Then I searched the web trying to find a list of wines served on Titanic, and perhaps I might have a current vintage, or even a similar wine, like a Bordeaux or Burgundy, but alas there is very little detail on the wines served on board. It seems they had more than their fair share of Champagne, but little else was detailed in the documents I surveyed. So strike two for my last dinner evening, though I did learn an interesting tidbit, that apparently on ocean liners like Titanic, they seldom carried a great selection of aged red wines for fear that the rumbling of the massive reciprocating steam engines might somehow shake loose the sediment in old wine rendering them undrinkable. Here's some information I could use, if I can't find a wine list, I can enjoy a rather young wine with my dinner.
This particular wine is a deep red color in the glass. The nose is quite fruity, with hints of dried cherries, plums, anise and oak. The taste is somewhat concentrated, with initial flavors of red fruit and spice, followed by a real raisin sort of flavor mid palate. The tannins are softer than I was expecting, creating a very smooth, dry finish. Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8 with the chance to improve with a little time in the cellar (I'll also note this was #60 on the Wine Spectator list of the top 100 wines of 2011). And what about my pairings? Did I come even close to 12 courses? Not really, but I did enjoy this wine with a very rich meal that would have been quite acceptable during the early 20th Century. I had a nice grilled ribeye served with Béarnaise sauce along with some linguine tossed with a bit of garlic and olive oil and some steamed broccoli rabe. And for dessert, what else but a cannoli! Salute!
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