2010 JP Azeitão Red Wine

Have you ever had one of those days where it seems everything you try to do goes horribly wrong?  Well today was one of those days.  I started out early as I needed to go to a funeral, and when I started to make breakfast, my toaster didn't work, which was a real disappointment as I've had it for years and it was a really nice 4-slice toaster.  So no worries, I can run out and get a new toaster in the afternoon when I get back from the funeral.  So I make my toast in a frying pan, not the best but it worked.  Then we start for the funeral and realize that for some reason it was postponed by a week, I've never had that happen before, but I suppose as good a reason as any to go out for a second breakfast.  I come back for the toaster adventure, found one online which would be a good replacement and order it, but then realize I need to make toast tomorrow, so I head out and buy one, get it home and it doesn't work, so back to the store to exchange it (though to a normal, rational human, this might have been a clue about the toaster and the electrical outlet), finally came home with another new toaster and it doesn't work either!  Well the clueless wonder that I am thinks maybe I should check the breaker box and sure enough, the kitchen outlet breaker was tripped, so virtually my entire day was just wasted effort!  At least now I will have three functioning toasters and it's also the first Saturday of the month and the new year, which means it's Cellar Saturday, when I get to open a bottle of wine at least a decade in the making!  Tonight it's one of my only bottles of Portuguese wines which has been in my cellar for at least seven years, the 2010 JP Azeitão, a blend of Castelão (a grape used in making port that can be harshly tannic in its youth), Aragonez (the Portuguese version of Tempranillo) and Syrah.  So let's see if this wine will turn my day around!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass with great clarity.  The nose is an interesting combination of green grass, tar and leather with a hint of mint at the back.  The taste is rush of ripe fruit, with black plum, almost a prune character, cherry and hint of black pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are still fairly taut after a decade, providing for a very well structure and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a 7.5, as it's a pleasant wine but nothing particularly special.  This wine would pair well with a variety of Mediterranean dishes, from paella to bouillabaisse to hearty steaks.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with an herb butter braised cod filet with some farro and applewood bacon roasted purple Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!