Category Archives: Rated C-

Review: Dr. McGillicuddy’s “Intense” Schnapps

Posted on December 23, 2011 by Christopher Null| 2 Comments

I am starting to question this “Doctor’s” medical credentials. Apple Pie Schnapps? Hmmm, color me suspicious.

Designed as “party shots,” Dr. McGillicuddy’s offers a range of traditionally flavored Schnapps… plus these four new modern additions. We braved our way into the quartet (in this order) with as open a mind as possible.

All are 42 proof.

Dr. McGillicuddy’s Apple Pie Intense Schnapps – Color me impressed. It really smells and tastes of fresh apple pie. Light and sweet, plenty of apple and cinnamon notes, and no burn at all. “Intense” it isn’t; rather it’s quite mild. I’ve actually tried apple pie flavored liqueurs before, and this one is easily the best one I’ve had to date. A-

Dr. McGillicuddy’s Wild Grape Intense Schnapps – Looks just like grape Kool-Aid. But on the tongue, it’s incredibly muddy. This is wild, but hardly grape. Flavors of burnt sugar and chemicals dominate. D

Dr. McGillicuddy’s Root Beer Intense Schnapps – Authentic root beer nose. The body, very sweet, like a can of A&W, and almost refreshing. The finish is a bit on the cloying side, but otherwise root beer nuts will find this a winner. B

Dr. McGillicuddy’s Ice Mint Intense Schnapps – Smells awfully minty, with promise. Sadly, tastes like toothpaste. C-

each $10 / drmcgillicuddy.com

Dr. McGillicuddys Schnapps Review: Dr. McGillicuddys Intense Schnapps

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Posted in Liqueurs, Rated A-, Rated B, Rated C-, Rated D/F, Reviews

Review: Natural Merchants Organic Lorenz “Symphony” Wines

Posted on November 30, 2011 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

Natural Merchants Selections imports over 100 wines from all over Europe, all of which are organic. We tried the importer’s Symphony wines from Germany, a white and a red. Thoughts follow.

2010 Lorenz Symphony Riesling is a blend of 85% Riesling and 15% Rivaner, all organic, from Germany’s Rheinhessen. A bit on the lightly sweet side, the wine offers distinct pineapple notes, with a long, lemon-fueled finish. Pleasant and fruity, with a long finish. B+

2010 Lorenz Symphony Red Wine is a blend of 90% Dornfelder and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, all also organic and from Germany’s Rheinhessen. This doesn’t go very far in convincing me that Germany should have nothing to do with red wine, a rather plain and unconvincing red with a character something like Jolly Ranchers left to melt in the sun. Watermelon, over-ripe cherry, and strawberries polish things off. C-

each $17 / naturalmerchants.com

Symphony Duo Review: Natural Merchants Organic Lorenz Symphony Wines

 

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Posted in Rated B+, Rated C-, Reviews, Wine

Review: Wente Heritage Block Series Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon

Posted on November 12, 2011 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

These two new releases come from Wente’s Heritage Block series of simpler, everyday wines.

2010 Wente Riva Ranch Chardonnay Arroyo Seco Monterey – Traditional in style, with that hugely buttery body, grilled and smoked meats on the nose, and a long, savory finish. B / $20

2009 Wente Charles Wetmore Cabernet Sauvignon Livermore Valley – A youthful, ultra-jammy wine with characteristics of licorice and oak, with lots of raisins and a pruny finish. Not fulfilling. Tastes really inexpensive. C- / $25

wentevineyards.com

 

 

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Posted in Rated B, Rated C-, Reviews, Wine

Review: Qream Peach Creme Liqueur

Posted on October 24, 2011 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

Here is proof that not all musicians are required to lend their name to a cheap Cognac. Pharrell Williams’ creation is Qream, a pair of cream liqueurs flavored with either peaches or strawberries.

I don’t know who out there is clamoring for fruit-flavored cream liqueurs, but here we have it. We tasted only the peach version, and it is exactly what you would expect. The milky-pink-orange color is instantly off-putting, and the nose is surprisingly mute, hinting at almost nothing in the glass below. Take a sip and you get a heavy canned peach character, followed by something akin to rose-petal-heavy perfume in the finish. Cloying and saccharine, it’s a rocky road from there, with a long, lingering, and coating aftertaste that is hard to shake.

Qream is, in comparison to other “artist”-driven drinks, surprisingly understated, but unless you’ve really got Georgia on your mind, the difficult construction of this one makes it a pass. That’s a peaches reference. Sorry.

25 proof. Refrigerate after opening. Keep out of direct sunlight.

C- / $25 / qreamwithaq.com

qream peach creme liqueur Review: Qream Peach Creme Liqueur

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Posted in Liqueurs, Rated C-, Reviews

Review: Haras Wines

Posted on September 28, 2011 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

Haras de Pirque, or just “Haras,” hails from Chile’s Maipo Valley, where it produces a series of very affordable wines, inspired by the winery’s love of horses.

Tasted twice. The first round of wines were clearly damaged by heat in shipping.

2010 Haras Sauvignon Blanc Maipo Valley – Tropical nose, with a touch of lemon character. Slight vegetal finish, but otherwise quite drinkable, particularly at this price. B / $10

2010 Haras Chardonnay Maipo Valley – Simple and inoffensive, with a mild body compared to most Chilean Chardonnays. A bit buttery, and a bit of lemon, but not a lot of nuance or, surprisingly, fruit character beyond that. B / $12

2009 Haras Carmenere Maipo Valley – A big licorice thing, funky on the nose with raisin and prune notes. Incredibly over-jammy, with some black pepper, but not really in balance. C- / $12

2008 Haras Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley -  Similar character, but with a slightly better balance than the Carmenere. Just too much fruit.C / $12

2007 Haras Character Cabernet Sauvignon-Carmenere Maipo Valley (pictured) – A blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Carmenere, 10% Syrah, and 13% Cabernet Franc. Easily the best red in this crowd, but still intense with prune and cooked fruit character. Mildly better balance than either of the prior two wines, but still has room for improvement. C+ / $20

harasdepirque.com

haras character Review: Haras Wines

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Posted in Rated B, Rated C, Rated C+, Rated C-, Reviews, Wine

Review: Jose Cuervo Low-Cal Margarita/No-Cal Margarita Mixes

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Christopher Null| 4 Comments

Pre-bottled margarita mix is certainly one of the biggest scams perpetrated on the American public since the Flowbee. Really, people, how hard is squeezing out some lime juice and adding a little sweetener, if you’re so inclined?

And yet the just-add-tequila margarita mix remains and, judging by the vast amount of shelf space these mixes command, it remains a top seller.

Now Cuervo is taking things to an extreme: Ripping the calories out of margarita mix with a no-calorie mix and, if you’re too lazy to dump in your own tequila, by offering a sub-100-calorie pre-mixed “Light Margarita” as well.

It’s not our usual bailiwick, but we took a stab at tasting them both.

Jose Cuervo “Zero Calorie” Margarita Mix isn’t terribly surprising: It’s simply a blend of artificial sweetener and some kind of lime essence (sans calories). The flavor is a bit like a diet Sprite that’s gone flat, which could be worse, and if you’re on an extreme diet, well, you probably shouldn’t be drinking margaritas but, if you can’t stop yourself, then I guess this will do in a pinch. Adding tequila (even 100% agave good stuff) actually doesn’t help things at all: It gives the mix a bitter edge and brings out its artificial character. Bottom line: If you want to save calories, skip the mix altogether and just add lime juice the way you’re supposed to. C- / $7 per 1.75-liter bottle

Jose Cuervo Authentic Light Margarita (pictured) – I’m not sure how Cuervo can put the words “authentic” and “light” right next to each other, considering this product certainly has no actual lime juice and is flavored with the same artificial sweetener as the “zero calorie” mix above. This one works better, probably because there is so little alcohol in it. (Cuervo claims it is composed of Cuervo Gold, triple sec, and “a twist of lime.”) And yet somehow this ends up at just 9.95% alcohol. It’s not awful, with real tequila bite, better and more authentic-tasting citrus character, and only a mildly cloying finish. If you need something for a tailgate party in a plastic bottle and there’s a diabetic in the crowd, well, I suppose it will do.* C+ / $15 per 1.75-liter bottle

cuervo.com

Cuervo Authentic Light Margarita Review: Jose Cuervo Low Cal Margarita/No Cal Margarita Mixes

 

* Drinkhacker does not offer medical advice and has no idea if this stuff is diabetic-friendly.

 

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Posted in Mixers, Rated C+, Rated C-, Reviews, Tequila

Tasting Report: Red Wines of Chile

Posted on April 20, 2011 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

Recently I had the opportunity to attend a live, online tasting event featuring the red wines of Chile. While Chile is primarily known as Cabernet country, I was surprised to find that it is home to several other widely-planted grapes. Its Pinot Noirs shocked me with their sophistication and quality. Its Syrahs, however, were another story…

Eight wines were tasted. Here’s how they shook out.

2009 Valdivieso Reserva Pinot Noir – A solid Pinot. Bright cherry fruit, tart with good acid. Light body, solid flavor, exactly what a good, new world-style Pinot should be. A- / $17

2009 Vina Casablanca Nimbus Estate Pinot Noir - Bolder, with a fuller body but just as much fruit as the Valdivieso. Some lightly smoky and tobacco notes. Also enjoyable, though the finish is a little too herbal to stand up to the fruit in the wine. B+ / $20

2009 Veramonte Ritual Pinot Noir Casablanca Valley - Similar tone to the Nimbus, perhaps a little smoother and more refined. Balanced, with interesting eucalyptus and evergreen notes in the finish. A- / $20

2008 Cono Sur Ocio Pinot Noir Casablanca Valley – Intense and jammy, rich, Zinfandel-like body combined with tart, black cherry character. Disarming, and imminently drinkable, but the massively tart and slightly bitter finish gives it a rough conclusion. B+ / $65

2009 Tamaya Syrah Limari Valley Reserva – The first miss of the evening, a Syrah with off menthol notes, skunky earth, and burned wood. Off finish. D+ / $18

2006 Loma Larga Syrah Bk-Bl Casablanca Valley – Bitter green pepper notes, overwhelming bitterness in the finish. Earthy to a fault. Unpleasant. D / $29

2009 Underraga T.H. Syrah Leyda Valley - Better, showing a little of what Chilean Syrah can be: Dark black fruit with intense herbal notes. Still, the balance is wrong and the finish is off, but the intensity marks a good effort. C+ / $25

2009 Hacienda Araucano Reserva Syrah Francois Lurton Lolol Valley – Dark chocolate character meats bitter, earth, and meat notes. Tolerable, but far too intense, with a bracing (not in a good way) finish. C- / $13

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Posted in Rated A-, Rated B+, Rated C+, Rated C-, Rated D/F, Reviews, Wine

Review: 3 Ribera del Duero Wines

Posted on April 10, 2011 by Christopher Null| 1 Comment

These wines hail from the northern, central portion of Spain and are composed exclusively of Tempranillo grapes. Yet, like many varietals and regions, Ribera del Duero comprises a huge range of wine styles — though all are surprisingly light in alcohol (under 14%). Here’s how three vintages of RdD stack up.

2007 Bodegas y Vinedos Neo Vivir, Vivir – To live, to live! Vinedos Neo’s Ribera is a young, funky, and a bit skunky wine that exudes barnyard tones. Meaty and medium-bodied, it has a sharp finish that doesn’t help matters. Not my favorite of this batch. C- / $10

2003 Penafiel Ribera del Duero Miros de Ribera Reserva – Straightforward, spicy, and racy, a big food wine with a lush, lustrous body. It has an edge to it, which gives it a bit of a tough finish, but the big bramble, stone, and dark plum fruit flavors, it’s worth the journey. B+ / $25 (est.)

2003 Valdubon Crianza Ribero del Duero (pictured) – Valdubon shows how big Tempranillo can get, with this inky, licorice-inflected wine that recalls Italy’s Amarone wine. Silky, with a lasting finish, there’s a tart cherry body, notes of menthol, and cedar. A fun wine, tastes like it’s an alcohol bomb but actually pulls just 13.5%. A bargain. A- / $20

2003 Valdubon Crianza ribera del duero Review: 3 Ribera del Duero Wines

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Posted in Rated A-, Rated B+, Rated C-, Reviews, Wine

Review: Warsteiner Premium Verum Beer

Posted on December 2, 2010 by Christopher Null| 2 Comments

A fairly staid German pilsner (or pilsener, as the Germans call it), Warsteiner has been a survivor for some 250 years. It’s a little hard to believe considering how plain this beer is. A light gold brew, Warsteiner Premium Verum comes across as immediately bitter and not terribly fresh. Preserved, almost with some bitter lemon peel, and the kind of old, dried herbs you’d find buried in the back of your spice rack. The finish is lasting and, frankly, not really pleasant, but you’ll drink a bit more to wash the aftertaste out and keep things moving along, I suppose.

C- / $10 per six-pack / warsteiner.com

warsteiner Review: Warsteiner Premium Verum Beer

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Posted in Beer, Rated C-, Reviews

Review: 2008 Michael-David Winery Earthquake Wines

Posted on October 28, 2010 by Christopher Null| 1 Comment

earthquake wine Review: 2008 Michael David Winery Earthquake WinesWe’ve reviewed Michael-David’s wines in the past, with its Incognito line. Earthquake is another of label of wines sourced from Lodi, California.

Quality is all over the place.

2008 Earthquake Zinfandel Lodi is a miss. Very, very young, it’s almost prunelike, syrupy and with chocolate notes — but Russell Stover, not Lindt. Out of balance in almost every way. C- / $19

2008 Earthquake Zinfandel Cabernet Sauvignon is a great improvement over the Zin. There’s no mistaking its youth, but the balance of fruit and wood is much improved here, giving this a distinct (yet inexpensive and easygoing) Cabernet character. Plummy and with more of those cocoa notes, but with a richer and more velvety body. A good value, vs. the overpriced Zinfandel. B / $21

lodivineyards.com

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Posted in Rated B, Rated C-, Reviews, Wine