Mead is one of the ancient beverages that captures the imagination.  While frequently seen in ancient literature, it also reliably appears in fantasy settings.  Made from honey, mead has a unique ability to have it’s own terroir through bees.  Much like clover honey vs. orange blossom honey, the exact types of honey that are placed in a mead, and therefore what the bees pollinated, has a massive impact in the outcome of the wine.   Chaucer’s Mead hails from the great agriculture world of California, so the blend should be superb.  Will this modern rewrite be a smash success, or just another fanfiction?

Sight:  Deep gold.  Like liquid honey, but shinier, and deeper.

Smell:  There’s an instant recognition of honey, but it’s the sort of honey that’s concentrated, with the sweetness reduced.  The floral and herbal notes pass through with gusto, adding notes of mint, clover, marjoram and sage.

Sip:  It starts out slightly sweet, before getting a bit more acidic and tart.  It’s never overly crisp, but does take on a certain tang.  Honey is the predominate flavor with notes of sage and thyme.  Mild orange and citrus are present. [A.B.V. 10.5%]

Savor:  The herbal honey taste predominates, and leaves a slightly minty honey flavor.

Chaucer’s Mead offers a good take on mead with a lot of layers of depth.  The style is a bit drier and more savory than some might expect, but it offers a good experience to what mead can be.  The inclusion of mulling spices opens a direct path to a common way of enjoying mead.  If you haven’t had mead, but like semi-sweet wines, this might a good choice to have a first experience.

California

Price: $9.79