Wine Review - Ocean Eight Aylward 2010

I just came home from my friend’s birthday party and I had an interesting wine so I would like to do a review on it. This wine is called Ocean Eight Aylward Pinot 2010 and was my first experience to taste such a wine like this one.

 Appearance

This wine has a cloudy red appearance that looks almost mystical, serious and murky.

Smell

From first whiff, from the first little waft to escape the glass this smells good. Very authentic, serious, and unmistakeably Pinoty. On the nose it's all black pepper, sappy deep red fruit. It's complex and moody, and what I like most is the way the aroma profile draws you in despite what are some challenging and offbeat aroma components.

Taste

The flavours balance a swell of sweet red berry fruit with a range of more savoury fruit notes and vegetal influences. It's a very textural wine. A big whack of slightly green tannins on the middle palate and a decent layer of puckery sweet fruit tannins on the finish. There's mineralogy here too, just one of the many flavour components this wine throws into the mix. Structured wine whose fruit shows an inherent complexity of flavour

Drinkability

This is definitely a continuously drinkable wine since it has a fruity smell and taste which I guess most of you guys like. This wine tastes even better when you are having a chat with you friend, it will cause a further excitement and intensity to the conversation.

Overall 

This wine would give you a fruity, deep and enjoyable taste and experience which I am pretty sure you guys would like this.

Ko 



Image sourced from: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE24eyUqRdmvUCiXnwqJMS-T2PyxVAa0mUYl84h_YT3-cTAeSPwIoU9hntL6BwfXn8m94J3vPq7eYTFSbSYYT_oT2zRNY6S7BO6NogwGKm_gRg3ylAXqtsLGWwS1riNo9OxeW7g3V-Nw2X/s1600/aylwardpinot.jpg

Pilsner Urquell

Today I will once again be reviewing a beer. This time it is Pilsner Urquell, which I purchased from a local liquor store in a bottle. It is an imported beer from the Czech Republic, which is brewed as a Czech Pilsner with 4.4% alcohol.

The Appearance:
When poured the beer produces a clear dark golden colour with a one centimetre of white head that will soon reduce to a small island of foam in the middle of the glass. Sipping the beer leaves scattered leggy lacing and a ring of foam along the glass for each sip.


The Smell:
The aroma gives a pleasing mixture of biscuity or grainy malt as well as earthy and floral hops.


The Taste:
This has a malt backbone which provides a nice biscuity taste for the earthy and slightly floral hops that have a light touch of a salty taste to them. The balance is smooth and the hops are noticeably present.


Drinkability: The beer is actually quite nice and would defiantly say that I would order another. The finish is clean, crisp and has a dry lightly bittered ending which helps give it a great taste.

Overall it is a great beer, and I’m sure if it was on tap would be even better, or even if you were drinking it overseas. I give the Pilsner Urquell a 4 out of 5 “Thumbs Up”!


-Gabe


Image sourced from: http://kd59.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/pilsner_urquell2.jpg

Tooheys 5 Seeds Cider.

With England being the original home of Cider production, the arrival of Tooheys produced 5 Seeds Cider is an interesting addition to the once traditional field of cider production. With cider essentially being beer made out of fermented apple or more recently pear juice presenting a perfect balance of fruit and sugars to decant a delicious clean, crisp refreshing alternative to beer. Apart from being an alternative to beer, cider offers drinkers some health benefits, as it is high in antioxidants.

Appearance

With this 5 Seeds Cider the product uses real apple juice sourced from Braeburn apples is used which has been seen here to produce a very light in colour beverage that in appearance can be compared to white wine.

Smell
It’s a medium strength cider, which has slightly tangy apple characteristics coming through prominently in both the flavor and aroma.

Taste

The 5 Seeds cider I can say this is a genuine contender in the market of ciders. Through reviewing several ciders we have found some ciders to offer an acidity that is sharp. The 5 Seeds cider is lean, great flavored without being overwhelming and very refreshing without being overwhelmed by its flavor. It is smooth to the palate and delivers maximum refreshment without leaving you with that pub smell of beer.

Drinkability

5 Seeds Cider really is a truly fun and enjoyable alcoholic drink to enjoy. The smooth taste that arrives to the palate, delivers maximum refreshment without leaving you with that pub smell of typical beers that leave a heavier aftertaste.

Overall

It provides an enjoyable sensation each drop and one that is smooth enough to enjoy time after time. I give this product – 3 ‘Thumbs Up’.

-          Nicholas.

Image sourced from: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcH7AURHye0CgAMQcgLkrXu4jT3wLDCZTdLqW6NOfX2g7whfibNk0XYXexIemQylqORDGaztltiUsTN4FB7FvPGnw-hs8JaZBLVYK73U6s8ySQdZqjtRWqa0MPqW2jVmBtg37bszAyB1s/s320/5-Seeds.jpg

Ready To Drink (RTD) Review – Smirnoff ICE Double Black

Today I will be reviewing Smirnoff ICE Double Black. I purchased the RTD from my local Liquorland store. It is an RTD which means it is a mixture of spirits and soft drink that is ready to drink without having to prepare it. It is produced using Smirnoff vodka and a tangy citrus flavoured soda. Being an RTD they are meant for larger consumption compared to wine and spirits, so it has alcohol content similar to beer with an average of 5%, but Smirnoff ICE Double Black is aimed at a higher percentage of 6.5%, so you can drink less but be drinking more. The tasting was from an aluminium can.

The Appearance:

The idea of the RTD is to drink it straight from the can as there is no need for preparation, but I decided to pour it into a glass. When pouring the drink into the glass, it had a crisp clear lemonade style look to it. It has a constant bubble and has to sit down for a while before the fizz will slow down.

The Smell:

The RTD has a clean citrusy smell, which was not overpowered by a smell of vodka.

The Taste:

When first tasting the RTD I assumed with the higher alcohol content compared to the regular RTD’s that it would have a strong vodka taste to it, but I was pleasantly surprised. It had a strong sweet taste, which was almost too strong, but you could barely taste the vodka.

Drinkability:

This is definitely a drinkable RTD, even though it has a strong citrusy taste, but I would see this as being used to combat the stronger vodka content. It has a clean crisp taste and smell which helps to give you an easy drinking experience.

Overall I have tasted many RTD’s and this one is definitely one of the best I have had. To have such strong alcohol content and keep a sweet taste that you can keep drinking without noticing seems to achieve the goal of what they are looking to do with this drink. This would be excellent for people who don’t like the taste of alcohol, but what to drink with their friends and have a good night out. I give the Smirnoff ICE Double Black a 5 out of 5 “Thumbs Up”!

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog and if you are looking for drinking alcohol but without having the strong taste of alcohol, I would defiantly recommend you try Smirnoff ICE Double Black next time you go out.

-Gabe



Image sourced from: http://danmurphys.com.au/media/DM/Product/140x375/329005_0_9999_med_v1_m56577569833250996.jpg

Wine Review - McGuigan Black Label

Wine is an acquired taste, some people hate it, some people love it. My personal taste? I love it! Today I decided to review McGuigain Black Label, an Australian made wine. I took a trip to the ‘little BOTTLER’ just down my road and bought myself a bottle, which set me back around $11. I poured myself a cup, here are my thoughts…

The Appearance:

McGuigan has a nice distinctive red-black colour. It has a very concentrated colour that can easily be seen through when being poured.

The Smell:

McGuigan smells delightful; it has a nice, soft, subtle scent of cinnamon and vanilla, accompanied by a distinctive red berry and raspberry scent.

The Taste:

When first taking a sip, I immediately notice the wine holds a soft velvety texture. It is immediately followed by an overwhelming taste of berry, partnered up with a subtle trace of cinnamon and vanilla. The taste is exquisite, perfectly balanced and a pleasure to the taste-buds.

Drinkability:

The wine makes a beautiful double combo when eaten with a steak (cooked medium rare, just the way I like it!). By itself, it still makes one hell of a wine. I look forward to finishing off the rest of this bottle.

Overall:

Lovers of wine would absolutely adore this fine bottle of McGuigan Black Label. The flavours, aroma and texture of the wine make it a pleasure to the tastebuds and nose. It is a must for wine
enthusiasts, as well as normal everyday wine drinkers. I give it 4 out of 5 “Thumbs Up”!

- Steven


Image sourced from: http://www.mcguiganwines.com.au/Portals/7/McGuigan%20Images/Bottle%20Images/Black%20Label%20Merlot.png

Beer Review - James Squires Golden Ale

Today I will be reviewing James Squires Golden Ale. I had the privilege of tasting this fine micro brew beer at the James Squires Brew House located on King Street Wharf in Sydney. The beer is a microbrew which means that it is a beer that is produced by a small local brewery, or microbrewery. The beer is styled in an American Pale Ale fashion with 4.5% alcohol content. This tasting was from a tap.

The Appearance:

When poured the beer comes out a beautiful clear golden amber colour which when poured correctly will give you a half centimetre white head. Although the head does not persist long, it does leave some modest lacing.

The Smell:

The aroma of the beer contains a fine blend of light citrus, floral hops and some gentle bready malt.

The Taste:

The flavours can be a little bland, but have traces of fruity, honey style of sweetness which produces a balanced flavour without anything dominating. The hops help to give a light citrus character.

Drinkability:

While it was drinkable I found that the flavours and the aromas are a little lacklustre and mundane. It seems that to give a balanced taste, it has not given it a distinguishing character.

Overall it is a nice beer, but if it had a stronger more defined taste to it the beer could rank up highly on a list of microbrew beers. I give the Golden Ale a 3 out of 5 “Thumbs Up”!

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog, and don’t be afraid to try James Squires Golden Ale down at the James Squires Brew House.

-Gabe



Image sourced from: http://www.jamessquire.net.au/images/beer/james-squire-golden-ale.jpg