Cantillon Rosé De Gambrinus
Cellared for three years, this is served in a stange at fridge temperature. 2005 vintage. Appearance- Right off the bat, I'm really surprised at the carbonation level. Last month I cracked open a Cantillon Organic Gueuze from the same year, and it was completely flat (as it very well should be) and very tasty. The head on this beautiful light rose drink is a solid two fingers, soapy and full. It slowly withers away to a thin, bubbly mat and leaves nothing behind. Smell- A bone dry aroma of fermenting fruit and hay, complemented with a barnyard character of flies on a horse's hindquarters baking in the hot sun. As wonderfully authentic and exciting as any true lambic from Cantillon or anyone else. Taste- If beers like this became no longer available, the world would be a more boring place. Powerfully tart, to the point where my eyes squint and tongue reels... it's reminiscent of the Fou Foune experience, where you just can't even imagine a more face-puckering beverage. After the initial blast, the beer goes bone dry and delivers a horseblanket-like environment in the mouth. The finish, lasting a full century, is quite memorable... it sums up the funky dryness and lingers on. Mouthfeel/Drinkability- The first glassful had a moderately textured feel, with small bubbles more noticable than the final two servings. It does have the right character for the style, so the thinner, less carbonated feature is right on the money. An absolutely stunning example from the Granddaddy of Lambic producers, and a reminder that I need to visit this a lot more often.