Deep Thoughts Only Partially Influenced by Wine

"Where there is impossibility, there is possibility; and where there is possibility, there is impossibility. It is because there is right, that there is wrong; it is because there is wrong, there is right...Thereupon the self is also the other; the other is also the self." --Zhuangzi

Thursday, February 17, 2005

Weekend Wine Recommendation

Wine:
Las Rocas de San Alejandro 2002 Garnacha

Origin:
Spain

Varietal:
Garnacha (Grenache)

Tasting Notes:
Robert Parker:
"The 2002 Garnacha is fashioned from 75-year old Grenache vines planted on pure slate. Sixty percent was aged in tank, and 40% in neutral wood foudres. There are 20,000 cases of this offering, which may be the greatest wine value I have ever tasted. Deep ruby/purple-colored, with a gorgeous nose of kirsch liqueur intermixed with melted licorice and white flowers, this deep, medium to full-bodied, fruit-driven, sumptuously-textured 2002 is loaded. It should drink well for 3-4 years, possibly longer."

DragonStormInAZ:
OK, I get the licorice and this one is very fruit driven with powerful overtones of strawberry, cherry and plum at the finish. However, I have no idea what kirsch liqueur is so don’t ask me what Robert Parker is talking about. Generally I disagree with him anyhow so this wine is an odd exception.

I like to think of tastes and flavors from my childhood when describing a wine so as not to get too serious about it. The first time I tried this wine, I thought ‘Flintstone’s Vitamins!’ I loved those things and remember my parents having to hide the bottle from me because I kept eating them! Anyhow, both the initial hit and the finish on this wine are very Flintstone Vitamin-like without the chalkiness. Note that I am not quite as elegant as others when describing wines so beware!

I did not get too much pepper or vanilla when compared to what I often get in grenaches, but because this had limited contact with any oak (see note above), I would not quite expect it either. As much as I like these overtones in wine, I did not really miss them with the San Alejandro.

This wine is actually fairly low on the acid/tannin side which makes it easy to drink, but I do not expect that it would age well because of this so I have no idea what Robert Parker’s thought is on ‘possibly longer’ but I suppose because, like many Garnachas/Grenaches, it is fairly thick. Oh well, what dost me know…
Drink On!

Food Pairings:
Bacon, barbecue beef/poultry/pork, Chinese cuisine with beef, moo shoo pork, meat couscous, creole steak/gumbo, Indian cuisine (excuding fish dishes), Italian cuisine, lasagna, Mexican cuisine, pizza, potato salad, cheese soufflé, cajun cuisine, calzone, cannelloni with meat, lamb, pork, veal, eggplant, pasta, and red snapper.

Cheese Pairings:
Cheddar, Gouda, Romano, Asaigo, Manchego

1 Pennies for My Thoughts:

  • At 9:17 PM, Blogger KoryO said…

    Kirsch liqueur is cherry flavored sorta schnapps. Y'know, the kind of stuff they douse cakes with that if you take it straight will knock ya on your butt in no time flat.

    Like your wine review, BTW!!

     

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