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Liquid Refreshment

11

Sep

On the Serious Tip

Jacob Gaffney  in Red Wines, Shiraz/Syrah, Castelão , , , , , ,

Need some help: Have an ‘issue’ that needs advice, either respond on this board or send me an email.

It’s SERIOUS.

A quick stop in Portugal and you can see how wine is a direct reflection of the people – at least, in the Old World (Europe). Fine wines represent the golden elite. Trash wine is for the hobos. Table wines are for people like you and me, and show you and me what table wine people can be like over there.

Hmm. As my director often says, ‘Jacob, that makes absolutely no sense.’

Like their modestly priced wines, the Portuguese are a particularly peculiar people. One bottling, the 2004 Portal de Aquia contained four grapes: Tinta Roriz, Castelao, Syrah and Alicante Bouschet. As far as we are concerned, that makes them the clown car of the luxurious circus that is the wine industry. How many more grapes can we cram in there?

Imagine seeing a California bottling with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot on the label. Well, in Napa Valley, they call that a ‘Meritage.’ In France, it’s called Bordeaux. In Portugal, who gives a crap if you don’t know what it’s called?

The wine was thin, rusty, musty, and seemed like it was reclining in the shade, instead of working in the field. Lazy bugger: 8.0.

On the other hand, the 2004 Quinta Vista – Castelao, Tinta Miuda, Camarate – was around the same price, £5. But it was a different wine altogether. Juicy, pleasant with hints of overcooked caramel. And guess what? It tastes like wine! No identity problems here. Straight shooter: 8.6.

Admittedly, knowledge on Portuguese wines is sparse over here at InterWined. And with grape names such as Tinta No Comprenda, that climate is unlikely to change.

Now the serious issue – ABC recently announced a re-edit of its series on the September 11 attacks. Five years ago today. Little has happened in lower Manhattan, but plenty has happened in journalism. Although Clinton signed in the Telecommunications Act and appeared to be a great supporter of free speech, his administration is attempting to order a change of the ABC dramatized account of events leading up to that tragic moment when our lives changed forever.

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