Cisco Winter Woods

I've had this in my beer fridge for a while now and just never found the right time to drink it. After driving home from Western Massachusetts last Saturday, trying to beat the hurricane, I figured it was a good time. It's not that Cisco Winter Woods is rare or anything, I just like to find the right time to drink big bottles. It certainly explains why my cellar is rapidly expanding.

I wasn't sure what Winter Woods was (other than some sort of American Wild) until I opened it and turns out it's a sour brown. Big sour nose with a lot of tartness in it. Inviting for a sour, no off notes. Thick mouthfeel. Started with sourness, then you get some plum flavors and some bitter tannins from the chardonnay barrels. The finish was pretty tart and completely coats your mouth. The glass continued that way even when warmed up a bit. At times, the oak and bitterness are a little too present, but they fade quickly after appearing so they don't ruin the flavors luckily. Definitely tasty and worth trying if you like sours.