Posted by Bill
This month I enjoyed an interesting Bordeaux, Chateau Florie
Aude 2010. As is typical of Bordeaux
blends, it is a Merlot and Cabernet blend and is produced on a small
family-owned estate on Bordeaux’s right bank. I usually do not drink Merlot but I thought I
would broaden my horizons a bit by starting with a Bordeaux as a way to ease
into enjoyment of Merlot. If my aversion
to Merlot seems strange, it is perhaps because it has little to do with
taste.
I have been enjoying films for much longer and in much
greater depth than I have wine, and my aversion to Merlot perhaps came from
watching the movie Sideways too often.
If you are not familiar with the film, it is about a couple of
middle-aged guys (Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church) who embark on a tour
of California’s wine country. Giamatti’s
life is in the dumps and he is looking for a refined escape while his
soon-to-be-married friend is looking for a fling before getting hitched. Giamatti’s character is ultimately seeking to
find meaning to his life, and descends into depths of darkly humorous
self-loathing before eventually coming back out again with a fresh perspective.
Along the way are many memorable scenes, including one in
particular where Giamatti’s character loudly declares, “No, if anyone orders
Merlot, I'm leaving. I am NOT drinking any fucking Merlot!” That scene, among others, has always stuck
with me and I can’t help thinking about it whenever there is a Merlot
around. It is hard to enjoy a wine when
you can’t get the red, puffy, twisted, screaming face of Paul Giamatti out of
your mind. But I guess you could say
that a Bordeaux blend is not really a
Merlot.
Although the Merlot is 85%, the plum-rich fruit is not
overpowering but actually well balanced by black currant-flavored Cabernet
Sauvignon. Overall the wine was very
enjoyable. You can see a deep red with a
purple tinge as you check for color density as it thins out towards the rim. The aroma is of elegant red fruits, plum and
black cherry with hints of spicy tobacco. Once it hits the taste buds you can
distinguish strawberry, passion fruit, raspberry, and cherry flavors. Lovely round tannins, found principally in the bark, leaves and
immature fruit of a wide range of plants, and a
long complex finish.
Following the pairing guide and sticking to my “strict diet”
I sipped on the Chateau Florie Aude 2010 while I ate grilled red meat and also
had some cheese. The meat I selected was
a gourmet cut of USDA ground meat patty bought from a company named “Bubba
Burger” topped with a domestic cheese, also referred to as American cheese. The slight oak taste complimented the charcoal
flavor of the meat and the cheese just made it an American cheese burger.
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