in pursuit of the juiciest wine: day twenty-six

The wine of strength and virility.

I got this bottle of Egervin Egri Bikavér 2005 strictly for the label. The red label with BULLS BLOOD and the picture of a bull weren’t the only selling point. It’s from Hungary. After drinking this Bull’s Blood, I’d better be stronger and more virile. I’m hoping it acts on me like spinach acts on Popeye.

“Egri Biakvér” translates into “Eger Bull’s Blood.” The translation makes me appreciate the missing apostrophe. It’s another selling point.

Eger is the name of the hills in Hungary from where this wine is born.  It’s “origin goes back to the seventeenth century,” so says the back label, which also says “To appreciate EGRI BIAKÉR at its best, open at least one hour before drinking and serve at room temperature.” Alright. I’ll be back in an hour. I know exactly what to expect, and I can barely wait.

In my waiting, I translated (used the Google translator) “védett eredetũ száraz, vörös bor controlled appellation of origin” and got this “of protected dry red wine with controlled appellation of origin.”  That’s nothing special, but I’ve got an hour to kill.

This is what I expect. I expect to taste Hungary in all its harshness. That’s what is known as terroir, pronounced te wah. (Listen to i here: http://www.wine-lovers-page.com/audio/lexicon/terr.mp3.) (Here’s a good piece about terroir: http://www.reference.com/browse/terroir.)

I also expect to think of gypsies. I like gypsies. They seem to be the embodiment of living, at least to me.

Well, it’s been over an hour-and-a-half, so menjünk.

Bull’s Blood has a dark and musky nose.  It smells like the other side of the forest where the mushrooms grow and the trees decay. It’s much lighter in body than I thought, and it tastes just like I thought. It’s like a Baco Noir, which some people like, but, not to me. I expected this, and it was fun. I feel virile and strong.

Unfortunately, I won’t be finishing this, which is ok. I think it will be a good wine for some. //

in pursuit of the juiciest wine: day twenty-five

First off, I’m totally on board with Ghana and Spain. I’d be on board with Chile but for Brasil – the great jazz players of futbol.

Second, I’m gonna try a new grape again. I hope it goes better then the Monastrell. This grape is Mencia. This is an old grape that has been forgotten about, but it’s gaining popularity. It should be gentle, which I’m hoping for this Sunday evening, especially since I’ll be making this meal: Squash Ribbon Salad with Pine Nuts and Goat Cheese. (By the way, EzraPoundCake.com is an awesome recipe site. You must visit. )

Today’s wine is El Castro de Valtuille Joven Mencia 2007. It arrives from the Spanish Denominación de Origen (DO) of Bierzo, which is northwest Spain.

Vamos.

This one has a tall, wide meniscus holding a royal ruby color that releases a nose of dark berries, some currants, a hint of a vanilla orange cream soda?, and one unripened plum. It smells thick and layered.

This isn’t thick, it’s bright with long dry finish, a finish reminiscent of a Cabernet Franc, but more bearable.

The Green Knight

Up front it’s like a thin Merlot or a thick Oregon Pinot Noir with no pepper. It’s very dark berried and leathery. This will go good with the squash and some pepper. I think this one of those wines that will go real good with vegetables. No wonder I keep thinking of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, especially The Green Knight. W. S. Merwin has the best translation.

It gets better and better the more it receives the air, and the more it receives the air, the less the Cabernet Franc-y finish. It’s actually getting more juicy and less dry, too.

Give this an hour-and-a-half to two hours to open, and you’ll understand why the Wine Advocate gave it 90 points.//

in pursuit of the juiciest wine: day twenty-four

This will be a quick. I’ve been busy all day. I just got back from a picnic with some good people, and soon I’ll be going to the CnS, the local bar, to hang out with some other good people. Hm. I had a beer at the picnic, now I’m having wine, soon I’ll be drinking beer, again, and inevitably, as always happens at the CnS, I’ll be doing shots. Yes, today I’ll be drinking for the cycle!

To get the cycle going, I’ll be drinking Vinos Sin-Ley M5 Monastrell 2006. “Vinos Sin Ley” translates into  ”wine without laws. So it’s a rebel. Looking at that lime green label, how can I think otherwise.

I don’t think I’ve ever had a Monastrell, but it’s from Spain, so that’s a good thing. And the Wine Advocate gave it 90 points, so that should be a good thing, too.

The back label says it’s deep purple, but I don’t see any smoke on the wine. (Sorry. Sigh.)

Anyway, it’s got a huge nose. I can help but to smell it, and it’s about 1.5 feet away. From this distance I smell a wild-flower perfume, berries, camp fire smoke, and something sweet, like popsicles? Closer up there is leather, and my girlfriend gets “gasoline but in a good way.” But that gasoline could be all the alcohol in it, which is perhaps why it seems like a perfume and drifts so far. It definitely smells pleasant and I can’t wait to get it in me.

Well, it’s got an interesting texture. It’s very thick. And it has horrible a finish like a bad rhubarb pie with gasoline and grape leaves. It’s like a very bitter dolmades. The finish tastes like America’s loss today. I should know better. I don’t like Robert Parker’s tastes. I rarely agree with him. He like the darkest, earthy wines.

This wine is good on the nose in the mouth, but it disappoints on the finish. Maybe this is what it should taste like?

I just did some research. Monastrell is Spanish for Mouvedre, which I said before taste like it comes from Funky Town.

But this, this finish is just funk, and not like James Brown or George Clint, but sad and yucky.

It just doesn’t suit my palate.//

in pursuit of the juiciest wine: day twenty-three

U. S. vs Ghana ("Yes you can" vs "Yes you Gyan")

U. S. won today and advances. Ghana won and advances. (I knew they were ghanna.) And on Saturday they meet. Yes you Gyan, but not this Saturday Ghana. Despite all that, I feel blasé. To fix that, I’m gonna get my groove on. I’m gonna/ghanna get my Richard “Groove” Holmes on. It’s time for “Groovin’ For Mr. G”.

That got me right. Now, I can continue with mini Chilean Wine tour. This is the last day of it, so I’m gonna go out with one of my favorite everyday wines: Root:1 Cabernet Sauvignon 2008. It’s from Colchagua Valley, Chile. “Chile. The original ungrafted. Varietal. Rootstock.”

Here’s the story from the front of the bottle:

Chile is a true rarity in the wine world. Unique geographic & climatic forces have allowed it to remain one of very few grape growing regions in the world where the original European rootstocks, survive, unaffected by phylloxera – the disease that forced grape growers worldwide to graft vines onto generic rootstocks. Chile’s isolation, protected by the mighty Andes to the east and the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean to the West, ensures that grape vines can remain on the original rootstock, in the purest form. These same geographic characteristics provide Chile’s fertile central region with optimal climate & soil conditions to produce consistent and outstanding grapes each year. This Root: 1 Cabernet Sauvignon is crafted exclusively from grapes grown on the original, ungrafted root systems tended by our Master Winemakers. This gives the wine its pure, rich fruit flavors & aromas.

This seems to be turning into an advertisement, and maybe it should. This wine receives a dedication in my latest collection of poems.

Alright. Let’s get to the wine. Vamos.

A lovely nose of cherries, chocolate, vanilla, and maybe some caramel. Hm. This one is not as good as previous years. It’s a bit tart, especially on the finish. It’s a bit thin. It still has the cherries and chocolate. But, oh, the 2008 is a disappointment. The 2007 was wonderful. Arg. Arg is how I felt through the whole United States game today until they scoredin injury time. They dominated, but they couldn’t score, except for the phantom offsides, and then the glorious goal in extra time.

Arg. That’s how I feel about this 2008. It’s a phantom of the 2007. Ohhhh, the 2007 is splendid, but the 2008, eh, not so much. Now, I’m sad again. Back to Richard “Groove” Holmes.

//

in pursuit of the juiciest wine: day twenty-two

Day twenty-two of the Juiciest Wine tour and Chile defeated Switzerland 1-0. Next, Chile plays its twin country separated by mountains and an Ocean – Spain. A tie with them gets them into the next round. Even with a loss, they’ll probably get in. Vamos Chile! And vamos the next wine in the mini Chilean Wine tour – Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) Los Vascos Reserve 2006.

You’ll notice the “(Lafite)” in the name. Here’s a little history. (I know, geography and history all in one mini Chilean wine tour. What’s up with that?) In 1855, Château Lafite was classified a first-growth wine. On August 8, 1868, Baron James de Rothschild purchased Château Lafite, which was under public sale as part of the Ignace-Joseph Vanlerberghe succession. Just three months after the purchase, Baron James passed away, and Lafite became the joint property of his three sons: Alphonse, Gustave, and Edmond. The estate then included 74 hectares of vineyards. It is now 500 hectares.

So what does that mean? Nothing if the wine doesn’t taste good. So let’s get to some tasting.

This is a Bordeaux, but I don’t know what is in the blend, but I do know it’s got some crazy legs like the other Chilean wines I’ve had on this tour. Because of the legs and because it’s a Bordeaux, it’s got some Cabernet Sauvignon.

You know what I want to taste in this wine? A winner. A decisive winner. I want to feel like a winner. I haven’t won anything in a long time, so I want to feel that. I want to feel the same as today’s winning Chilean futbol team.

Vamos Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) Los Vascos Reserve 2006.

I can smell Cabernet Franc in there for sure and some earthiness. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was some Syrah in there, too. There are some raspberries, too. And of course, there is Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s got that peppery nose to it, as well, and it’s got a big body. I’m thinking winning rugby team, now.

Oh my. It’s big and dry with dark chocolate, vanilla, and dried red roses. It tastes like how the Chilean futbol team plays but more aggressive. Soccer meets rugby in this wine.

A few sips later and an hour of air . . .

It has loosened up and lightened up. It’s immensely better.

And in the nose some mushrooms have popped up out of nowhere, as only mushrooms do.

The Los Vascos is now kinda creamy in the front of the mouth, and it’s smooth, and it actually has a pretty finish despite it’s robustness. It’s a big fat opera singer with a pretty, tenor voice. And you know what? After another glass of this, I’m sure I’ll feel like a winner.//