I am noticing that I am drinking a lot of Southern Rhône wines.
This became apparent today at the local Fred Meyer when I was choosing a bottle for tonight. All I was looking at were Rhône or Rhône Style wines. No Alsatian whites, no Aussie Shiraz, no Argentinian Malbecs. Just Rhône. I am boring myself, can't even imagine what you people are thinking.
Rhône wines are like comfort food for me. Rhônes are my Shepherd's Pie, my meatloaf, my fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy. It's winter. It's dark. It's rainy. I am away from my family. Rhône's somehow, in a small way, make me feel just a bit better. I do drink other wines. I do drink white wines even. Just not now, not tonight. Tonight I need the warm, spicy comfort of the Southern Rhône. Tonight? Andezon, purchased at the newly remodled Hawthorne Fred Meyer in Portland Oregon, $11.99
I'll start with the nose, like always. Very earthy. Kind of like potting soil. Lavender. I like. The wine is very concentrated, very structured, very...wait. What is that? This, sour tasting funk? You know how you meet someone and the first date goes oh so well and you're excited and giddy and thinking "you know, I think this is it"! Then you meet for the second, and you start seeing, well, little things. Like, he talks really loud or he's mean to the server and you realize that what you thought was great and wonderful is really just...average? It has a good reputation. "Oh this is fabulous" the wine steward said. Parker gave it 90 points (though he and I don't agree on too much) It's like that. I wanted to like it, I really needed to like it. But, I just. Didn't. I am regretting passing up the Malbec that was wooing me from the corner. Maybe a bit more time? Decanting perhaps? Maybe just two star crossed lovers who just couldn't make it work this time around.
Rhône and I are on a break.
Post Script.
After I publish a blog I usually google the wine I just reviewed to compare the opinion of others to see if I am 'up in the night' (like my sister says) about a wine, or if the opinions are similar. Apparently compared to other reviews I am waaaay out in left field. Nothing but raves. I did notice that in other reviews this wine was paired with (usually) heavy fare. "Shepherd's Pie" seems to be a favorite. To clarify I did not pair this with anything tonight, except the newsletter I've been working on for Syncline. It did make me smile when I read a review on Wine Advovate likening Rhône wines to comfort food.
Posts
4 comments:
Yes... this wine made me want something like a hearty beef stew to balance it out. And I am a strict vegetarian.
I agree with your review. And the taste and smell reminds me so much of kalamata olives. I cant take a drink without thinking briney olives.
The Andezon '06 is nearly all Syrah, at over 90% with the remainder being just a touch of Grenache, unlike many other Rhone wines, all of the fruit that went into making this wine came from old vines. It is deeply concentrated and a fine example of the old world, old vine Syrah based wines from this region. Suggest that it should not be judged against lighter bodied, Grenache based Rhones using different fermentation techniques.
Cool Beans. Thanks for the insight and information. I do think it's something a bit more than being an old vine Syrah (The wine that started this whole love affair was a 1971 Guigal Cote Rote La Mouline, can't..quite..afford..)There was something off about it, maybe just an awkward stage in the bottle. Eh.
Post a Comment