyard Notes:
Far Niente Cabernet Sauvignon is grown primarily in our estate Stelling Vineyard, located behind the winery in Oakville. This 100-acre vineyard produces wines that exhibit the cassis, blackberry and “dusty” components typical of wines grown in the soils of western Oakville.
Harvest Notes:
The overall growing season for 2000 was very moderate. There were a couple of heat spikes during spring bloom followed by a relatively mild summer. Harvest started about one week later than usual, with the grapes coming in right before the weather turned unseasonably cool in October. Crop size returned to normal after the small harvest of 1999.
Tasting Notes:
The 2000 offers a perfume and bright raspberries up front with complementary layers of cassis and cedary oak. This vintage has produced a soft, supple wine with moderate tannins that will only become more velvety with further bottle aging.
Appellation: Napa Valley
Harvest Dates: 9/15 – 10/27/00
Varietals: 84% Cabernet Sauvignon
13% Merlot
3% Cabernet Franc
Skin Contact: up to 37 days
Aging: 20 months in French oak (80% new)
Fermentation: Typical for red wine
Release Date: September 2003
Cases Produced: 15,200 cases

http://www.farniente.com/

I heard this on the news this weekend:

New Law Curbs Underage Drinking

A new state law aims to curb underage drinking. The law went into effect this weekend — something the University of Arkansas expects to have an impact on younger students.

The new state law is simple— if you`re not 21 and you decide to drink alcohol, your license will be suspended if you`re caught.

In one week students will be back to school at the University of Arkansas. As many wait in line for parking permits — university police are preparing to enforce a new state law.

Under the new arkansas law — if a minor is caught with alcohol their drivers license will be suspended temporarily.
On the first offense — minors will lose their driving privileges for 60 days. The second time they`re caught the penalty increases to 120 days and the third offense results in no license for an entire year.

It`s a new law effecting all drivers ages 16 to 20.

And with a big population of teens on campus..UAPDare ready to take action.

“I hope that the public is aware of this especially students under 21 that will refrain from being in possession of alcohol – losing their license for awhile could be a big blow,” said Lt. Gary Crain.

This new law applies even if the person is not driving or in a car at the time they`re caught.

from KNWA

Trapiche Malbec

Producer Background: Established in 1883, Bodegas Trapiche was a pioneer in Argentina, utilizing the most advanced winemaking technology of the day. Seeing the need for quality European rootstock, the winery introduced the region’s first French vines, establishing a legacy of high quality and forward-looking techniques that lives on today. Trapiche was bought by the Pulenta family in 1970 (traditional wine producers of Mendoza and San Juan) with the aim of projecting their wines into the international markets. They began an intensive transformation, both in the vineyards and in the winery. Today, Trapiche is a modern winery using state of the art equipment and cutting edge practices. The winemaking team is headed by chief oenologist Daniel Pi.

Wine Type: Dry Red

Grape Type: 100% Malbec, 100% Malbec.

Country: Argentina

Region: Mendoza

Vinification: The grapes are selected from Trapiche’s Santa Rosa vineyard (2,100 ft) as well as from contract growers, if necessary and in order to assure high quality fruit. All the fruit is hand harvested and transported back to the winery in small plastic crates to avoid damage. The fruit is destemmed and permitted a cold maceration on the skins for up to three days; the musts then undergo thermoregulated (73°F) maceration and fermentation for 15 days. The musts are then gently pressed pneumatically. Malolactic is permitted to occur naturally, but is controlled. After being racked and the various lots blended, the wine is aged in stainless tanks for a brief period and, selectively, has wood influence.

Tasting Notes: In temperate regions, Malbec benefits from constant sun, which ripens the tannins and gives the wine an intense color. Possibly in Mendoza this wine has found the natural and ideal habitat to express its best qualities: lively red color, fruity aroma of plums and cherries, and round flavor with a touch of truffles and leather.

Food Match: red meat, pizza, pasta in meat sauce, lamb, BBQ.