Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
it ages. Cabernet sauvignon is particularly purple when it is young. This one was well past
its purple stage and into mahogany territory.
The next clue was the aroma. The wine was ripe blackcurrant with a hint of spice. Wines
range from upfront fresh fruit in a young wine to complex and cooked fruit aromas in an
older wine.
Finally, and most importantly, comes the third element, the taste of the wine. I reflected
on my memory bank. The wine was reminiscent of a vintage I had tasted in Médoc.
'Tastes like a ripe Médoc grand cru.' My range of vision was Bordeaux-centric. 'Definitely
oaked.'
Salvador Dalí said: 'Who knows how to taste wine never drinks wine again but tastes
secrets.' Wine is an expression of the place and the year that it was produced, a magical
journey back to the summer of its birth. As I learned more about wine tasting, I realised
that with practice, one could tell what age a wine was, where it was from and the grape
variety without looking at the label.
The wine whispered its secrets; messages in the form of look, smell and taste. The colour
was the first clue about its style and age.
'I don't know. It seems slightly "cooked". No, I don't think it's Médoc. It seems too hot.'
Sean played the wine along, not ready to give me the answer. We discussed other clues that
it offered: the alcohol, the acidity, the tannins, the aromas. I named just about every place
except the correct one. Eventually he relented and gave me the answer.
'It's a ripe, expensive cabernet sauvignon from Walla Walla in Washington state.'
A client who booked The Wine Cottage gîte had given it to us as a gift. The self-catering
unit was paying off in more ways than one. 'That's where Jeff and Sheila have their vine-
yard,' I said. Jeff and Sheila were my first tour customers, the people who I almost subjec-
ted to the most disgusting toilet in the whole of France.
Many grand crus in the Médoc have a large percentage of cabernet sauvignon so I had
been in the right arena with the varietal on my first guess but on the wrong continent.
'Now that I know what it is, it's reminiscent of the South African cabernet sauvignon we
had a few weeks ago,' I added. 'In fact, I think I would struggle to tell the difference if they
were both here. It's the globalisation of the wine industry.'
'How old?' asked Sean.
'Around four years,' I said.
'Exact!'
I held up my hand for a high-five.
Our Friday evening treat of opening a couple of bottles of mystery wine from our stash
had become a great game. Sean gave me another to taste.
'What's this? It's delicious and spicy. There is something familiar about it. If it weren't for
the spiciness, I would guess pure merlot.'
