Decantering

Last week we sampled a bottle of Cab Fran Chateau Liles with a rather interesting outcome, after much discussion and the scare that there may be no 2008 vintage Thud and i popped the cork on a 2005 to relieve the anxiety. But to shake things up we put to use Thud's antique decanter. There are many opinions about using a decanter but as my taste and interest for wine are really taking off in a big way i thought it would be an ideal time to test it out and on a wine i know well.

The idea for a decanter is to air the wine and to get the full potential and complexities hidden within, having really only ever let wine breath in a glass this would surely be a lot different and hopefully bring out more pleasure from this wine. Joining us on this little adventure was Lord Roby, who had dropped in from Europe to muse about all things including wine. We let the wine breath for around 20 minutes in the decanter before actually pouring, but when we did the bouquet jumped out of the glass before the liquid stained the rim. Unlike last week the he aroma was every thing i had expected but with length. The mouth feel was spaced instead of compact, it had layers of flavour that had a nice long finish and the alcohol was present in a cheek smacking way. The decanter definitely amplified the wine and not only was it an interesting way to drink but added elegance in a 101 ways. I use to think it was a pompus way to drink a wine and that the bottle said a lot about the wine, but take that away, take the labels and the blurb away and whats left is all that matters. The wine.

Sweet Sweet Taste

This weekend to celebrate the fantastic news of a new addition, thud and I popped a bottle of the 2004 Cab Franc Chateau Liles. The excitement just of the thought of opening this excellent drink was almost at boiling point. The depression that had over shadowed many a glass the past month was lifted as thud poured. The first flavour to fill the air was Vanilla, but this was strong and sweet this was not just the oak. The taste came full and fast, as soon as the sweetness subsided the alcohol kicked in this was not the norm for this fine bottle as it warmed inside. I had tried the 2005 and 2006, they were great wines but this was more like a port. Needless to say that this was not undrinkable by any means Thud and i certainly devoured the bottle of this most unexpected sweet sweet taste. It surprises me how complex the making of wine can be and somewhere along the line something was different, too much water? frost? or over ripe fruit? ether way it made great conversation, home and over the water.

Such a Variety

I have been a little slow on the post lately but this is not because of the lack of wine as that has been pretty consistent, no it has been down to pure laziness and other commitments. Over the past few weeks i have a sampled a few different wines and continued to look for the right Zin to take on my trip this summer.
I recently discovered the Syrah variety which i was completely unaware to be the same grape as the Shiraz, but i must say that of the two labels that i have drank, one being another Pepperwood i have to say it seems to me to be a very different drink from the Shiraz that i have drank in the past. The Pepperwood is becoming quite popular in this household.
I also have turned to tasting some French wines, Bordeaux being the most popular of french wines, and i have to say the taste was what i expected it to be , more complex than my usual drinks but very likable, with a very intense colour and dry taste it was a wine that i have taken my time drinking and enjoying.
In a recent post i tasted a Dona Paula Cabernet Franc, to which the results were greatly approved by Thud ,this lead me to look further into the label and i found a Malbec. This grape i had not tasted before and so gave me another reason to purchase a bottle to consume at a later date.
And finally the Zin Challenge, well this has been hard to find at present and the only decent contender has been the Pepperwood, so this has lead me to start looking at Primitivo wines, the same grape just produced in southern Italy. I am currently drinking a bottle of Dorio 2003 which is a blend of Primitivo(85%) and Aglianico (15%). This has a deep colour and a distinct aroma that has a similarity to box a liquorice all sorts, strange i know but i kind of like it. The finish is long and pleasant and fruity. The Aglianico gave the acidity. Not sure if its a contender we will have to see.

Dona Paula

I opened the bottle of Cabernet Franc the other week and what a find!! this wine had an aroma that jumped right out the class and after a swirl or too i was starting to think that this wine may be better than that very special bottle Cabernet Franc i received off Thud.
The body was medium to heavy with a very deep taste and very distinctive, it had a woody and berry aftertaste that lasted a few moments i would say that this wine has depth. In the glass the colour was dark and it clings with a red stain around the the glass, i had never seen this before. I am aware of being able to see the strength of alcohol but never for the wine to coat the glass in such a way. I am but a beginner in the fine wine department.
This wine really impressed me and although at first i was sure it would beat Thud's wine it just missed something, i could not put my finger on it, maybe its because the wine from Thud had more of a rustic feel i dont know therefore i bought another bottle and enjoyed it with Thud and his mother. Their reaction to the wine was pleasing and although it was good they too agree it missed something. However i think i will be taking it to Nappa to let Vinogirl have a taste and compare it to her very own.
I have started to look harder for good wines of late as i have simply got sick of the bland tastes that iv been use to over the past years. This is becoming more interesting as i find these little gems and even though i may spend a few pounds more it seems completely worth it.
This Cabernet Franc is a hard wine to find but if you do come across it splash out and grab a bottle it truly is worth it, a great wine.

Wine and Monopoly

i took the Pepperwood Grove on a bit of a session last night when some friends came round for a game of monopoly. it proved to be a great social drop and i had a couple of light beers too which i kind of regretted until the morning as i woke completely fine.
i had been into town earlier that day to get a couple of bottles and to see if the shop had had any more Zin to offer. unfortunately this was not to be and i settled for the Pepperwood Grove. Not to worry as im going back to the sticks at the weekend and i know a good little wine shop that im hoping may have something for me.
while in the the shop another bottle had caught the eye and reminded me of a cracking bottle that i received off fellow wine enthusiast Thud.
the Cabernet Franc that Thud had passed on to me had left an impression and this grape that is commonly used in blends for the Bordeaux of such(iv been doing some homework, i impress myself) has a distinct taste and iv wanted more.
however if this is to the standard of that i tasted we will have to see, and im sure it will come up in some discussion with Thud.
so the wine, well its a 2006 Argentinean wine by Dona Paula. i have yet to open it and taste as i have just finished of the remains of last nights wine so there will be a post to follow in the week.
oh and just so you know i lost at the monopoly and my partner as always cleared up, she is a ruthless business woman.