Author: marga (Page 80 of 120)

This is the first time I’ve ever tried a Pinotage so it’s difficult for me to know how Zarafa’s compares to other wines of the same varietals. For me, it was a complete different experience in wine. I can’t quite describe the sharp flavor with which its greets you. Wood? Dark chocolate? Dark chocolate covered wood? I read somewhere that it smells like band-aids and I have to say I agree, but the taste has me dumbfounded. Following that is a medium-to-light body, which disappears into nothingness. Am I drinking water? It does have a lingering flavor, somewhat sweet and plumy. But very earthy and leathery. Yes, I think that’s the right word, leathery.
In all, it was a complete new experience in wine for me – though it did remind me of certain Argentine table wines. It’s not an experience that I enjoyed tremendously, but it was OK and I will finish the bottle. Mike, OTOH, didn’t like it at all.

I had read that feijoada, a famous Brazilian sausage and black bean stew, went very well with Argentinian Malbec. Alas, I didn’t read that until the last moment, and when I went to serve it the only Malbec I recalled having at home was the 2005 Black Mountain Malbec, Watson’s Grove – a California wine. (Later I remembered that I had a Malbec I had brought with me from Argentina a few years ago). It’s a cheap wine (about $6), but it seemed like the best option for dinner.
It wasn’t bad. It had a medium body – as Malbec’s tend to do – and a fruity finish. It improved magnificently with dinner, bring forward hints of oak and black cherry. All in all, a good but not great, table wine. But whoever said feijoada and Malbec went well together, was right.

Last night we opened the bottle of Vintner’s Cellar Dolcetto we won at the “Day at the Casa” raffle a couple of weeks ago. We’d drank the other of bottle of wine we won previously. The wine itself was pretty good. It resembled a muscat in being golden and sickingly sweet, and it tasted of honey and fruit. It was a bit alcoholic, though, reminding me of a madeira. It had a smooth, yet bitter finish. We both liked it.
Alas, I’m puzzled as to what this wine actually is. I researched it on the internet, and dolcetto is a black grape from Italy. The wine it produces is dark red, as I confirmed by doing a search of images of dolcetto. This one, as mentioned, was golden colored. Still, the bitter finish is associated with dolcetto – was it for that, I’d just conclude it was a mislabeled muscat.
The wine was produced by Vintner’s Cellar, a make-your-own-wine chain. It’s labeled as a Vintner’s Cellar wine, so I don’t know if this means that they made it, or if the person who donated it made it there but did not use a customized label. To add to the puzzlement, Vintner’s Cellar at least now does not offer dolcetto or muscat. Also, there is no Vintner’s Cellar in this area, so this wine must have travel somewhat.
All that said, it was pretty good, and we are sure to finish it.