2007 Estripe Bonarda

WELCOME BACK TO THE K&J SESSIONS!

Once again we're slackers--or rather, vacationers--J was on vacation for a week, and I was left to drink wine all alone. Which is something you don't really want to write about. In any event, we are back in the office, and it is a Monday, so you know we have a bottle open and are ready to drink and discuss.

TONIGHT'S WINE: 2007 ESTRIPE TONBERT OAKED BONARDA

K: Welcome back, J. Although, you were back last week and we had that great Verdejo we didn't have time to blog about.

J: Yes. A decent white--tingly and mineral. But i'm glad we're back to reds this week.

J: This wine smells like blackberry Bordeaux.

K: Kind of like overly fragrant Zinfandel. Sweet tobacco; and almost bready. It has been smelling up the office since you opened the bottle...it smells like someone broke a bottle of wine, it's so powerful.

J: All right, i'm dying for the first taste.

FIRST SIP

K: Burnt toast.

J: When we first opened this about 45 minutes ago, the scents were a little yeasty. I definately get that. And blackcurrant.

K: Tart blackcurrant. And the tobacco carries over, but no longer sweet.

J: Plums and prunes on the finish.

K: I agree with the prune, not so much plum for me.

J: I think this wine needs at least three sips before you get to the heart of the flavors. It's an overwhelming wine at first. There's a lot of alcohol upfront.

K: FUNNEL CAKE!

J: What?

K: That scent just above the glass, the sweet yeast scent that was really diffusing into the room? It smells like funnel cake. Ahhh, I love funnel cake.

J: Would funnel cake go with this wine?

K: We need to focus. Food is such a distraction for us.

J: There are nice, long, and low legs in the glass.

K: It is 13.9 A.B.V. I suppose that's about standard for grapes from hot climates.

J: So let's talk about this mysterious grape Bonarda.

K: It's a ridiculous grape.

J: Copy that.

K: Our research on this grape has produced a lot of conflicting information. It used to be the most widely planted grape in Argentina, a few years ago--but now it's back to Malbec. Apparently, they interchange every few years.

J: Also, Bonarda has been likened to the French Douce Noir (meaning "sweet black") grape. In Italy there is a grape by the name of Dolcetto ("Dolce Nero" to the Italians, which also means sweet black), so people tend to believe they're the same grape because the translation means the same thing. But they're opposites.

K: Yeah, Bonarda/Douce Noir is a dark, brooding, tannic wine, and the Dolce Nero is a light bodied, fruity wine.

J: Are you confused yet? It's like solving word problems.

K: And then California grows a small lot of Bonarda, but it's called Charbono. It was BROUGHT to the US from Argentina, but no one knows how it was brought to Argentina, though there are grape varieties that are very similar in Italy. Like I said, this grape is ridiculous.

J: Ahhh, sometimes I long for a simple Cab. This is tasting better the longer it is opened. The alcohol is really burning off.

K: It is. It's really mellowing...now that it's been open an hour. I think it could stand up to a lot of different kinds of food. We can talk about food now that we've actually discussed the wine.

J: So, an hour or more of air on this bottle and you get a silky wine. There is definate tannin in this, but not the kind that roughs up your tongue. Ribs. Ribs would be good with this.

K: Yes...any sort of good cut of meat. T-bone steak. Beef tenderloin. It makes me ravenous--it would be so good with steak that is more rare than you'd usually eat.

J: A really strong cheese would pair up well. Tipperary Cheddar, Manchego--salty cheeses. Or that really rich Delice de Borgogne.

K: I could smear Delice on anything and it would be good. It has so much buttery goodness, you night as well just eat a stick of butter. I feel that this wine would be good with any sort of slow, romantic meal you would plan for someone. It's not a wine you could rush through and move on to another bottle. It's a wine that would carry through dinner and onto dessert (dense chocolate cake), and probably after. A wine you can dote on.

J: Flourless chocolate cake...where one slice weighs three pounds and the crumbs stick to the back of your fork. Or dark chocolate cheesecake.

K: Anything rich and decadent pairs well with this wine.

J: We have a (high maintenence) winner tonight!

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