I was in the mood to try something different so I picked up this bottle from the shelf at the Inka supermarket. The description was in Greek only, and although I was able to discern the grape varietals of Xinomavro, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot, I knew nothing else about the wine so I looked it up online when I got home to see if it would work with the chicken in wine and tomato sauce I was planning on making for dinner.
I could only find a description for the '03, and I was a little bit concerned because the description sounded more "new world" than I normally like (fruit jam and dominant vanilla), but 2003 was an extremely hot vintage so I was hopeful that the '04 might be less jammy.
Its appearance in the glass was a clear, pale garnet with just a bit of orange brick beginning to develop around the edges, and I was surprised to find a somewhat restrained nose of raspberries and spice, mid-autumn forest floor, some game and a touch of smoke. Pretty thin texture in the mouth, with a concentration on the tip and sides of the tongue and slightly bitter tannins.
On my second sniff I caught a brief armpit aroma and decided to add cumin to the chicken dish, which ended up working out extremely well.
This was a pleasant surprise - I had expected new world and got something much more rustic but elegant, and at 9 euros I would definitely buy this again. Looking forward to finishing the bottle tonight with pizza and a salad.
1 comment:
After trying this again recently, I've got a different impression, one that is more in line with my original supposition, and that is of a much simpler and fruitier wine. Strange how mood and food can really affect one's interpretations sometimes.
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