 I first reviewed the 2013 vintage of The Chocolate Block on the app Vivino, it's handy and is worth getting if like myself you enjoy pretending you are more knowledgeable than you are.
My thoughts on The Chocolate Block haven't changed so I'm simply going to plagiarize my own review from Vivino and pretend that it's all new. The Chocolate Block is simply a fantastic blend, right up there with the best of Franschhoek. A rich and fragrant nose going into a smooth and balanced taste up front, intense in the middle and a delicate finish. I know that with a blend of five grapes the wine is a bit schizophrenic but all blends have a touch of a multiple personality disorder and in this instance the voices in the bottle have lined up to form a choir. It goes well with the Duck Ragu in Coppi, Belfast (one of my favourite restaurants, at time of writing I don't have a review for it up as I only go there on dates and, well... it's been a while). Varietal Syrah 71% Grenache 15% Cabernet Sauvignon 8% Cinsault 5% Viognier 1% Country of Origin & Region South Africa, Franschhoek Winemaker Boekenhoutskloof Alcohol Content 14.5%
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 I'm known to be a big fan of the New Zealand Pinot Noirs, they've been my trusted varietal and confidante since my mid twenties, have been with me through good times and bad, and some of the better parts of my literary writing were ghost written by my faithful companion.
This wine however is difficult for me to review; First, because I've been an almost lifelong fan of Sam Neill and had the pleasure of joining a dinner with him back when his wines first came to Northern Ireland, and he is a wonderful person; Second, he follows me on Twitter and might actually read this. Don't get me wrong, I'm not putting off talking about the wine for any negative reasons but it's going to be hard to praise it without any calls of bias. They say that if God made Cabernet Sauvignon then the Devil made Pinot Noir, so maybe it's appropriate that the guy who played Damian in Omen 3 works with this grape. See what I did there? Ok. You know what your typical NZ Pinot is going to be like, more medium bodied than it's French cousins thanks to the rich volcanic soil in that part of the Pacific 'Ring of Fire' unleashing flavours of cherry and plum. The First Paddock has a hint of smokiness, spice and herbs, but it's the cherry and plum that take the lead, giving the wine a beautiful depth and complexity. Not biased. The colour is as dark as Sam Neill's heart is at the end of Event Horizon... ok, no more movie references. Pinot Noir always was on the darker end of the colour spectrum, something that I have always taken to be a hint of the hidden complexity of the grape, and the First Paddock is definitely on the darker end of the Dulux Colour Chart. Not that I am likening this wine to paint, if my walls were coated in it I would have it licked off long ago. The Central Otago Pinots I always consider that little bit lighter than those from Marlborough, the Marlborough region I usually find to have more of a slight tartness (which I really like) but I can't fault Otago for producing a wine this silky smooth. In summary: I rate the Two Paddocks First Paddock among the top of New Zealand Pinot Noirs, it's worth having a bottle to treat yourself (and someone else if you really must). You'll note from the picture that the bottle is empty, I made sure to fully research the wine before writing this review. Varietal Pinot Noir Country of Origin & Region New Zealand, Central Otago Winemaker Dean Shaw, of Two Paddocks Alcohol Content 13%  Yeah, it's alright.
Ok, I'll write a bit more. On the hoppier end of the spectrum, as in going out of my preferred flavour profile but I still found it very pleasant to drink. Fruity hops and a rich nose with a tang of malt. I wondered why I liked the colour so much and then I realised that it was quite similar to the fake tan worn by an Armagh girl I used to go out with, she was quite fun even if it meant never being able to wear a white shirt. The Hoppel Hammer was quite fun too, it sat with me to watch Star Wars and didn't judge me for wasting a Saturday night. That's what I like in my beer, no judgement. At 6% it's starting to get into the realms of the stronger alcohol beers, so maybe it was trying to get me drunk and take advantage of me, but I think I'd let it seduce me. Type Triple Hopped IPA Country of Origin Ireland (Northern) Brewer Whitewater Brewery ABV 6% Size 500ml bottle  Well, another sunny day, another lager.
This little Italian is nice and crisp with a hint of fruity hops on the nose, perhaps a little hoppier than most lagers but it makes for a very pleasant drink. I'm not a fan of overly hoppy beers (there are some local craft beers that I just won't let past my lips) so take it as read that if I'm saying it's a bit hoppier than most lagers and am still calling it pleasant then the Menabrea is a tasty beverage. It's a crisp golden colour and isn't overly carbonated, so no crappy pours or burping all night (I'm looking at you, Budweiser). The Menabrea Birra Bionda has a notably different flavour to the Central and Northern European lagers, it has the Southern European warmth and distinction of an Italian lady, and incidentally is about as close as I'm probably ever going to get to an Italian lady (again). Type Lager Country of Origin Italy Brewer Birra Menabrea SPA ABV 4.8% Size 330ml bottle  Oh I liked this one.
Slightly weaker in flavour than the Lacada Devil's Washtub, but that is no bad thing as the Devil's Washtub is pretty intense. So yeah, the Clotworthy Dobbin has a great malt with plenty of depth and a beautiful ruby colour, check out the picture and see how it glows. It's a really nice rich ale but unfortunately I didn't have time to review it the day after I had sampled it so I can't remember if it gave me any particularly strong feelings of arousal. It possibly did not because I was drinking it a fair bit colder than the recommended 8 degrees, the Clotworthy Dobbin is the kind of ale that wants to snuggle up close but I was just being cold and mechanical. I left satisfied, but much like my love life I think that I've been a disappointment. Type Traditional Ale Country of Origin Ireland (Northern) Brewer Whitewater Brewery ABV 5% Size 500ml bottle  Spiced with honey and root ginger I can see what they were trying to do, a modern day take on mead (I would assume). I really wanted to like this beer, particularly after having tried the Belfast Lager and confessing that I had been overly hard on the brewery because I as a non stout drinker wasn't fond of their stout. Unfortunately I'm just entirely 'meh' about the Bee's Endeavour.
It's not bad, the honey and ginger flavours are a nice presence and give it a nice nose, and the colour is beautifully rich. It's just after the initial burst of flavour it's lacking in any followup, in our slightly hipster WhatsApp beer group I referred to it as similar to flavoured soda water. Don't get me wrong, there are worse beers out there (there's a brewery in County Meath that fairly reliably produces nothing but wank), this one just is never going to make it into the regular rotation. I would suggest that this is a beer you buy because you want to try the combination of flavours, and it is worth trying, expanding your horizons and all that, but then go "Alright, now what's next?". Type Golden Ale Country of Origin Ireland (Northern) Brewer Whitewater Brewery ABV 4.8% Size 500ml bottle  The Whitewater beers are something that I stayed away from for a long time because they were most famous for Belfast Black stout, that I don't like. Which is kind of a silly reason because 1) they make more than Belfast Black; 2) the only stout that I've ever liked has been Guinness so I shouldn't be tainting an entire brewery based on a type of beer that I don't even drink.
So I decided to pick up a range of the Whitewater beers to give them a go, and since it was a warm night decided to start with a nice, crisp lager. And I do have to confess that having now tasted into the range I was being unfair to the brewery. Belfast Lager is definitely on the better end of the craft lagers available, a bright golden colour, a rich nose and a nice, full flavour. There is none of the 'soapy' texture that you sometimes get in lagers (Tennents leaps to mind there), it was crisp and refreshing on the tongue. If trying to find something comparable in the mass-market range I would say that it is more akin to your Continental European lagers, Denmark and Germany in particular, rather than the weaker British lagers, and nothing at all like American lagers (I'm only talking mass-market here, the Yanks are producing some fantastic craft beer). I probably had it chilled lower than they would recommend but on such a warm evening I had no complaints, it paired well with a tubby bloke slowly cooking on his sofa. Type Lager Country of Origin Ireland (Northern) Brewer Whitewater Brewery ABV 4.5% Size 500ml bottle
I'm a big fan of this wee wheat beer. It's subtle without being watery with a beautiful balance between the wheat and malt making it smooth and easy drinking.
Great spicy nose, cloudy in colour and smooth on the tongue. On dining, I'd pair it with a hot, sunny day, beyond that I'd say it's up to you. I find it very reminiscent of Einstok White Ale because of the coriander and orange peel, (another great beer that is well worth your time). Type Wheat Beer Country of Origin Spain (Catalonia) Brewer Estrella ABV 4.8% Size 330ml bottle |
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