Kinkead Ridge 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon

On the night before Valentine's Day we shared a bottle of Kinkead Ridge 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon ($18)with my mother. We were waiting for the right time to open it because Kinkead Ridge is one of the most "local" wines we have. It's made here in Ohio.

That's right, Ohio wine.

Our last experience with Ohio wine was on the drunkard's dream island of Put-in-Bay. The barely fermented grape juice was so sweet and tasteless that we compared it to Kool-Aid. We literally poured out the second half of the bottle because it was undrinkable.

So we approached the Kinkead Ridge 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon with some hesitation. We decanted the bottle and later poured three glasses. The nose was strong with cherry and berry scents. The body was full and well balanced. Color was deep red and clear.

Kinkead Ridge bills themselves as an ultra-premium Estate Bottled wine maker. Based on this initial tasting, we are eager to try more and visit their vineyard sometime soon.

Moral of the story: Drinking local can have surprising results!

Abita Mardi Gras Bock

Yesterday we watched Tony Bourdain's No Reservations episode about New Orleans, two years after hurricane Katrina. We are Tony fans and agree that this is one of his best episodes. For an hour we were captured: remembering the pain of watching the city flood, the disappointment at government failure to assist, the remaining fear that something awful would happen again. Squat bottles Abita beer, a small brewery near New Orleans, were served in many of the places Tony visited.


Since watching No Reservations last night, I wanted an Abita. As it turns out, their winter seasonal is Mardi Gras Bock. It's a good strong version of the bock style. It's crisp, malty, and mildly hopped. Happy Mardi Gras!

Stout Comparison

Tonight we are comparing three stout beers: Rogue Chocolate Stout (Oregon), Bell's Special Double Cream Stout (Michigan), and Goose Island Oatmeal Stout (Illinois).

Why these three? They were the only stouts available tonight at the unusually understocked Pace Hi, our nearest fine beer carryout.

First Impressions (head, aroma, and color)
Rogue: Clean chocolate smell. Not much hop on the nose. Dark, near black color. Foamiest head.
Bell's: Slightly chocolate, dark malt nose. Dark brown, cloudy color. Foamy head that remains throughout the drink.

Goose Island: Malty, medium hopped nose. Black, clear color. Least head that quickly dissipated.

The Drink (taste and palate)
Rogue: Strong chocolate and heavy malt flavors with a heavy hop finish. Medium carbonation and light mouth feel. The chocolate was so strong that I asked "Does this have flavoring?" After digging the bottle out of the recycle, we found the ingredients list, including 'natural chocolate flavor'. Over the whole of the beer, the chocolate became overwhelming.

Bell's: Well balanced, mellowed malt and hop flavors. Low carbonation and smooth, easy drinking mouth feel. Like other Bell's beers we've tasted, this one is hard to complain about. Well balanced seems to be the name of their game.

Goose Island: Malty, low hop flavor. Low carbonation and rich creamy mouth feel. (Oatmeal provides this mouth feel every time.) Nice, non-challenging easy to drink stout.

Overall
We will not buy the Rogue Chocolate Stout again, instead dreaming of January 1, 2009 when we allow ourselves another purple and orange beauty: Young's Double Chocolate Stout (brewed in the UK).
We will choose the Goose Island when we are introducing someone to stout, or want something non-confrontational. It would pair wonderfully with a rich stew or meat dinner.
The Bell's was lovely. We will certainly buy the double cream stout when looking for a sweet smooth stout to pair with a dessert or for a special occasion.