Challenges are necessary...
This week I took the challenge in of completing my cocktail video (More about this to follow soon!) and wine tasting in the same day which should have been a relatively easy set of tasks to accomplish.
Sadly the English weather threw its customary spanner in the works and the poor weather coupled with a child who did not want to nap (which is the time I usually complete the videos), the extra shot needed for the cocktail infusions and the planning for a NEW shot in my kitchen meant that it took 3 times as long to achieve what I wanted. For something I find incredibly relaxing and enjoyable, this was more stressful and harder than I initially thought it would be!
BUT - I still got it done and the challenging aspect of execution that I came up against made me think in more precise terms, made me more focused and the success of completed video feels far more enjoyable against it all.
Whilst it is, in many ways, a trivial victory. After all, I’m creating and editing videos for light hearted education and entertainment. Within the current climate of forced isolation where we have very little control, small victories in whatever guise they take, can be incredibly useful in maintaining good mental health. Which is just an important as maintaining your physical health, especially at this time.
THE WINE
2019 Chardonnay
The Unfiltered Dog / Free Run Juice
South Australia
Angaston
2019
Purchased from Les Caves des Pyrenne by James Bloomer
MY NOTES
Colour: Pale Lemon
Nose: The nose is exacting and delivers plenty of ripe White Peach & Melon, it has some lightness of Citrus (more lemongrass than full blown Lemon) and the lightest touches of minerality think the smell of Wet Chalk. The creaminess rounds off the wine, and it certainly delivers on the moniker, “Smells like Rain on a Hot Day”
Palate: Incredibly crisp and very well balanced, the fruit driven nose could fool you into thinking it would be sweeter than it really is but it’s balance and simplicity are the true test of elegance. Lots of Ripe Peach and Melon with a nice acidic hit of Full Cream Yoghurt or Fresh Crème Fraiche makes it a lovely, easy drink.
Verdict: It’s a wine that clamours for hot weather and plenty of sunshine, it is not overtly complex which I really like, because sometimes simple elegance is exactly what you need. We enjoyed it predominantly on it’s own and then had a lighter bite with it. Lives up to the idea that easy drinking and approachable wine is perfect for early summer drinks.
PAIRING
The wine was enjoyed over a couple of days and it was excellent until the very end and in all honesty probably required nothing more than good company for it’s pairing.
I did make a light Roasted Vegetable Lentil Salad – with a little touch of Cumin & Cardamom for the spicing which only lent a small accent of flavour and did not overpower the wine.
It's a light harmonious dish as the Goats Cheese on top with a little bitter sweetness from Pomegranate Molasses meant the balance was great overall and it made for a delicious evening meal.
You could also work this for similarly lighter lunch bites – I cooked this vegetable Frittata recently and I would be remiss if I didn’t feel a little sad at not being able to enjoy this with it too…
This wine brings us to an important point to be aware of when discussing wine, which is that taste and enjoyment of wine can be for many a very personal experience. I enjoy all wine, that much is obvious but I don’t necessarily want to drink ‘challenging’ wines all the time. By which I don’t want to have to wait 6 hours after decanting to see if the Chocolate/Leather aroma profiles have opened up sufficiently in big complex reds. Neither do I want to have the intricacies of a natural wine beating my senses to a pulp over the course of an evening…
All wine & pairing should be considered to the person and to the food – choose something that you enjoy, don’t necessarily be caught up in what YOU SHOULD be tasting, enjoy what you want...
(Semi-Rant Over) - Either way – this wine is fun, enjoyable and eminently approachable, just enjoy it however you choose.
I think that’s the most important thing to take away from this week!
Stay Home, Be Safe and Eat & Drink With Love
All the Best
Goose