East Hill Bottle Shop 31 May Tasting

Even though Summer hasn’t “officially” begun it’s summer here on the Gulf Coast. Yet we are barely into our Summer and I have already heard, twice, the phrase: “I can’t drink red wine during the Summer!”Really?What a bold wine statement! I still have yet to get an actual logical answer when I ask why. The answers usually revolve around “not refreshing enough” or “it makes me hot.”I am the biggest advocate for drink what you like, but to artificially cut red wine out of your repertoire seems holistically silly! There isn’t much that I can do if you say that red wine makes you hot. Either come prepared for what the Brits call a “Randy Evening,” or take a cold shower before leaving the house!  I mean really!I take it as a challenge to refute the “not refreshing enough” reason. 97% of red wine, especially down here on the Gulf Coast, is served too hot. Red wine should make your glass feel cool to the touch. If it doesn’t then it’s too hot. Just doing that will probably make 9 out of 10 red wines “refreshing.”Tonight’s Crowd Favorite, Atteca Old Vine Garnacha 2019 from the Calatayud region of Spain, was served at the right temperature and sold down to the last bottle. The region of Calatayud is very dry, the grapes get a lot of ripening sun. That along with the age of the vines gives the wine its full complement of complex flavors; black plum with red cherry, deep earth yet with soft tannins. To me a great bold summer red wine.So if you are one who doesn’t drink red wine during the summer do me a favor; try some reds at the correct temperature and see if your opinion changes.

The Bottle Shop, Downtown on Baylen, 16 Dec 2022

What a great week of wine! I hope that you had the chance to get out to one of the local wine tastings. Tonight’s Crowd Favorite was an upscale Spanish red from the Aragon region. Alto Moncayo Veraton Garnacha 2018 greeted the taster with red cherries followed by hints of prune and a mild spiced bite. Strong tannins gave a light dryness and structure. Not liked by everyone, yet enjoyed by many. In the land of premium wines sometimes you need to treat yourself!