Blending: Tx Wine & Song Festival
Sunday's classes at the
Texas Wine & Song Festival were a blast. It was great to listen to speakers, presenting things like Texas wines (against the rest of the world) as well as pure old mixology (may I have a Sazerac please???) And, I hope that my class on blending was informative and enjoyable for our attendees.
What were we trying to do exactly? Yes, dispel some myths that you can "mix" wines (albeit under controlled circumstances with the right "ingredients"). Yes, show how holistic distinctiveness can be delivered by the unique contributions of each varietal. And yes, have a little fun with recipes and a contest.
If you want to do something similar, check out
Fusebox or
contact us and we can give you pointers on how to roll your own!
posted by
FRFTF
on
Sunday October 19, 2008 08:10 PM
1 comments ... Tannat: Delicious!
This improbably grape does more than deliver its namesake. Sure, it's late ripening and small berry characteristics pack a powerful punch of astringency, but the unexpected surprise is in the roundness and dark fruit wallop. Granted, we were dealing with a blend, and at that, one of only 24%, but the contribution on aroma, flavor, and texture profiles was unmistakable. The wine was Pine Ridge Onyx 2000- 60% Malbec, 24% Tannat, and the remainder Merlot- each varietal providing a purpose. The Malbec admirably supports the mid-palate and carries the tannins from initial mouthfeel through and to the suppleness the Merlot delivered. It also brings out and binds well to the tannins, softness, and earthy woodiness of the oak aging component. The Tannat itself- what did it bring to the table? Clearly, the structure was massive, and I'm sure it contributed there. And, the tannins it brought needed every bit of these past 8 years to mellow out. But beyond that: what an awesome blend of blackberry/black currant and grapey goodness! This varietal carries the true "grape" profile that I sometimes find in Tempranillos and Gamay. If you want grape, you get grape! Additionally, as the brand name connotes, this wine is inky. It had a little haze but wasn't sedimented. Dark but translucent, this color was very pretty.
So, go out and get a bottle if you can, and let us know what you think!
posted by
PV
on
Friday October 17, 2008 12:00 AM
1 comments ...
