Its an unmistakably Alvinne bottle in the packs again, but those who aren’t fans of the sour, please don’t despair. This is something a little different from Alvinne.
Land van Mortagne is one of the base beers. It is nominally classed as a quadrupel, but pushes some boundaries of a big barley wine. (And is then confused by the use of the crazy Morpheus yeast)
Cuvee de Mortagne is the barrel aged version of the beer, rested in red wine barrels such as Pomerol, St Emilion, Margaux. The really special version of the Cuvee de Mortagne is then added to a different barrel. This beer has spent a further year in Sauternes white wine barrels.
It smells big and sweet, slightly fruity and funky. The flavour is a pretty complex combination of a multitude of things. Initially sweet with plums, raisins, cherries, caramel malt, dark sugar and fortified wine. A little sour acidity grips the sides of the tongue for a short time before the warm, smooth fruit and malt body takes over again.
It finishes reasonable dry, with a long slightly bitter, slightly sour, somewhat sweet aftertaste that hangs on the tongue and in the throat for a good while. Rest, repeat!