Tasting Notes: Chimay White (Cinq Cents)

Appearance:  Pours a hazy, light gold with a hint of orange.  A pillowy, eggshell head.  Great retention and really nice lacing.

Aromas:  I get banana nut muffin, with the yeastiness, the breadiness, the banana, and a hint of sweetness.

Mouthfeel:  Medium to full body, but with a nice effervescence and foaminess that lightens it up on the palate.

Flavors:  I get a little bit of a fresh yeast flavor, along with a hint of banana, although not as much as I got on the nose.  Also a bit of apricot.  Definitely a bit of sweetness, but finishes dry.  A bit of coriander and baking spice as well.

Overall:  Definitely a great beer.  Its 8% alcohol is masked nicely by a variety of yeast-driven flavors, from a fruitiness to a breadiness and finishing with a refreshingly dry bit of spice.  No one element overpowers the other.  Very balanced, with everything Belgian styles have to offer, without anything becoming too much.

Tasting Notes: 2011 "Les Ursulines" Nuit-Saing-Georges

Appearance: Pours a deep ruby red.  Pretty dark, but when it swirls, does let some light through.  Quick moving legs.

Aroma:  I get a little bit of alcohol heat, along with a nice balance of tart and sweet black cherry aromas, and a hint of raspberry as well.

Mouthfeel:  Light to medium body, a soft tannic presence which would definitely not stand out if this were not a pinot, but does give just a touch of astringency at the end that I wasn't expecting.

Flavors:  I do get some of the earthiness and minerality I expect from a red Burgundy, but I also get a lot more fruit than I would expect.  Fruit flavors confirm the nose, with ripe cherry and a hint of raspberry.  The alcohol I picked up on the nose was not present on the palate.

Overall:  I'm not 100% sure how I feel about this wine.  It is a lot more like an American pinot, although a little less bold, than I had thought it would be.  Fruity, but still subtle and easy drinking.  A good balance of earthy flavors with some gentle but definitely noticeable fruit flavors. A flavorful, but still very easy-drinking wine.  For a Burgundy under $20 it is a pretty good value.  Something I would probably drink again, but not rush out to buy another bottle of.