THE WOLFTRAP, BLEND - $10

The Wolftrap - 2010, Boekenhoutskloof Franschhoek, Cape of Good Hope, South Africa


People say different things about reading the "legs" of the wine when you swirl your glass. Some say that the definition of the legs will indicate the amount of alcohol, others say it'll offer a preview of the body of the wine. The most common feeling is that smell and taste are the only ways to judge a wine.  I think I'll have to agree with all three. When I swirled my ruby glass of The Wolftrap, what I saw was a sheeting, and then slowly, after a moment, extremely defined legs began to form indicating higher alcohol content (14.5%).  However, I wasn't swirling the wine so I could look at the legs, but rather I was trying to get a better look at the color - while the color density itself seems rather light, upon closer inspection it would almost appear as if there was a shadow looming at the core of the glass. Not an unfiltered cloud, mind you, just a sort of mysterious shadow that's there when you look at it, but then when you try to get a better look, it vanishes.


I suppose that's to be expected. I was looking for an affordable yet interesting bottle, and when I found this Syrah, Mourvedre, Viognier blend, I couldn't help but feel a little excited. Syrah and Mourvedre are commonly blended in Southern Rhone, as Syrah and Viognier are commonly blended in Northern Rhone, but seldom does one see the three blended together. This wine was either going to be a flop, or fantastic - which is always the case when you're on the hunt for something alluring and unusual, at a reasonable price.


On the nose: A gentle note of cascading flower petal aromas swirl like something there, but not there. It was as if the bouquet itself was making tight, invisible laps around the inside of my glass, similar to a dusty pack of horses rounding a track until finally one pulls ahead as the rest fall in behind in order of strength and voracity. At first you can pick up the black cherry, but then when you close your eyes and allow the bouquet to infiltrate your senses you begin to pick up notes of eucalyptus, butter, and spicy hints of cedar. Just when you think that's all there is to it, you'll be able to pick up glimmers of vanilla bean that glisten in short flashes like light dancing on windblown water.


The first sip: Soft and silky on the palate, the mouth feel of the wine is so light that it almost feels like drinking an idea of cassis. A lucid mist of currant rolls around your tongue with a heavy vapor that dissipates into a dryness that holds like a memory, the way a line in the sand is left when waves roll back from the shore. Speckles of black pepper come to life just before the finish and evolve into a tobacco flavor that reminds me of how the inside of a wooden cigar box smells.


The finish: Creamy and light; a lingering spice hangs like a distant neon sign glowing in the dark with a gentle heat that looks hotter than it is. A tobacco after breath hovers dryly as the tannins lightly coat your palate, offering the suggestion of a chocolate covered Bing cherry.


This medium bodied wine is the perfect weight for summer evenings and lighter, hot weather cuisine. The 65% portion of Syrah is ironed out by the 32% of Mourvedre, softening the round edges and buffing them until smooth. 3% of Viognier added is like the shammy that brings out the shine of a balloon filled with helium creating a wonderfully light and flavorful wine that has tannic structure and complex fruit, but yet remains low in acidity.


PAIRING: 
Buttery and creamy sauces are going to be a natural match, along with chilled lobster. But don't be afraid to put this wine beside grilled chicken, pork or lamb chops. Pasta salad with olive oil, ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and a dash of oregano; or even traditional caprese. For dessert, fresh fruit of any kind with a dollop of creme fraiche, or real whipped cream; black forrest cake; creme brulee.

BARISTA, PINOTAGE - $16.99

BARISTA, 2009 Pintoage - Val de Vie - West Cape, South Africa.

For all of you coffee lovers out there, this is a must try.  Notes of ripe berry, dark chocolate and, that's right, coffee. And not a little bit either. This isn't one of those distant flavors that make you think oh yeah, I get that, after someone points it out. You'll find it all by yourself.

Now, $16.99 is a little more than I like to spend on a bottle. I don't make a good living, but I enjoy wine immensely, thus I must budget. Time and time again I've been forced to offer my pickled soul to the mercy of Three-Buck-Chuck, but every once and a while even we poverty stricken peasants must allow ourselves to eat cake - and when we do, we might as well make it coffee cake.

Color: This is a rich dark one. A deep purple monster that coats the inside of your glass with a sheet of ink, as if filled with melted blackberries.

On the nose: at first you get mostly berry - current maybe - with faint mineral and hints of that coffee, but that's when you first crack this sucker open. Give it a while. As the wine opens, breathes and relaxes, the fruit notes start to fall away into a supporting roll, and the true hero shows up.

The first sip: The current shines through, in my opinion. Along with soft, ripe berries and some dark cherry is there too. As the tannins start to do their thing you begin to taste a bitter sweet chocolate dryness, but hold the wine there for a moment or two and pull some air over it. By pulling the air over the wine while it's in your mouth you're going to get a preview of the full expression this grape has to offer.  When you're done aerating you'll taste that coffee in the murky, moist breath hovering over the pool of wine in your mouth, and lingering in your sinus.

The finish: A soft and silky mouth feel ends in a creamy coating as this wine goes down, releasing bits of chocolate and coffee onto your breath, along with the memory of the jam you might have been expecting, but never fully met.

Keep in mind that these tasting notes are all from when you first open this bottle. Take your time with this one, don't rush a wonderful thing and savor this wine. Talk about it. Forget about it. Drink it and enjoy, but give it that time it needs to get use to you.

Mid bottle: Like any shy thing, it needs to let its guard down. When it does, what you'll have is a nose that is every bit a shot of espresso with steamed milk and a spoon full of raw sugar; and you'll taste an espresso bean coated in dark chocolate then drizzled with blackberry syrup.

Pinotage is a South African grape that naturally has mild acid, coffee, chocolate and fruit notes. Not quite like this bottle, but their there if you really try to find them. The pronounced coffee in BARISTA (which is 100% pinotage) comes from a special yeast used in the fermentation process that enhances the coffee notes, so don't expect all pinotages to taste quite like this. This is a truly unique and wonderful wine.

PAIRING:

This wine is going to go great with something as simple as a burger. However, if you're looking for some ideas slightly more specific, try either a pork tenderloin or filet mignon wrapped with bacon, sauteed mushrooms and / or fried leeks. Or, try orange duck, or even better: Peking Duck.  Soft cheeses will be nice as well. And for dessert: lemon sorbet sprinkled with zest. Dark chocolate; fresh mango; even a simple scoop of vanilla ice cream will go nicely. For me, personally, I'm reaching for Ben & Jerry's Chubby Hubby.