Beowulf's Brew

AWK!

Mead is, in my opinion, king of all the sweet wines I've tried. Today, there seem to be a great variety of Meads coming out. This wasn't true a few years ago; I could not find it anywhere, but there was a local vinter who brewed his own Mead (honey wine, if you are not familiar with it). My friends and I drank it out of bowls so that we could feel connected to the Old Norse tradition that even King Arthur stories boast about (regretfully, we had no serving wench to replenish our mead).

If'n you never tried this, I suggest buying several varieties, inviting several friends, and experimenting until you find the one Mead that sticks out and draws you in... of couse, I could advise this about anything, but it is even more crucial with Mead - it's part of the legacy of the liquor.

Fetzer - a beautiful wine

Recently, we have been experimenting with a wine guide by Oz Clarke. In general, I can't find the wine he recommends - it's just not sold around here. But, then I caught a glimpse of one such wine bottled by Fetzer. It was a Merlot, and it was very good! We had accidentally tried the Gewurztraminer some time previous, because we learned of it through a friend.

We have tried Fetzer's Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and I think a Pinot Grigio (but I can't be sure). Now, mind you, this has been over a long span of time, not anything obscene..lol. However, I have to say that it is a great deal better than a 2-Buck-Chuck, and it really is a nice, sensual experience in a bottle. In a nut shell, the wines are robust, and the reds have hints of cherry. The whites have something of a peach/plum mixture, and I must say it is impressive.

There web site does not boast well for the 6th largest wine producer in America, but it's worth taking a look at. I would be sure to try it out if your are in the mood for the fruit of the vine.

http://www.fetzer.com/fetzer/index.aspx

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Lesson - Gewurztaminer

Taste: fruity apricot-pears, pices, flowers

Meal: Asian foods, spicy foods, strong cheeses

Recently, we experimented with this wine seriously. It is a very sweet wine, with a delicious aromatic effect. I would argue that the flavor of a pear is a distinct quality. We found that Fetzer has a very good Gewurtz. Although spicy food is a recommended pairing, I found that hot Chinese food kills the aroma, thus dulling the wine. I would lean toward something that has distinct flavor that does not overpower the wine (Mu Shu beef/chicken).

Although my opinion does not weigh heavily in the world of wine (or even the ghetto of the poorest city of that world, for that matter), This has been my favorite thus far.

Is Drinking a Sin?

Recently, a gentleman, whom I respect, talked with me about his conclusion about alcohol in his recent scripture study. Prior to the study, he did not, as I understand, view drinking as wrong - he had never seen Hebrew or New Testament scripture that specifically stated that alcohol, in and of itself, was wrong. Of course, "strong drink," which is often interpreted as the hard liquor was justifiably wrong based on his interpretation...

Yet, when he opened to a passage of Proverbs, he felt corrected... He further looked up the translated text and the word origin to see in Greek and Hebrew the context of whether alcoholic beverages are sinful, in and of themselves. The traditional Passover meal deals with this very topic (yeast or no yeast)...

So, if you have not before, please click on the picture of the wine glass. This is hyperlinked to a site about the position of those who advocate moderation of alcohol as a righteous and justified approach to Biblical teaching. However, I would be more than open to hearing the opposition.

This blog site is for the purpose of discussing wine. As I take my Christian faith seriously (although I am no man of perfection), I think hearing various sides of the argument is of significance. I, personally, hope to live a life that will teach my children, by example, the way of the cross. So I think it is of serious importance to have a Biblically appropriate approach to alcohol. I don't think that I need to explain that it is important to be a role model for a child, and I have seen too many friends and family members who allowed alcohol to damage their lives.

I'm going to refrain from updates on this site for two months so that a substantial discussion can take place about this specific issue. So, please share your educated, studied, prophetic, and prayerful thoughts. I welcome everything from opinions to scholarly expertise- Thanks!

Lesson - Shiraz

Shiraz is the red wine that bites you.

TASTE: Generally speaking Shiraz is considered a dark berry flavor (generally blackberry) with an undertone of spice that finishes with a distinctive bite. It can be a surprising and distracting taste without proper affiliation and food pairing.

MEAL: Foods that have a bit of a kick are best - not necessarily "hot-spice" but well spiced foods work best. If you have a BBQ dish, Indian currie, Asian stews, or Creole gumbo then this wine is a nice compliment. Meats that have undistinctive flavor (adapt to sauce), like chicken, are best. Generally you want the zing of a sauce to combine itself with the spicey bite of the wine to produce a fusion of taste.

Charles Shaw Shiraz and Schezwan

We had some Shaw Shiraz last night with Chinese food and a camp fire chaser. I had schezwan beef, and various appetizers. In case you are not a Chinese food lover, scheswan simply means that the food has a particular blend of spices. I found that the spicy bite of the Chinese dulled the bite of the Shiraz, or perhaps made it less of a sudden bite. It really proved to be an enjoyable combination. Normally, I find Shiraz to have an unpleasantly sudden bite that ruins the experience for those who enjoy savoring their wine. The bite distracts me from the flavor. With the spicy food, I had already exposed my mouth to one extreme, and then the wine was simply a taste that met or was less than that extreme. It allowed me to really taste and think about the Shiraz, and the bite seemed to simply blend into the overall taste experience. I will most definitely do this again. It gave me a whole new appreciation for Shiraz (usually not my preference).

We did not have our wine until we were finished with the mean and around a nice fire in our back yard, so I couldn't compare flavors with different food this time round.

Lesson - Merlot

In case you are like me, starting out in the world of wine, let me introduce you to Merlot by simply saying that it is bold red wine.


TASTE: Generally it is dry - it will make your mouth feel less moist. It is commonly described as having flavors of black cherries, plums, and spices (this does NOT mean that it is sweet). This may vary with different varieties of Merlot.

MEAL: Merlot is very strong, and is best paired with foods that have equally distinct flavors. Sausage, duck, and lamb are well complimented by Merlot.

Please feel free to describe your favorite meal pairings or favorite varieties of Merlot; my hope is that this will help people choose a wine best fit to their taste. In future posts I plan to critique varieties of Merlot.