Hello Ladies and Gentlemen, it's been a busy last two weeks. You've got to love California weather, it feels like winter one day and the next, the sun is shining and its mid 70's outside. Well with these drastic changes in weather comes colds and flu season,which I was became a victim to this last week, and let me tell you, it definitely wasn't fun. Along with having a cold, the yearly reminder of one's mortality came about, which of course was my Birthday, and by the way, to all who helped me celebrate, thanks for coming out, and all of those who couldn't be there, I'll save a spot for you next year. When I wasn't coughing, blowing my nose, or whining to my Girlfriend about not having a fever even though the thermometer sat in contradiction, I got a chance to try a few more bottles of wine. By the way, shout out to my lady, Edna, thanks for taking care of this sick, hard headed, old man last week, Love you. Enough with the mushiness, I know this Blog is not about my relationship with my lady, it's about wine. Everyone who has been taking this journey with me in which we have been learning about numerous wines that have the ability to expand our palates, let me help you to understand that ever so often you run into a diamond in the rough. It's inevitable when drinking wine, if you drink enough you'll find something that hits your spot. It's life, you try enough things and you find out what you really like or dislike, well let me introduce you to a new Diamond in my life, Veranda Cabernet-Carmenere 2004.
I don't know, maybe it's puppy love, but all who know me, knows I drink a good amount of wine, and for something to really surprise me, it takes a lot, well here it is, I'm Surprised. To start off with the nose, which was intriguing enough for me to want to bite through the glass, you can smell plum and wild cherry, bitter chocolate, redwood bark with a spicy undertone, and yes, let me assure you, I haven't gotten to the taste. You know what, let's get down to it, I was going to get into the history of the grapes in this wine, but you know, I fill like drinking because this nose smells too interesting. Anyone who is reading this and is actually interested in the history of these grapes, it'll be in the next paragraph, but let's talk about how this wine tastes. A silky smooth transition from the time the wine hit your tongue, to the mid palate, which has intensified fresh fruit, and fulfills this experience with a long finish, that lasts for about a minute and a half. Just to kind of break down how many characteristics this wine has, it goes from cassis to vanilla and chocolate to wild cherries on that very long finish. Elegant is the word that describes this wine, and what makes it such, is the balance found between the floral fruit components and how it's cultivated in the hands of the wine maker. The food that perfectly matches this wine is nothing less than a Filet Mignon, so for all of you looking for a pairing, be ready to pull out your wallets, because the cassis in the wine adds bright enough fruit to compliment a medium rare cut of one of the finest aspects of Beef.
So, as I promised, for the history buffs, The grape Camenere is one of the 6 original grapes from Bordeaux in France, so it has a bit of royal blood. During the 1880's in the bordeaux region there was an outbreak of phylloxera, which destroyed a number of vines, one being the Camenere, so when they tried to replant the grape it did not take due to the cold weather. One of the few places where Camenere, in the future, found a home was Chile, and now it is the most planted grape in the country. I'm not goin to waste you time with the Cabernet Grape (I know this is a Blend) because it is probably the most favored out of the bordeaux region, and you should already know it by now, but if you don't, feel free to leave a comment I promise to get back to you. My last thought to you is to take a walk on the wild side, expand you palate, try something new and whether you like it or not post a remark and let me know how you feel.
By the way, for all those that read my rambling, I'm considering, in the future, doing a tasting of some of the wines I've showcased, with appetizers that could pair well, at a location I'm working out at the moment. Let me know what you think, I would love to hear your feedback.
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