Vines Sangria - Merlot, Strawberry, Peach & Lime Zest
Bellwoods Brewery
- From:
- Bellwoods Brewery
- Ontario, Canada
- Style:
- Wild Ale
- ABV:
- 6.5%
- Score:
- +8 ratings needed
- Avg:
- 3.94 | pDev: 3.3%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 1
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Mar 30, 2024
- Added:
- Mar 12, 2024
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
NO SCORE
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Vines is a wine-influenced series that celebrates barrel aged wild beer and locally grown grapes.
This particular Vines started in the same fashion as the others in our wine-influence series: by inoculating wort with yeast from pressed grape skins. While it was maturing and mulling things over in barrels, so were we. Where do we take this elixir after its ses jours in oak?, we wondered. Enter: Vines Sangria. For optimal beer/wine hybrid status, we turned to our wine-based mood board for inspiration and our next steps were clear: blend the barrels together and further condition the beer on Merlot, Strawberry, Peach and Lime Zest.
This particular Vines started in the same fashion as the others in our wine-influence series: by inoculating wort with yeast from pressed grape skins. While it was maturing and mulling things over in barrels, so were we. Where do we take this elixir after its ses jours in oak?, we wondered. Enter: Vines Sangria. For optimal beer/wine hybrid status, we turned to our wine-based mood board for inspiration and our next steps were clear: blend the barrels together and further condition the beer on Merlot, Strawberry, Peach and Lime Zest.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by thehyperduck from Canada (ON)
4.07/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
4.07/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
473 mL can shipped from the brewery; dated Jan 18 2024 and served slightly chilled.
Pours a hazy purplish-fuchsia that looks crimson red when illuminated; less than a finger of loose, bubbly, pale pink-tinged head vanishes within sixty seconds, a sickly-thin collar being the only remnant. The aroma is highly reminiscent of red wine, with plum, black cherry and grape juice, as well as an understated oak note; fainter still are hints of strawberry and lime peel spiciness.
The first few sips were very wine-heavy, but my palate adjusted over the course of the session, allowing me to discern the secondary 'sangria' flavours. There's a hint of peach juice early on, with strawberry developing mid-sip, and lime peel spiciness on the back end; Merlot flavours of cherry jam and grape remain prominent throughout. Moderate grape skin & wood tannin astringency on the back end, continuing into an aftertaste of strawberry and citrusy sangria. Medium-full in body, with relatively low carbonation that adds some fizz to this grape ale's smooth, somewhat plush mouthfeel. Easy to polish off the glass, but I couldn't drink this all night.
Final Grade: 4.07, an A-. I find it endlessly interesting how smell and memory intertwine: sniffing this Vines Sangria Merlot variant brought me back to the past, and reminded me of why I used to enjoy trying new wines (fifteen years ago, now). At the same time, the strawberry and citrus additions effectively bend the flavour profile of this grape ale towards the sangria vibe that they were obviously going for. I could've used more peach, but that's just me - it's still a really nice, barrel-matured grape ale. Worth sampling, and something I'd be interested in drinking again.
Mar 17, 2024Pours a hazy purplish-fuchsia that looks crimson red when illuminated; less than a finger of loose, bubbly, pale pink-tinged head vanishes within sixty seconds, a sickly-thin collar being the only remnant. The aroma is highly reminiscent of red wine, with plum, black cherry and grape juice, as well as an understated oak note; fainter still are hints of strawberry and lime peel spiciness.
The first few sips were very wine-heavy, but my palate adjusted over the course of the session, allowing me to discern the secondary 'sangria' flavours. There's a hint of peach juice early on, with strawberry developing mid-sip, and lime peel spiciness on the back end; Merlot flavours of cherry jam and grape remain prominent throughout. Moderate grape skin & wood tannin astringency on the back end, continuing into an aftertaste of strawberry and citrusy sangria. Medium-full in body, with relatively low carbonation that adds some fizz to this grape ale's smooth, somewhat plush mouthfeel. Easy to polish off the glass, but I couldn't drink this all night.
Final Grade: 4.07, an A-. I find it endlessly interesting how smell and memory intertwine: sniffing this Vines Sangria Merlot variant brought me back to the past, and reminded me of why I used to enjoy trying new wines (fifteen years ago, now). At the same time, the strawberry and citrus additions effectively bend the flavour profile of this grape ale towards the sangria vibe that they were obviously going for. I could've used more peach, but that's just me - it's still a really nice, barrel-matured grape ale. Worth sampling, and something I'd be interested in drinking again.
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