January 08 wines...

Sometimes, when you need to listen old records you remember many things. A sort of a film inside your mind. Good things, bad things. Good wines, bad wines. In a moment you’ll read my january wines and my hi-fi is playing some CDs that bring many things to my memory... ’Play’ -Moby- , ’Live in Australia’ -Elton John- and a great CD, Greatest Hits of Frank Sinatra. Time for wines...

- Albariño de Fefiñanes 2006. Bodega Pazo de Fefiñanes. DO Rias Baixas (10 EUR aprox)
Smell of green apple, lime and herbaceous hints. Tasting appears a fleshy acidity that reminds me medlars. Nice bitterness in the last moments of the sip. It’s a good wine, being a good partner of food without any noise. This time it’s been paired with green sauce cod and clams. Ok for the QPR.

- Colet Assemblage Extra Brut. Bodega Josep Colet. DO Penedes (about 15 EUR)
Anybody who has ever read me knows that I fall by the Colet bubbly wines, so you know, you’ve to substract about 5-6 points due to my subjectivity to the points I do never use ;)
Copper hue. Quite soft smell of red fruits. The real size of this wine comes when you sip it. This red fruit comes with nice acidity and a really great creaminess. It’s like over your tonge were spread Assemblage-Nutella and when you realize here comes the bubbles to clean it. It’s been paired with some snacks, but while I was drinking a zucchini and green asparagus risotto came to my mind as a good pairing. Good QPR.

- Château Masserau 2004. Jean-Francois Chaigneau. AOC Bordeaux Supériur. (8.3 EUR)
Dark hue. When uncorked comes a scent of red fruits and lactic touch, that disappear after some secondes. Then comes the rippen red fruit under a layer of dried straw that is a bit disappointing in my opinion. Next day this smell has almost disappeared.
I don’t have enjoyed this wine and most probably I won’t buy a second bottle. I don’t know, maybe it’s a boring wine to me.

- Domaine de L’Ecu Cuvée Finement Boisée 2002. Appellation Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Contrólee. (8 EUR aprox.)
Disappointing. Smelling and tasting we find dried apricots, honey hints, chest and strong oxidative notes. I double-checked that the bottle uncorked was the proper one, ’cos it looks as the dull-brother-in-law of Conde de Valdemar Fermentado en Barrica (barrel fermented).
Hmmm... no, I was right. I uncorked the right bottle. As time goes by it goes to stronger oxidative notes. You can really be the witness of how the oxidation happens! 8-o .
No trace of Muscadet into the bottle. It’s been really disappointing.

- Torroxal Tinto 2004. Bodega Viñas do Torroxal. DO Rias Baixas (aprox 9 EUR)
Clean garnet. Meaty touces, prune skin, black olives juice, chocolate flakes and graphite. The first sip scares me. The tannins are so strong that I feel my tongue pulled out through my ears! Minutes after it’s ok. Maybe the wine was angry when I uncorked it :-? At first time it reminds me the wine Clos de Tue-Boeuf Rouillon. Good acidity. Nonetheless the different elements looks as if they were angry among them, but everything is harmony when paired with food. This time with a roasted pork elbow.
Hours after it’s changed. Now is fully focused and precise. Spicy hints, smoke (bacon) and a soft touch of mint.
Now everything appears in layers where they must be.
This wine makes me wonder many things about the differences between tasting and drinking. When I uncorked it this wine was just a ’psha... it’s not so bad’. Hours after this wine is really nice and with good QPR. Time to drink more bottles and worths a follow-up on next vintages.

- Colet Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Traditionnelle. Elaborador Josep Colet. DO Penedés (< 8 EUR)
Maybe the basic bubbly wine of Colet. The usual smell of apple comes with a touch of bread and soft creamy hints that I don’t remember in preceding bottles. Very good QPR.

- Blanc de Blancs Reserva. Bodega Codorniu. DO Cava.
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