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!

2015 Colossal Reserva Red Wine

Happy Wine Wednesday!  Tonight I've decided to open a wine I bought at Costco recently that hails from Portugal.  I know I have at least one bottle of Portuguese wine in my cellar, but this one was such a bargain at $9, I couldn't resist (mental note, this could be a nice wine club selection).  The wine is a blend of Touriga Nacional (30%), Syrah (30%), Tinta Roriz (30%) and Alicante Bouschet (10%).  There are some unfamiliar names on those varietals, so let's get some education out of the way.  Touriga Nacional is known as one of the signature grapes of Portugal, characterized by small berries with high tannins, which typically adds structure to the wine.  It's been more used for port, but is becoming more common in table wine.  Tinta Roriz is the name for Tempranillo on the Portuguese side of the border.  And Alicante Bouschet is an interesting varietal (I reviewed one quite some time ago from Coppola here) that adds a lot of color and body as well as some jammy fruit.  So enough learning, time for drinking!

The wine is a lovely inky red color in the glass, a hat tip to the Alicante Bouschet in the blend.  The nose presents some delicate floral aromas intermingled with a peppery spice, but very little fruit.  The taste is just a complete 180, with a quick blast of ripe red fruit, cherry, raspberry and plum that transitions quickly to some wonderful earthy grass, basalt and tobacco notes midpalate.  The finish is exceptionally dry and smooth, with the big tannins of the Touriga Nacional providing the nice structure and big, velvety mouthfeel.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's such an interesting blend that defies the stereotypes of red blends.  It's a wonderful combination of great flavor with solid structure that make it a great steak wine, whether grilled steak, braised short rib tacos or a traditional roast, this is an ideal meat wine.  Tonight I'm enjoying this one with a rare grilled prime ribcap, big honkin' baked potato with all the fixin's and some steamed sugar snaps.  Cheers!

2005 Rio Bom Douro Colheita

Tonight I've decided to try some new things, from the food I'm making for dinner to the wine I've decided to open!  I've seldom had the chance to enjoy a wine from Portugal, but tonight I've opened a bottle of 2005 Rio Bom Douro Colheita, a recent purchase from the Wines Till Sold Out cheapskate event.

The wine is a very nice ruby color in the glass, about the same color as a nice Spanish wine, like a Tempranillo.  The nose is very interesting, with a lot of bright fruit at first, blackberries, plum, black cherry, but as it opens up, it displays more rustic and earthy notes, forest floor and a classic barnyard.  The taste is fruit forward with some notes of cherry cola and some cocoa powder, which transitions to some fresh herbs, tarragon and green tea midpalate.  The finish is quite nice, with rather mild tannins supporting a rather abrupt finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, as it's a solid wine that could complement a variety of dishes and it was a good value at around $14.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a wonderful dinner of fresh rainbow trout stuffed with oranges and fresh thyme along with some pesto linguine and steamed asparagus.  The earthy notes and fruit flavors of the wine really strike a nice note with the richness of the trout, but I could see this going very well with a variety of dishes from grilled steak to a nice braised beef stew.  Cheers!