It's Off to Athens
Well, this may be my worst review of all time. Food awful, no music, wine is not what I wanted (Mumm's would be the proper choice).....who cares! Life is so sweet.
Just that the only music should be a loop of “You'll Never Walk Alone” sung by the Anfield crowd. I was on pins and needles and when God (Robbie Fowler) came on I was ecstatic. Again, its a win over Chelsea and off to Athens for the Champion's League Final. Hummmmmm maybe Greek food this weekend..yum.
Food is a disaster. I made a quick pasta with really good noodles, but I turned the sauce into a cesspool of too much olive oil, not enuff garlic, and some bizarre sauce from a tube. Add some Romano and it was ok. The wine was ok with it, it actually helped the food and complimented it. How? I really can't explain it but at this time I really am happy.
Oh yeah the wine. “Ruby Tuesday” from Smith and Wilson. Go back to my Wine Awards and I gave them “My Favorite Winery” award. All of his wines are very good and all share the same tone. They are very tastefully done with a high level of class. They are not brash and are all rather understated. Again, this reflects the winemaker. George is a really nice man and he seems to have it quite together. He says he's more of a farmer than a winemaker, so he definitely makes his wine in the vineyard. It shows. Oh yeah, don't miss his fruit wines as they are quite yummy too. The winery is in Blenheim, right on the lake so it's a bit of a hike, but it is worth it on two counts. One is the wine and the other is the view. I envy him and his family who get that view every morning. Take Hwy 3 and forget 401 as the ride is really worth it.
Back to the wine at hand. Ruby Tuesday is a Gamay Noir, Chambourcin blend. Gamay Noir is the wine of Beaujolais which is the little sister of Pinot Noir. This grape makes a delightful light red which is Beaujolais Nouveau. Chambourcin also makes a light red which is gaining popularity in this area. Its starting to show up as a lone star and makes a nice wine, great for summer. They have done a wonderful job of blending these grapes to produce a really nice wine.
I forgot to smell it prior to aerating, but post aeration, this wine has a wonderful fruity aroma. Not strong, but it is a clean fruity aroma, with hints of berry and fruits. I really get some raspberry here.
In the taste I really get a jammy taste, nice raspberry jam, outside on the porch. There are few tannins but thats ok. I rather like that. As it flows down my throat there is little or no harshness and non of the tannin pucker one gets from a Cab. There is a touch of sweetness which just may come from the natural fruit and just is there.
Would I serve this with a big roast....nope....salmon..yes sir. This is a red wine that would happily go with chicken too.
So in conclusion this wine would be a great introductory red (I learned on Beaujolais by the way) and may make a better choice than a really dry white for a crowd. I could see a novice wine drinker liking this more than a bone dry Sauvignon Blanc. This will be a joy to drink on the deck this summer.
