Québec Micro Brew - Le Trou Du Diable

If you're interested in treating yourself to something different, maybe a little obscure and of exceptional quality we definitely recommend you taking home one of Le Trou Du Diable's magnificent beers. They are quite a thrill.

We currently stock the V, La Dulcis Succubus and La Buteuse Brassin Special. Each one has tonnes of character, with truly unique flavor profils. Here are our tasting notes.

V (9% ABV) Le Trou Du Diable’s Fifth Anniversary Beer. This is a strong dark ale brewed in very small volume, aged in bourbon barrels, and bottle conditioned. Intense and generous white head, brown mahogany color, rich nose of dark candied fruit. Sherry like oxidation with notes of hazelnuts, toast, toffee, vanilla, and banana. Intense flavors on the palate follow through on from the nose. A gentle warth comes through from the alcohol, with the oaky bourbon character returning on the finish. Only available in bottles this one time, and that is it. The next one will probably be for their 10th anniversary.






La Dulcis Succubus (7.5% abv) . A Wild Saisson Ale or farmhouse style. Aged in French oak barrels that held California desert wine. Nose of floral honey, vanilla and apricot. Rich and generous on the palate with lots of stone fruit and a delicate tart quality on the finish.








La Buteuse Brassin Special (10% abv) Aged for 4 months in Calvados Barrels from a local Cidery. Exuberant nose of fresh baked, cameralized apples and sweet spice. Rich texture on the palate without ever being heavy and cloying. Super long finish, gracefully balanced considering the body and alcohol. Wonderfull!

Friday In-Store Tasting: Wines of Portugal

Come in this evening and try these 4 delicious wines.

Herdade Do Esporão Reserva, Alentejo, 2009
Herdade Do Esporão, Verdelho, Alentejano, 2009
Quinta dos Murcas Assobio, Vinho Tinto, Douro, 2009
Quinta dos Murcas Reserva, Vinho Tinto, Duro, 2008

Wine of The Week - Cheateau Carbonnieux 2005

This week I was interested in seeing how the reds of Graves from the highly regarded 2005 vintage stacked up to their more prestigious neighbors to the north in the Medoc, so I grabbed this bottle from the best known part of Graves.

The vineyards of Pessac- Léognan share similar attributes to that of the Medoc, notably its gravelly, well draining topsoil, on which mostly Cabernet Sauvignon is grown. The wines of Pessac Léognan, like many of Bordeaux’s appellations, are particular and distinctly different. This region is as well known for its characterful oak aged whites as its charming reds, which tend to be on the slightly lighter, more savory side, often exhibiting more of a mineral, graphite like quality.

The 2005 Carbonnieux expressed all the typical characteristics very well, made in the traditional proportions, predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon with 30 percent Merlot and 10 percent Cabernet Franc. After spending nearly 4 years in the bottle it still came across as rather young and closed at first. Until you let the fruit unwind, the tannins feel a little overwhelming, however, by the time I poured my second glass it had woven together rather well. The nose was enticing, with not overripe notes of blackcurrant fruit and damp forest floor. The palate had less fruit than the nose suggested but was very clean, defined and focused. If you like or want to try something more on the herbaceous, savory and mineral side this is definitely worth a go. We drank it alongside a mild jambalaya, and although it was still delicious, it would be more at home accompanying a juicy Beef Wellington.