Easily lost in cranberry sauce, vin de bordeaux of Bacchaus left lightly dry and heavily quenched. In a word: filling. Yes oaky, but not too much. Full, but not almost too little. Yet, the greatest delight was the reminder of cranberries—and ever bit as much filling. Taken with havarti and dried cranberries as a needed afterthought—mustn’t forget the cranberries!
MAN Skaapveld Syrah Shiraz
Old and priceless. The taste is frail and vibrant as a flower. Clearly quality with a 5% suggestion of earthiness, but without any filth. It is as real as it is red. Oaky, also dry, and also quite tannic. Perfectly taken with eggs, cheddar, and medium beef.
St. Martin: Vin de France, Rouge
Dry finish as an aftershave, wet start as a carbon filtered water, sweet at a zinfandel, and tart as half-sweet lemonade. You’ll forget this is wine until the spirits chase the strongest sensation: It tastes like “red pop” at the start of every sip. Wash down the jalapeño steak and havarti this red and it zips like bubbly.
Vin de Pay d’ Oc (Vin Rouge)
The Musicians Merlot indeed, but only after the show. Sweet as sugar, this bottle of band sings and entertains. Though merlot, the talent inside plays with but a drop of real oak. Yet, it bears the thought of ten thousand forests of oak, zings of ethereal tannin, and effervescence. If I didn’t know better, I’d say it was a Zinfandel or a red late Riesling—if there were such a thing.
Musicians don’t just dine, they entertain while you dine, but they love to wine. Leave an unused bottle of this after the party while the musicians break down the stage and they’ll beg to entertain you again.
Taken with Australian steak and cheddar under salsa.
Baron de Phantasie Pays D’Hérault 2015
Old and dry with a sleeper of water in follow. Without the unspeakable, this medalic red has an over-suggestion of forgotten earthiness. It’s finish isn’t too strong in the chest, but it feels frail and precious. The nose hits well before the tongue, the dry, fragile silk shimmers down, and all that’s left is a paper-thin memory of what we wanted to last forever. Taken with fried Taiwanese leak flatbread roll.