POMP seductive blanc

POMP seductive blanc 
0,75l 10%

My Boss surprised me with a not beery but grapey - appley beauty.
This Sparkling wine is made out of 80% Sparkling wine out of Riesling wine from the Rheingau -  The Rhine District. It is topped of with 20% cider made out of Reinette apples out of ecological growth. I do like my dry wine but I have to admit that sparkling wine is something I usually just drink at parties or family celebrations so this will be a novelty for me. I have been looking forward to this ever since I got it. Though the drink itself is clear, the bottle seems almost black and looks very luxurious / high class. I like both, Riesling and the local variety of cider, Apfelwein so this might be totally along my road, BUT don't count your chicken till they are hatched so time to tackle a new thing and try this baby. As a sworn in beer connoisseur, I sadly don't have designated champagne flutes so I improvised with my party wine glasses...
Pouring without foam, this fine liquid of a pale golden color, has a very fine, delicate, fruity smell. The apple parts seem to be so fine blended in it that you can guess the smell if you know it but it isn't very strong. The tart smell of champagne mixes with very fine yeast notes.

Taste wise this surprises me as the apple isn't very strong but mixes so well with the grapes that it forms a beautiful composition together. I wonder why no one got the idea before.. or why I haven't heard of it. The apple helps to give it a very full taste that holds many aspects. The tartness is coupled with a slight sweetness that is existent but decently in the background.

This proves to be a very worthy addition to the Sparkling Wine scene. Thanks for discovering this golden ambrosia for me!

DMW

Leffe Royale

Leffe Royale


0,75l 7,5%

My often mentioned brother returned from a trip to Belgium with this dark bottle as it was handed to him by a shady drinks dealer in a back alley when he asked for 'something special'.. So I am looking forward to this. I also have to apologize if this isn't getting a daily update at the moment but I am desperately trying to lose some weight and my diet basically only allows me those beery carbs with my middle meal.. and as that's usually at work .. well figure out the rest.
So today, one of my 2 days off, I bring this to you.

I chose one of the 2 belgium beer glasses I have, and decided against the one I use for trappistes and went for the other one instead.. originally a Corsendonk glas.

Out of the deep darkness pours an amber liquid with loads of very fine pored foam which takes its while to dissipate. Amber really is the best color I could come up to describe the color of the 0,75l ambrosia I'm about to try.

A very yeasty, sweet scent awaits me with tones of cinnamon and spices, maybe even some pepper. The yeast is, however, the most dominant tone.

The carbonation is perfect and the sweetness that I usually dislike on strong beers is really about on the perfect level too, I can still taste cinnamon and sugary tones, which vanish with malty bitterness. On the other hand the bitter tones are definitely there as well and this forms an almost perfect whole. Absolutely drinkable and a very nice gem. I was a bit sceptical as Leffe wasn't my favorite but this is really good.  There is nothing that would make it SUPER SPECIAL but that isn't necessary as even as a 'normal' beer this is amongst the leading ones. A fine blonde baby, hiding in a black bottle.

DMW