WBW#35–Poema Garnacha old vine

After a cava and a verdejo, it’s time for some red.

This wine is not to be trifled with. Just take a look at the label and you know this is one of the though guys: 14.5% alcohol, Garnacha old vine and 75cl (oeps, this last one is quite common for a bottle of wine).

A low intense colour, well that is that kind of colour through which you can read your newspaper.

Initially, not super expressive on the nose, but taking into account its alcoholic muscles I chilled it a bit. It starts with a whiff of alcoholic sweetness combined with some animal features, just imagine a visit to a well-kept zoo (yes, indeed, the famous one of Antwerp). After a swirl or two, the fruit is bouncing out of the glass, black currants, black berries and cherries.

In the mouth, this is really a fruit scud, an explosion of black fruits. And wow, this wine has a lot more body than the colour would promise, but hey I know and you know that this wine has trained alcohol muscles…Round and velvety in the mouth, some tannins and peppery in the finale. Also some nice acidity which balances a bit the alcohol. Nevertheless, the alcohol is taking the leading part. Ok, this wine lacks a bit finesse, but it is never a body builder, let’s say it’s a well trained athlete. And a well trained athlete I like have once and a while…in my glass.

Conclusion: Good price value, nice presentation but be aware of the alcohol monster. Chill this wine down to a 16 degrees Celsius and be sure that your hammock is ready so you can take a nap after a couple of glasses of this though guy.

Just one strange fact about this wine: it is made by a Scottish woman and flying winemaker, Pamela Geddes. Yeah, it is not all whisky in Scotland…

Wine: Bodegas Virgen del Mar y de la Cuesta, Poema Garnacha Old Vine, DO Calatayud, 2005
Get it: Mondovino (Belgium – Wijnegem)
Pay it: 5.74 EUR (7.84 USD)

Have a nice Spanish wine today!
bart

If you enjoyed this post, make my day and buy me a glass of wine.

Bookmark this:

These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

July 11, 2007 | Filed Under Spain, Tasting wines

Comments

6 Responses to “WBW#35–Poema Garnacha old vine”

kaat on July 12th, 2007 9:20 am

just trying to learn
so, if it’s an “alcoholmonster” you’re likely to have a rather closed nose when it’s room-t°?
so, chilling will get the aroma’s going, or am i wrong in saying this?
then, if i understand clearly, i need to visit the zoo somewhere in march/april, spring-t° … although you can hardly call july 12th a warm summerday!
and!! i do not understand it is strange women can make wine, ot is it strange they produced a rather masculin, alcoholic wine?
bart on July 12th, 2007 10:38 am

Kaat,

Thanks for the questions and your interest.

No I chilled it down to get the alcohol more “balanced”. A more hot wine gets the alcohol more out and thus seems a bit unbalanced.

Chilling in general gets the aroma’s down. Just try some aromatic fruit chilled down in your fridge and compared this with the same fruit a bit heated. You will notice that the warm fruit smells much more intensive.

No, it is strange that a Scot is making a wine, not so much wineland overthere, isn’t?
kaat on July 12th, 2007 11:48 am

héhé, i was worried the choc-caffe-shot i took this morning was getting things upsidedown,
or… that we have a rather strange fridge!

scotland and wine … hold your breath because rumours are that the global heating will change the wineworld …
so it’s not longer WLTV and a little bit of us
A. on July 12th, 2007 12:27 pm

You should read this
http://www.hln.be/hlns/cache/det/art_521283.html?wt.bron=categorieArt2
kaat on July 12th, 2007 2:39 pm

check it out!
http://www.demorgen.be/dm/nl/nieuws/gezond/521467?wt.bron=Hotlist
and they DO make wine in Belgium
and very nice “bubbels”
bart on July 12th, 2007 10:13 pm

High sheep and with a little Belgian whisky you can go to sleep without the sheep…

The saying I was stoned as a monkey will no longer hold…I was stoned as a sheep.