I am so hooked on fruity, almost opaque, French red wine. Poured in the glass it's hard to see through. When swirled around in the glass the fresh fruit aroma intensifies and hits your nostrils with a most pleasing pre-palate punch. When it's good, the balance of fruitiness and acidity blend in such a way that you don't pucker or wince.
I have a French wine in my hand right now that does all of that. I had a bite of Gruyere cheese before I tasted it: Domaine de Durban, 2011 Beaumes-de-Venise. This is imported by Kermit Lynch, which means... a). I know that the importer tasted the wine before it was bottled. b). I know the wine was transported to the west coast via refrigerated containers. c.) I know that the wine is unfiltered.
Those things, and many, many more that I don't know about, come together to bring about the personal revelation that this little bottle of French wine is probably, in my limited, budgeted wine tasting experience, the most complete wine I have ever tasted. The sweetness to acidity is just right on. There is a bright berry taste that at first I couldn't identify or define, yet familiar. After reading others notes on this wine someone mentioned strawberry. Yep, that's it!
A small lesson: this wine is the most balanced I have yet to taste and I could smell the balance in the glass even before I tasted it. Trust your nose! Swirling the liquid in the glass then sticking my nose into it (WOW) produces a most intense strawberry aroma that I can taste when I put the glass to my lips and let the ground-filtered, french rain water that fell four years ago, that was stored in these grapes for a season, wash over my tongue. My eyes roll back in pleasure as I nod my head yes, yes...
So what does a better wine taste like?
I have a French wine in my hand right now that does all of that. I had a bite of Gruyere cheese before I tasted it: Domaine de Durban, 2011 Beaumes-de-Venise. This is imported by Kermit Lynch, which means... a). I know that the importer tasted the wine before it was bottled. b). I know the wine was transported to the west coast via refrigerated containers. c.) I know that the wine is unfiltered.
Those things, and many, many more that I don't know about, come together to bring about the personal revelation that this little bottle of French wine is probably, in my limited, budgeted wine tasting experience, the most complete wine I have ever tasted. The sweetness to acidity is just right on. There is a bright berry taste that at first I couldn't identify or define, yet familiar. After reading others notes on this wine someone mentioned strawberry. Yep, that's it!
A small lesson: this wine is the most balanced I have yet to taste and I could smell the balance in the glass even before I tasted it. Trust your nose! Swirling the liquid in the glass then sticking my nose into it (WOW) produces a most intense strawberry aroma that I can taste when I put the glass to my lips and let the ground-filtered, french rain water that fell four years ago, that was stored in these grapes for a season, wash over my tongue. My eyes roll back in pleasure as I nod my head yes, yes...
So what does a better wine taste like?
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