You might be wondering why there's been little getting reviewed here at Purple Teeth in the month of January. Or, like most people in the UK, you might be avoiding all things related to booze and not have taken the slightest note. It's not that I've been cutting down, despite all my good intentions to lose weight (along with 90% of other residents of the Western world), and it's not even that I'm not at wine school any more. In fact, it's more to do with the fact that I've been dancing and traveling a lot. The state of what's offered as wine by the glass in hotels is a topic for another day. Suffice to say, most of it has been drunk out of necessity and it's been enough to drive me to drink... vodka, but more of that later... Californian Chardonnay blended with Pinot Grigio? Hungarian Cabernet Sauvignon? It's not easy being me!
This week, I've drunk some of the soothing and velvety Pinot Noir from Hahn Family Vineyards in California. As I've already reviewed this back in November, there seems little to add except, it's just as smooth and delicious now as it was then with perhaps a bit more obvious strawberry jam.
This week, I've drunk some of the soothing and velvety Pinot Noir from Hahn Family Vineyards in California. As I've already reviewed this back in November, there seems little to add except, it's just as smooth and delicious now as it was then with perhaps a bit more obvious strawberry jam.
13.7% Alcohol, and a bargain at £6.99. Be an Angel!
I also opened another bottle from my Naked stash.
F. Stephen Miller Angel's Reserve Viognier. My reason for opening a crisp white on one of the coldest days of the winter was simple, and it's not just the screwcap. After a spicy chinese prawn noodle dish, and on the brink of a head cold, there was no point opening up anything pricey. At £6.99 (Angel price) this was definitely the cheapest bottle in my fridge, making it a prime candidate.
When placing my order with Naked, I was certainly influenced by the fact that this comes from Lodi in California's Central Valley, and perhaps drinking two Californian wines within a few days indicates my desire to go back to Californian wine country for a while?
When placing my order with Naked, I was certainly influenced by the fact that this comes from Lodi in California's Central Valley, and perhaps drinking two Californian wines within a few days indicates my desire to go back to Californian wine country for a while?
Readers with good memories will know that I'm a huge fan of Old Vine Zinfandels from Lodi and as I'd never had a white from there, I was intrigued to see what the warm Californian sun would produce. Lodi is self-proclaimed Zinfandel Capital of the World, as well as being the town where pioneering wine producer Robert Mondavi grew up, so there are high expectations, despite this being white.
My ability to write a decent tasting note is definitely being hampered by my current addiction to Vicks' First Defence - which has almost certainly cost me 50% of the white wine blind tasting score on my recent WSET tasting exam. But stuffy noses and reduced senses of smell aside, this is a very pleasant wine, which cuts through all of that, including the noodle aftertaste to pack a bit of a punch.
Ripe, juicy, fruity flavours brim from the glass and this is balanced by a subtle layer of aromatic, florals. I'm imagining sipping this in the back garden with the sun on my face, a good book in hand, and a liberal coating of SPF30 all over. Would I pick it out as Viognier? Unlikely given that my experience of this grape has mostly been limited to French Condrieu. The irony is that my last taste of the grape was a French Chateau Grillet which could have easily passed for an oaked Californian Chardonnay. Wine, eh?!
As it warms in the glass there's a real sensation of biting into a super-ripe pear. The sticky juice that quirts out and runs down your face is exactly what I taste, and if your senses are in full working order, I'm sure you'll get lots more out of this. Although it's got that juicy feeling along with some citrus flavours, it's pretty low in acidity, making it easy to drink, without reaching for the Gaviscon later. Give it a try. Though you might want to save it till there's not a red weather warning for 20cm of snow!
Diet starts tomorrow...
My ability to write a decent tasting note is definitely being hampered by my current addiction to Vicks' First Defence - which has almost certainly cost me 50% of the white wine blind tasting score on my recent WSET tasting exam. But stuffy noses and reduced senses of smell aside, this is a very pleasant wine, which cuts through all of that, including the noodle aftertaste to pack a bit of a punch.
Ripe, juicy, fruity flavours brim from the glass and this is balanced by a subtle layer of aromatic, florals. I'm imagining sipping this in the back garden with the sun on my face, a good book in hand, and a liberal coating of SPF30 all over. Would I pick it out as Viognier? Unlikely given that my experience of this grape has mostly been limited to French Condrieu. The irony is that my last taste of the grape was a French Chateau Grillet which could have easily passed for an oaked Californian Chardonnay. Wine, eh?!
As it warms in the glass there's a real sensation of biting into a super-ripe pear. The sticky juice that quirts out and runs down your face is exactly what I taste, and if your senses are in full working order, I'm sure you'll get lots more out of this. Although it's got that juicy feeling along with some citrus flavours, it's pretty low in acidity, making it easy to drink, without reaching for the Gaviscon later. Give it a try. Though you might want to save it till there's not a red weather warning for 20cm of snow!
Diet starts tomorrow...
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