Most times, my obsession with wine doesn’t embarrass me. However, I just changed dentists and at my first meeting with my new guy, he asked me what I did. I could have given my usual response that I am a lonely man relegated to glimpses of his mediocre past through a veil of regret. But instead, I said that I was basically retired and was somewhat obsessed with wine. He asked for my web site and I thought that would be it. The next time I was there, he came in with a huge smile and loudly said, “Bill, I checked out your web site and boy you drink a lot of wine!”
The dental office is one of those that doesn’t have doors and so everyone getting root canals, crowns, etc. hears everything that’s going on in other chairs. I could envision them all craning their necks to try and catch a glimpse of the guy who “drinks a lot of wine” – hopefully without getting their cheek punctured by a weapons grade steel pick. I should have told him I was a marathoner? No, not possible to pull that off without liposuction. I know, this is it, “I’m the principal in a boutique public sector consultancy”. I’ve used that before and that shuts people up right away.
I confess. He’s right. I do drink a lot of wine.
So what has Bill, the guy that drinks a lot of wine, been drinking lately? Glad you asked.
I always request a certain label each Christmas and usually someone picks it up for me. I popped the cork on the 2013 La Vite Lucente from Tenuta Luce della Vite, a Frescobaldi holding. I wrote a flattering piece on Frescobaldi a few months ago. You can read it here. I can’t tell you how gratifying it is when you can count on a label to out-do your memories of the last bottle you had. This 2013 was perfectly balanced, the tannins had settled down to play a supporting role and the acid just making an appearance on the finish. Leathery, tobacco and red raspberries, a hint of cinnamon, cherries. And, yes, I will be asking for a repeat next year. This vintage isn’t available locally but the 2015 La Vite Lucente #747030 $34.95 is in good supply and is $2 off now – so, $32.95.
If you follow these pages, you’ll know that I’m a bit gun-shy with Cabernet Sauvignon unless it’s expensive and starts with ‘Château’. Which means that I drink it by exception. But, I’ve been trying to change that. In that effort, I picked up a bottle of 2014 Wakefield Jaraman Cabernet Sauvignon (Clare Valley/Coonawarra) #142398 $24.95. This was a gentle giant. Oodles of dark fruit and wood on the sniff. In the mouth just full-bodied cassis goodness and a nice snap on the finish – some residual heat from the alcohol (14.5%). No wood chips in between your molars, no vanilla over the top, no cloying sweetness that are the qualities that drove me screaming from CS. A really nice wine – elegant. And, loads still available at the mothership.
I have a friend who always seems to be popping a cork on a wine from Portugal. I’ve tried to stay in touch with these wines but haven’t done a very good job. This week, I picked up 2015 Gloria Reserva (Duoro) #146522 $16.95. Now this is dark, deep. I had it all alone. That didn’t sound right. I had this without food (and, BTW, all by myself – so, yes, alone X2). This demands food. And, it really isn’t ready. The backbone kind of dominates and covers everything up – this needs to soften up and release the fruits. That sounds rather declarative – “Release The Fruits!”. It’s a tannic monster now. So, decant for an hour or two at least. Or put it down below and wait. Loads still out there, so get a case. I’d open at the cottage this summer after a decant or wait until 2019-20.
I love sushi and rosé. It has to be a zippy rosé and can’t be wimpy either – so Tavel, Bandol or, as in this case, Provence. This past week, I enjoyed some Ahi, Hamachi and Unagi nigiri, and a dragon roll with 2016 Caves d’Esclans Whispering Angel #325076 $29.95. You have to ask yourself, “Why do we like wasabi so much?” And, how could it possibly go with any beverage? But it does. I’ve even had it with a sparkler. Shouldn’t be too surprised as we’ve all had hot-to-suicide wings with beer.This Angel is a special rosé for me. A big splurge when you consider how many great rosés there are under $20. It’s worth it. Elegance. Substantive (Grenache, Vermentino, Cinsault).
We found a great value Chardonnay, 2016 Cono Sur Bicicleta #321448 $10.95. I’ve read other bloggers review this line and I’ve tried their Pinot Noir and the Viognier. I was pleasantly surprised. This one is pretty simple but simple and tasty. Lightly soaked (or in a non-AutoCorrect world ‘oaked’) and refreshing. Great party white. You could serve your neighbours this while keeping the more expensive stuff for yourselves. That’s what we do.
A couple of decent picks in the March 17 release are:
2016 Robert Oatley Signature Series Chardonnay #350900 $18.95 A great very lightly oaked fresh, crisp Chardonnay.
2015 Château de Nages Vieilles Vignes Costières de Nîmes #040964 $19.95 Quintessential Southern Rhone Grenache – dark fruits, briary, and peppery finish.
2014 Baigorri Crianza #376376 $22.95 Punching way above its weight as a Crianza. The 2009 Baigorri Reserva #319814 $29.95 is also available. This is an example of a wine that you don’t serve your neighbours.
Cheers. Off to drink some wine. Lots of wine, I hear.
Bill
How is your enamel? I am going to a new dentist in a few months that was recommended by a fellow wine drinker somm friend. I need a dentist who understands wine and teeth.
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That’s interesting because my dentist told me that the enamel on the bottom front teeth is thin. Could be related. Doesn’t cause me any pain or discomfort yet. So, I guess keep on swishing and swallowing. Let me know if you’re prescribed any remedy.
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Will do. Oddly its the swishing and spitting that seems to be worse on the teeth than swallowing. I’ll let you know.
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