I had heard a lot about this beer before I tasted it, but nobody had really told me what it was supposed to be like.  Upon its arrival, the bottle boasted that it was a Flemish red ale, so I feared that it would be another uncomfortably sour beer like The Dissident, Rodenbach, or a gueuze.  I approached it with trepidation.  Boy, what I wouldn't give for a palate that appreciated sour flavors!  I needn't have worried, though.

The Duchesse pours a dark ruby with an off-white head that sticks around for a while and leaves a nice foamy lacing in its wake.  On the nose, it has notes of green apple, cinnamon, and hints of cardamom and other fruits.  It tastes surprisingly sweet and fruity, with flavors of apple, stone fruit, and a very mild sour acidity that acts more as an undertone than a primary flavor note.  I found it to be perhaps a bit too sweet for constant drinking, but it reminded me a bit of Lindemans Pomme and was quite tasty.  This is a beer that would make a good bridge into more esoteric styles, and may even help the sweet lambic drinker branch into more mainstream beers.  It's definitely one worth trying out.