OK. I'd like to start by saying "Happy New Year!" to all my readers. That, and "No, I'm not dead. I've just been drinking wines that cost more than $10." Check out kmwinediary.blogspot.com for further details.
My mother gave me a lovely Xmas gift this year - an aerating pourer by Rabbit. Now, I love decanters; I think they're beautiful, also very useful if you're in the company of serious wine aficionados. But let's face it, they're a pain in the heinie. They sit around collecting dust when you're not using them, tough to wash when you do, and let's face it, what am I gonna do with an entire bottle of decanted wine? I'm not that much of a drinker that I can finish a whole bottle by myself. (On the whole, that is. Stop rolling your eyes.) So I love this gift! It solves all my wine problems, except for the problem about how I'm gonna get rid of my current decanter - a belated wedding gift - without the gift-giver knowing. But that's for another blog.
I have to warn you, this wine has a 15% alcohol content. HOLY COW!!! I have a feeling if I drink too much of this I will be severely hungover. Cheap wine with a high alcohol content? Sometimes that's scary.
This label, by the way, is just beautiful. I don't believe in buying a bottle of wine based on the label (unless it's a can't-pass-up label, like "Big @$$ Cab"). It's a blue label, the texture of grosgrain ribbon, with black scrolls & whorls on the front. Really, just beautiful. It's been a long time since I've seen such a pretty label.
In the glass, this wine looks like a dark cranberry juice, and on the glass, it forms long legs. Lots of 'em, actually. On the nose, this wine makes me want to eat it - it smells like a combination of Concord grape & strawberry jams, with a little black pepper thrown in there for funsies. It smells like one of those fancy, high-end brunches on "Top Chef" where they pull out all the stops & come up with these crazy, over-the-top combinations.
On the palate, the first thing I taste is bitterness! My salivary glands literally begin to tingle in spasm on sipping this. I know that's not exactly a top recommendation for a wine, but if you can hang in there, it gives way to a spicy, strong black pepper flavor on the mid-palate, growing stronger on the finish. I don't taste grapes at all, just this overwhelming pepper flavor.
That being said, you have to like black pepper to like this wine. If you can't stomach a lot of pepper, don't buy this bottle, no matter HOW pretty you think the label is! However, if you enjoy finding complexities & nuances in inexpensive wine, or if you just like getting buzzed at a low price point, by all means, look for this wine. Learn more at www.europeancellars.com, under Eric Solomon Selections.
Cheers!
Kate
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