Belize

Che’il Mayan Chocolate

Cacao Wine 2022

Incredibly unique! Made from cacao fruit (not grapes) that’s a byproduct of the fermentation process in chocolate production. Julio, the winemaker and chocolatier, also a Belizean Mayan, creates everything organically and by hand, sourcing his cacao from local farmers in the area. He tries to waste nothing, and uses every bit of ‘waste’ from the chocolate making process in all kinds of ways. When one ferments the cacao fruit, 65% comes out in the form of fermented cacao wine. Not knowing what to do, he was dumping this stuff out for years before he realized he could sell it - and it sells out to the locals fast! Bottled in plastic bottles and hand labeled, it’s truly a small batch operation. And what’s even cooler is that this tastes great! Opaque brown in color. Smells like tropical fruits - kiwi, pineapple, mango and fig. Some roasted flavors too. Great acidity and structure which I was not expecting. Has a nice long finish. Flavors are what you’d expect if you eat high end dark chocolate. Certainly has the expected dark chocolate notes, but lots of citrus, banana, mango, coffee, and some other roasted flavors. Nothing else like it. — 2 years ago

Jillian Varner
with Jillian

Inglenook

Rubicon Estate RC Reserve Syrah 2010

In Belize at Copala resort so not much selection but still great — 8 years ago

Far Niente Winery

Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

Great wine to celebrate going from Belize to Guatemala with great friends! — 9 years ago

Opus One

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2014

Quite deep , still pink/ruby rim. Quite restrained , tobacco , blackcurrant , mineral ,vanilla and cassis. More of the cassis on the palate , blackcurrant , tobacco and coffee. Tannins are fine and pretty ripe . The wine has a relatively sweet fruit profile which means that it is slightly heavy going , though the alcohol seems just about in check. There is a herbal and more classic element also. The tannins are pretty big, quite bity , it will age quite well I suppose . The acidity is fine , and just about balanced. The finish is reasonable . I expect this to improve over the next 7-10 years or so, though is certainly worth trying now, but deserves a bit more time . A glass from Vintages, somewhere off the coast of Belize — 5 years ago

Severn, Anthony and 32 others liked this

Inglenook

Rubicon Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2010

Last night in Belize, we did it well — 8 years ago

C. Ferrand

Old Reserve XO Plantation Belize Single Cask Rum

Smell: some banana, spice, little smoke
Taste: some wood, med Lt. Body, spice at beginning, sweetness at end, bread pudding

Great dessert rum
— 8 years ago

Eliot Flannery
with Eliot

Domaine William Fèvre

Vaillons Chablis 1er Cru Chardonnay 2015

White flowers, green apple , pear , lemon peel. On the palate , nice lemon and apple fruit , tinged with that saline minerality , quite full bodied in the mouth with nice balanced acidity . Quite long finish . Chops Grille, somewhere off the coast of Belize — 5 years ago

Bob, Ira and 3 others liked this

Château Thuerry

Les Abeillons Coteaux Varois Provence Rosé 2012

In Belize, don't usually drink rose's but thought it was great — 8 years ago

Fair

Belize Rum

5 ans d'âge. Vieillit en fut de chêne qui a élevé du Bourbon, ce qui lui donne un air de whisky fort sympathique. — 9 years ago