The rumors of my having twins have not at all been exaggerated.

Wow.  (I'll tell you why I say wow in a minute.)

First of all, I've been gone for a while.  Let me start by giving you excuses.  Two of them.  Here are pictures.

They are not so cute from the back, but the twins in my wife's belly, plus the two kiddos running around the house have made this blog not-a-priority.  I have still been trying new things out, however, and taking notes.  I just haven't written them up.

Well, I am now motivated to catch up.  Here I'll tell you why I said "wow."

The new blogger system made it super easy to look at my traffic.  And guess what, I've had over 3,100 hits over the life of this blog.  A huge hit in the blogosphere?  No.  Was I surprised that anyone else other than myself has been looking at this?  Yes.

More drinks to come, stay tuned!

(Blurry photo so you might be surprised about what's coming up.... yeah, that's why...)

Amazon.com [New Source]

So, after hearing about how Kristian Regále is now selling some of my favorite drinks at Amazon.com, I decided to take a look around and see what else is available there. Well, as I should have expected, what isn't available there! I've decided to start a "wish list" with all the interesting drinks I find there. Right now they aren't divided up, so there might be things there I've tried, and things I've never heard of.

Check it out here - http://amzn.com/w/19X1D5QIJBWB1

Kristian Regále Sparkling Black Currant

My Experience:

I'd been searching around for a local place to find more of the flavors from Kristian Regále, and was thinking about ordering from their own website to get the two I hadn't tried yet (Orange and Black Currant.) Before I'd gotten around to making the order, however, I was contacted by Peter Strnad of Kristian Regále, who simply said he enjoyed reading the reviews I'd written. I told him to keep watching for when I finally reviewed the last two flavors once I got my hands on them, and he offered to send me some of the Black Currant (apparently that's the one that people really notice.) Now, I know what you're thinking. "What about your journalistic integrity!" I have only two things to say. First, you are taking this blog way too seriously. Second, you only have to look at my previous reviews before now to see I've always been (and will be) a fan of Kristian Regále (and been honest in my opinion.) Anyway, the best news of all this is that he informed me they are now just now selling through amazon (not a 3rd party at amazon) which means free shipping on orders over $25. Here is a sample pack that has the Black Currant and more. Also make sure to try out the Pomegranate.

The color is a rosy plum, and its scent, like most juices, indicative of the fruit used in it. (read: it smells like black currant!) The carbonation is perfectly fantastic, just like all Kristian Regále (see the link in the sidebar), with its zesty bite that's not over the top, and full of tiny bubbles. It doesn't completely dissipate on your tongue like some of this style of drink does. It's on the drier side of Kristian Regále, which is quite dry for a juice, still sweet for a wine. It's fairly acidic, medium bodied and on the bold side. Fresh plums come to mind while drinking it.

It cleanses well, and it'd pair well with lots of foods. Steaks, pastas, pork and even some desserts. It's very versatile, and complimentary to lots of foods. The ingredients list is gleefully short. Water, apple & black currant concentrates, beet sugar, carbon dioxide, natural flavors and citric acid.

This is now my favorite Kristian Regále drink. It's more nuanced and sophisticated than the pomegranate, and a bit more versatile. It's as wine-like as you can get in the sparkling world, without going for de-alcholized wine. I'm definitely adding this to my table drink list, and with how often we use Amazon to order things, a case of this will be on my Birthday and Christmas lists indefinitely.

We drank this with Spinach Prosciutto Noodle Casserole.

Works as a Wine Alternative: Yes

Did I Like it: My favorite Kirstian Regále so far, 10

Would I Recommend it: Yes, it's easy to pick up and try, pairs well with lots of food, and tastes great.

Who Might Like it: Again, this one has wide appeal.

Carl Jung Rosé Wine

My Experience:

After a hiatus, I'm back! I've got 5 new posts to write soon, plus several more drinks I'm excited to share with everyone!

First up is the beginning of the Carl Jung series, first with their dealcoholized Rosé Wine. My wife got the following bottles for me, and I'll go through my experience with each one!

Rosé

White

Red

Merlot

Riesling

I popped off the screw top, and was immediately met with a scent that easily betrayed the fermentation process this drink had been through. It was just a touch fruity, in both scent and taste. On the nose I thought of boysenberries, but on the tongue I changed my mind to raspberries. With a touch of a tingle on the tongue, it was much like the first (Ariel) White Zinfandel we had.

This one threw me a bit of a loop, though. The fermentation taste is strong, and it's only very slightly fruity. It's not sweet like a juice, but a touch sweet for a wine. It has a tang to it like a very ripe citrus fruit, a bit a of bitter finish, and is Medium bodied. Over all, quite mild. The pork we ate with it was a little sweet of a pairing with it, though it contrasted nicely with the not-very-sweet-for-a-strawberry strawberry. It was good with the olives, and sage infused cheese, and it was also great after a short bite of lemon, so I'd try pairing it with acidic, tangy dishes like lemon chicken, though it could contrast really well with a creamy dish also.

My wife says the color is a rosy mauve. It's not super clear, but definitely leans towards transparent. I can taste the tannins, very lightly. Short legs, and mild on the acid front.

Works as a Wine Alternative: Yes, though I think I prefer Ariel's White Zinfandel for a similar, but sweeter experience.

Did I Like it: Yes, but I didn't love it. I'm torn between a 6 and 7.

Would I Recommend it: Try something easier to find first, but if you've found a dealcoholized wine you like, give this a try.

Who Might Like it: If you are looking for something very subtle, this might be a good choice.

Draper Valley Vineyard Early Muscat

My Experience:

My wife got this (and a Gewerztraminer

) from Draper Valley Vineyards for fathers day. We are finally getting to them! We had it with minestrone.

It's a light golden color, not quite as translucent as some of the Chardonnay we've had. It has medium legs, not holding on long but fairly weighty. It has a tangy, floral scent that is very pleasing that reminded me of Citrus blossoms.

The taste is floral also, and from the scent I was expecting a strong, sour taste but it's milder, not weak, but still with a unique identifiable taste. I also didn't catch the citrus I was expecting, nor the acid. It is heavy bodied, bordering on thick, but

doesn't leave a strong syrupy residue in your mouth the way cheap white grape juice from concentrate does. It does have a very long finish, however.

I found it went well with the Minestrone, it was just strong enough to balance well with it. However, the long finish made me want another bite of Minestrone every time, which is why I'd say it's not a great pallet cleanser.

Works as a Wine Alternative: I think so.

Did I Like it: 8 out if 10

Would I Recommend it: Yes

Who Might Like it: I think this is a pretty straightforward entry into gourmet juices.

Chefs and Non-alcholic Pairings

I just found this great NYTimes article about how some high-end chefs are mixing it up by pairing beverages other than wine with their tasting menus.

Check it out!

Kristian Regále Sparkling Lingonberry

My Experience:

Same great carbonation as always from kristian regale. Red raspberry color, but almost with a touch of orange, and smells very different from any other juice I've had, must be the lingonberry, and I can get just a touch of the apple, a bit of a tart smell. A bit of a musky, dusty rose scent. It's a bit more strongly carbonated on the tongue, the fizz completely evaporates. Only a hit of the apple gets through the very powerful lingonberry. As typical, it's not as sweet as most juices, but also has a slightly bitter finish, and medium acidity. It had some noticeable dregs at the end.

As for paring I'd drink it with something that you'd normally have with a fruity drink, maybe mexican food like fajitas or burritos.

Works as a Wine Alternative: I think with the right paring, yeah.

Did I Like it: Not as much as Kristian Regále's Pomegranate offering, but it's still a unique drink worth trying. 6/10

Would I Recommend it: Yep!

Who Might Like it: In terms of acidity, its a lot like raspberry juice, though the taste itself is different.