Big Turk vs. Swedish Berries...

Thank goodness this week is almost over. Unfortunately the weekend will be no picnic either. Packing and rushing and more packing and more rushing! You see, we're going on vacation next week. We are very excited but it is also a kids weekend, so it will be busy enough without all the pre-vacation prep that is bound to come... I guess I shouldn't complain, it's certainly a happy, good busy. 

Tyson has to go to the kennel, which I think he secretly he likes. Although he's not a dog-person (that's right, he's pretty sure he's a "person", and I can't really disagree with him), he does love the staff there and they at least pretend to love him too. We've been told that he escorts them on yard duties (poop-patrol) and gets extra snuggles.

January 14, 2016

This week we enjoyed a bottle from Italy's Alfredo Bertolani. It was a gorgeous Rosé, with a very pretty label.  

We were shocked when we poured it, it was a very dark rosé, it appeared more like a light red than a rosé. On the nose, to me it came across as the Swedish Berry gummy candies, where Shane thought it was more the inside of a Big Turk chocolate bar... as I've never had a Big Turk, I'm not sure what the difference is, but apparently there is one.

On the first sip it struck us as very dry, and quite tart. It also seemed to be very fruity in flavours, in particular it had a field berry feel. After a glass, the tartness seemed to dissipate, and the fruitiness of it really shone through. We made the comment that it felt more like a bubbly juice than a wine: a tart, bubbly fruit juice.

We later had a sparkling pomegranate soda (President's Choice) and vodka, and after a few sips, we thought it tasted very similar to the sparkling wine we had just had, albeit a touch sweeter. Strange, eh?

Anyways, yes, we'd have this again, Shane wrote "Delicious" in the book, but maybe not for Champagne Thursday. It feels more like a brunch bubbly as it's very mimosa- or sparkling sangria-esque.

~S

• Brand: Alfredo Bertolani
• Type of Grape: Unknown
• Sweetness: 11g/L
• Price: $15.95
• Tasting Notes: Very fruity, aromas of field berries. Would pair nicely with a light brunch, like pancakes and fruit.