California Dreamin’
Wow, I can’t believe the last time I wrote was back in July 2021.
A lot has happened since then. I started a fab new role that has been taking up a lot of my time and I had covid – twice! As a result, it’s taken a while for my taste buds to come back hence I was laying low and sticking to white and rose wine only!
For the first time in 2022, I finally did a wine tasting with clients. It was a virtual wine tasting with wines from California (more on that later) and it was across the Pacific, CET, and GMT time zones.
As you know, I normally do a food pairing with all my wine tastings. However, since this was the first time in a while I decided to keep to wine only! I wanted to really enjoy the red wines and let the taste buds soak it up. Admittedly paired correctly with food, my taste buds would only have been enhanced.
The two wines of choice were a Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Daou, 2017 and a Merlot 2017 from Duckhorn Vineyards. Both Californian.
One of the reasons I chose California is because one of our wine tasters lives in Los Angeles and some of the wines, I had originally planned were not available to her, so I decided to keep it to her home turf as we are able to get the ones on this side of the pond easier.
Daou
I have to say that of the two – this one was my favourite. It felt like a real privilege to be drinking it. It felt like it was the spiritual home of Bordeaux.
An interesting fact is that Daniel Daou’s barrels are all 100% oak and from French!
Appearance: medium in intensity, ruby in colour.
On the nose the intensity was medium. Aromas of liquorice, blueberry, blackberries, and I smelt a hint of vanilla.
On the palate the sweetness, acidity, tannin, body, and flavour intensity all had a medium feel to it. Tastes of blackcurrant, berries, faint tobacco, and cherries enveloped the taste buds, followed by a hint of cream cheese and biscuits.
Foods to pair it with; beetroot risotto, halloumi, strong cheeses like roccaforte, stilton, and of course lamb or steak.
Duckhorn
This wine reminded me of a cigar box with plums. I could imagine a grandfather smoking his pipe on his rocking chair, sitting on his porch with his grandchild on a hot summer’s day in the Southern USA somewhere – righting the wrongs of the world together.
This wine was lovely but honestly, would have been more enjoyable with food (as wine really should be). I also found that it didn’t keep as well the next day.
Appearance: medium in intensity, ruby in colour.
On the nose the intensity was light with aromas of smoke/charcoal, biscuit, plums, and roses.
On the palate the sweetness was off dry. Whilst the acidity, tannin, alcohol, and body is medium. I could taste plums, biscuit, honey, and a sweet nectar.
Foods to pair it with; sweet gammon, cottage pie, a mighty fine beefy burger, and chilli.
Overall, these wines are lovely and distinct in their own right. I can imagine these bottles served at a dinner party where not everyone knows each other well. In a cosy cottage dining area, with the fireplace on – sipping, enjoying, eating, and laughter.
Till the next one…
Lisa