Altos de Inurrieta, Reserva tinto, 2002
Germany has cast its vote in the general election and looking at the result I felt the need to drink some wine. I leave it to you whether you want to see it as a comment that I am not drinking German wine tonight - I am off to Spain. This may be a bit unfair, but so far Spanish red seems to me to be the most exciting Mediterranean red wine (leaving out most of France as not Mediterranean) - send those flame emails and, even better, recommendations for Italian, Greek and southern French wines that will blow my socks off. At the moment, however, I enjoy this Navarre blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
The colour is a promising dark-cherry red, and there are even cherries in the nose of this wine. Add some blackcurrant, woodland herbs/smells, soft leather, ground pepper and roasted something - perhaps potatoes, but something roasted, anyway. Yummy and makes you hungry too. Luckily I have saved some parma ham and bread!
But I digress. On your tongue, the Altos delivers what the nose just promised. Add the tiniest hint of cocoa, smooth tannins and a little bit of fresh acidity. It is almost like a Pinot Noir with the muscles of a Cabernet. The finish is smooth and silky and tingly at the same time. I now want chocolate, a roast pheasant and peppers stuffed with minced meat - all at the same time. Or enough wine to last me through three different meals.
A very drinkable wine that, it seems to me, should be drunk right now. So go and drink it, if you have some!