Vinoculation

I wanted to stop, but my body wouldn’t let me. Not the words of some deranged psychopath - though the look on my face would have said otherwise - but my involuntary “shovelling” (to use a term branded on me by Dad) of the pasta dish tonight. I was hungry, and it was good. Bloody good. It was something from Jamie Oliver’s Italian book that Nick whipped up in no time - spaghetti con gamberetti e rucola; a light, tomato based sauce accompanying prawns and rocket with a real smorgasbord of flavours.

The Chilean wine that I’d cracked earlier was a nice match for it too:

2004 Vina la Reserva de Caliboro “Erasmo” Cabernet Merlot
Opened with lifted VA that tamed with some air time. Exotic nose of vanilla, pecan, wild raspberries, star anise, plum and mocha. The fruit concentration is there, but not in the form of dark, black, super-ripe fruit. And I like that. That disposition carried through to the wine’s body and palate; not heavy or overbearing, but moderately weighted with a gentle yet flavoursome mix of red and black berries. The acidity on the finish culminates very subtly, augmenting the surprising length of the wine. The tannins are slightly drying, without being chalky, and the wine ends with a whisper of toast. Most enjoyable. 90