The title almost sounds like a Buddhist concept, and in a way it is. Living through the apse of life, you take what shit gets thrown at you, smile, and move on. There is always the prospect of dinner to soothe the fray. You pick a bottle from the cellar, pop it open, and are fully in the moment with that wine during the time of it's consumption. There is a pressent-ness
to all of our wine tasting business. Such ephemera.
Tenuta Vitanza, Toscana IGT, Quadrimendo, 2001
A dark maroon red, smoky licorice and mentholated cherry coughs up from the glass. Sweet cherry-mint, plums, vanillin on the smooth finish of this wine. Obviously 'International', it wears it well, and one feels there is an Italian soul underneath the gloss. Sangiovese & merlot blend, aged in barrique. B+
Chateau de Fieuzal, Pessac-Leogan, 2000 (blanc)
I miss the old Graves appelation: it took fewer keystrokes to type in. This is medium gold already, with a slight bronze cast. Wet hay, oatmeal and citrus notes on the nose. Mildly acidic tangerine, light beeswax, lanolin in the glass. Still youthful but perhaps not as complex as this could be from better years, this middle-of-the-road white Bordeaux is not a bad deal at around $23 a bottle. B+
Les Crêtes, Vallée d'Aoste, Torrette, 2004 Needing something for a 90F-degree day, this wine fits the bill. A light strawberry red color, this has a very perfumed nose, along with strawberry, cardamom, other spice. In the glass is a refreshing blend of strawberry, spiced crabapple and a plum-hawthorn finish. Light, but intriguing, without the burden of tannins or excessive acids, I would asign this as a 'drink now' wine. A-
Quinta do Mouro, Alentejano, 2000
What are the Moors still doing in Portugal? I thought they were chased back to Africa a long time ago? This wine is a deep dark black-tinted garnet. Sweet cinnamon, plum, vague herbal scents (lavender? Menthol-eucalyptus?),...there's a headiness to this. Black fruits on the palate, with zinfandel-like fruit appearing. Modern, concentrated winemaking, thick, low-acid and ripe (14%), with alcohol coming through. Better slightly chilled. Still, well made for it's type. B+
François Chidaine, Montlouis sur Loire, 'le tuffeaux', 2004
Broze gold. Smoky glycerin stones with spicy wet hay. Spicy baked apple and chamomile tea on the palate, very soft without a feeling there is any acidity. A quiet, little chenin blanc wine, a bit pricey at $20. B+
Müller-Catoir, Rieslaner, Musbacher Eselshaut-S, 2000
Medium honey gold color. Crushed apricots, appleskins, tropical flowers on the nose. Mango-quince preserves, malic-apple acidity, with a mineral touch, fresh apricots on the finish along with guanabana. Beautifully balenced. Lovely, but not for diabetics: this feels more auslese in weight. A-