Smoking Loon Merlot 12'

Naked Wine Review 129

Wine: Merlot

Producer: Smoking Loon

Vintage: 12'

Region: Chile>Valle Central

Price: 9.00

Date tasted: 9/10/13

Place tasted: Tell you what, I was at the doctors office earlier today for a routine check up when the guy suddenly lost his mind and tried to push a bunch of vaccination shots on me. 

I was all like "No Doc, I don't believe in putting that poison crap in my body"

… and he was all like "I'm the doctor, you're just a google educated idiot. You need these shots or you'll die! you'll die and go to hell!" 

I gotta tell ya, I don't think I'll go back to that THAT guy. He was so pushy I finally had to run out of the building, gown open in the back, being chased by a university educated man in a white coat with a hypodermic needle yelling "You really need this! You really need this!"

Now I ask you, who would not want to come home and pour themselves a big glass of wine after an experience like that? 

Wine, may it be the only medicine you'll ever need. 

Salude!

Served with: Herbed Lamb chops with mushroom balsamic reduction. Would be good with any hearty dish featuring red meat or herby red sauces. I think I'd really like it with a nice bleu cheese; or fine dark chocolate. Mmmmm. She's a very food friendly wine. 

Appearance: Deep opaque garnet with purple edges that shine in sunlight.

On the snoot: A pleasing cherry and vanilla cigar spirit wafted from my challis landing me a gentle kiss on the snoot. A most pleasant introduction.

Taste: Comes on strong with Jammy dark cherry and blackberry fruit saturated in soft vanilla essence that follows the train of taste through subtle hints of pepper and tobacco, oak and herb. Finish is lengthy and full with light gentle tannins. 

Balance: Good medium balance. Just a little light on tannin and just a little heavy on sugar but still dry, complex, and delightful.

Comments: A good solid merlot, phat and drinkable. I would classify her as 'comfort wine', like a warm eiderdown wrapped around as you gaze into soul cleansing flames framed by the hearth on a chilly fall evening. 

Rating: 3.7 tipsys

Campo Viejo Tempranillo 10'

Naked Wine Review 128

Wine: Tempranillo

Producer: Campo Viejo

Vintage: 10'

Region: Spain>La Rioja>Rioja

Price: 12.00

Date tasted: Quite a while ago.

Place tasted: I had been stuck in a time loop all day which threw me into a continuous deja vu experience. I remember you saying that before. The cat stretched that way just before she puked…before. I stubbed my toe on that thing(#@!$*)before, and on and on. There was a naked dancing lady just out of the corner of my eye that would disappear every time I turned to look directly at her.  Where'd she go? Where'd she go?

So when I finally was able to pull myself from the loop, a calm glass of wine and nice steak dinner made for a grounding evening and helped to keep my focus in present time. 'Be here now', it's still a good thing to practice.

Served with: Grilled steak & spaghetti squash with pesto. Good with grilled red meats, roasts, red sauced pasta dishes and bold flavors in general. A very tasty and versatile wine. 

Appearance: She's dressed in a deep velvet ruby gown. Leggy and viscous yet light on her feet, she practically dances around the glass.

On the snoot: Powerful, exceptional snoot featuring rose petals, creosote & wood, dusted with cocoa.

Taste: Upon impact a gentle yet firm oaky, tar, smoke, and spice combine with cassis and some unidentified red fruit. She's complex and delightful to ponder. Chewy, sticky tannins keep the palate interested and involved throughout a long meaty and satisfying finish.

Balance: Nice n' dry with lots of chewy tannin. No residual sugar; more acid & alcohol forward so let her breathe and warm for a while before drinking. 

Comments: I have nothing more to say about the wine so I leave you with this quote from Mahatma Gandhi , “First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, and then you win.” 

Here's to you, cheers!

Rating: 3.7 tipsys