So, those of you who landed on Interwined after googling any of the above terms, welcome aboard.
Two dinners. The first guest brought a bottle of 1990 Carpineto Chianti Classico Reserva (primarily Sangiovese grape). Back then it went for $13 bucks, today the bottle is probably worth ten times that. It was ranked at 87 in Wine Spectator by Italy expert James Suckling. And, as usual, he is right: "Very firm and solid with complex berry, mineral and plum character. Full in body and tannins but quite refined and elegant." The years have since eroded the full-body and stronger tannic structure, but the wine is now extremely refined and elegant. Also there are mushrooms. Chestnut mushrooms. Probably would score 89 point on the WS scale if tasted today, but as a gift from good friends (who also cooked, spaghetti with grouper and sardines with fennel): 93 points.
But there is a point here to be made about aging potential. The Carpineto was "drinkable now" back in 1990. If the wine would have instead been rated as "better after 2000" then the wine would have been nearly undrinkable in the 90s. Tight, tannic, mouth puckering, eye watering. It's important to distinguish that such characteristics are examples of a wine's quality, not its lack of….
Easter dinner was a first for Interwined, where everything was English. The turkey was reared in the black forests of England and lived free range. Doubts persisted on whether the butcher's claim to this effect was valid. But once roasted with some chicken fat and oregano, the bird flesh hinted notes of wet earth, wood and thistle. Truly an animal of the forest. Gobble, gobble.
Incidentally, the Turkey also went perfect with the English wines Interwined's guests brought round. The first time Englaish wines have been sampled, in the seven years in England.
Guess it is 'bout time.
Both from Denbies winery, England's largest, the wines proved perfect for the locally sourced food. The Bacchus (grape) wine from 2004, was crisp with a hint of lemon. Grassy. Long finish. The body was a little heavy, but it was not nearly the train wreck expected. Perhaps bringing such a bad rep to the table made the wine appear more delicious.
Doubt it. 8.6 points.
The pudding wine from Denbies is number one in one regard: the worst wine name, ever. The 2005 Surrey Gold even came in a frosted bottle, leaving the wife to first wonder aloud "who brought the Vodka?" The name, the look. Denbies, work on it.
The wine is just fine. Kinda floral (some jasmine) and easy going. Light and not too syrupy, the funny thing is that the wine finishes dry, when sweet was expected. Individual. 8.4 points.
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5 comments:
Very, very clever! You have a few Marketing tricks up your sleeve!
Very, very clever! You have a few Marketing tricks up your sleeve!
Wine from England? Give me a break. I never even see them on shelves. Where are they sold?
Not many places, that's the problem. Special wine shops, not the grocery. Can only vouch for Denbies!
I have to say I do like those English wines.
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