Updated: Feb 29, 2020
Today's wine hails from Argentina. While Argentina Malbec is having a moment, I was reassured from Eric at Travis Heights Wine & Spirits that they do have other great varietals at bargain prices. That led me to this Cabernet Sauvignon from the Agrelo region.
Wine: Lamadrid Cabernet Sauvignon Single Vineyard
Vintage: 2017
Winery: Lamadrid
Country: Argentina
Region: Agrelo
Grape Varietal: (100%) Cabernet Sauvignon
Source: Travis Heights Wine & Spirits
Price: $16.99
It is purple red color. It is spicy to the nose with clove, fresh berries, plum and raspberry notes. It shows a soft palate with a long and persistent finish.
T&T Notes: I let it sit in the decanter for over an hour while I prepared dinner. Once ready, I first examined the color. It was a deep purple. Think grape juice mixed with a bit of syrup. I picked up on the nose, smells of raspberry, vanilla, black pepper, and espresso. My first sip was a nice surprise. I was prepared for a full body cab to punch my senses, but was welcomed by a lighter touch. But after a few seconds the tannins arrived and covered my gums. I tasted cranberry, aged blueberry, and smoke (as it felt hot). Good wine for someone who is a fan of lighter body wines like Pinot Noir, it will not over power you. But if you do like a strong cab, you may leave this wine filling unfulfilled.
Tasting Notes is a series where readers can drink and share wine notes with the author.
Updated: Feb 29, 2020
If virtue lies with those who use food as merely a means of sustenance, then count my soul amongst the virtueless masses who live to eat; waistline be damned! (Or at least haphazardly managed.) A good meal carries momentum like a symphonic crescendo. Leaving me ecstatically planning my next visit before the check arrives. Bufalina on Burnet Road hits this note. A Neapolitan pizza restaurant where one can ensure carbohydrates are not counted but embraced.
Inside, the dining space is narrow and the seating is efficient. A communal table runs through the middle of the restaurant. On the right wall is a full bar with stools, on the left, a long bench with tables, conversations overlap one another, and the lighting is intimate but scarce. A chorus of candles and Edison bulbs guide you. It’s as if you’ve stumbled under an eclipse; all of the shapes and colors are present, but not vivid.
The menu reveals a strong wine list. Scan it if you are aching for something particular, but rest assured that the red wine “from the tank” is an excellent option (or bring your own bottle for a modest fee). Start with the bread and oil (sourced from a local bakery), and the mozerella of the day. This will ensure a one pizza dinner.
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Next to the bar, and guarded by rope, sits the Stefano Ferrara wood-burning oven. Fine tuned for over 90 years by the Stefano family, the Neapolitan oven will reach up to 1000 degrees; transforming dough and an assortment of toppings into a delicious feast in under two minutes.
The Caprezi comes straight from the oven to the table.The crust is crisp and warped like a Dali painting. Any anxiety you had about your neighbors close proximity melts as you turn to them and proclaim how the spice from the serrano peppers simply improves one's quality of life tenfold.
After another glass from the tank to help soak it all in, you call for the check. The staff wear no uniforms. But are distinguishable from the patrons. A natural sense of style seems to be a prerequisite to work here. The check is delivered in the pages of an erotic novel (a standard procedure). As you depart you feel rejuvenated and you will insist the night goes on. You give your best to your neighbors, as if you’ll do it all again tomorrow, and take off in search for the nearest negroni nightcap.
Updated: Feb 29, 2020
Finding the right time to start anything is difficult, as it doesn't exist. It's with this attitude I stroke the keyboard. This series is on a prose diet but rich in content.
Wine: Bordeaux Blanc
Vintage: 2017
Winery: Chateau Haut-Rian
Country: France
Region: Bordeaux
Grape Varietal: Sémillon (60%), Sauvignon Blanc (40%)
Source: Travis Heights Wine & Spirits
Price: $11.99
Winemakers Notes: Green-gold tinged with an aromatic fresh nose of newly cut hay, grapefruit and minerals. In the mouth it is extremely well-balanced and has a lingering finish.
T&T Notes: Freshly retrieved from the fridge, (traditional, not wine) I poured and analyzed. The color was medium gold. Think your father's wedding band. A few swirls unlocked smells of vanilla, pears, and green apple (Sydney's contribution). A generous "sip" starts with an underline taste of bell peppers, not pronounced, but present. It's accompanied by a soft sensation of lemon and green apple. As the wine finishes a dry metallic aftertaste begins to form; think copper penny. Good wine following work while the red for dinner decants.
Tasting Notes is a series where readers can drink and share wine notes with the author.