Drink This Now! Lesson 1

  

                

Yes, I know that the book recommended I do this exercise first, but better late than never right! Anyways, this exercise involved tasting the same wine under five separate conditions. Per Vintage Cellar staff, I was directed to try the 2020 Domaine Grand Veneur Côtes du Rhône, and here is what I discovered.

1. Taste Immediately: Upon pouring a glass, I immediately noticed a dark red color to the wine that remained constant throughout the entire night, and I assumed that the wine would have very strong tannic and dark fruit elements similar to a Cabernet Sauvignon. The smell largely supported this with strong, dark berries on the nose, but strangely with a hint of... pepper? Not only was that pepper confirmed upon my first sniff, but surprisingly, the Cab Sauv impression made an ass out of u and me! While there was a nice spice to it, the tannins were not close to the same level, and though there was a noticable dark cherry flavor, it was defintely muted compared to other reds. It was quite yummy!

2. Leave Open For 2 Hours And Taste Again: After giving it some air and pouring another glass, I quickly took a sniff, and was reminded just how spicy this beast is. However, upon taking a swig, I realized that the spiciness was more mellow and blended than before. The tannins also softened, making for a more fruity mix that was really nice on the tongue.

                                                   

3. Taste With Cheese: I had this wine with some Belgioioso Asiago Cheese, which was exceedingly sharp, but possessed hints of a deeper creaminess. Putting the two together made the cheese's taste more tangy, while the tannins of the wine mellowed, making for a fruitier and lighter experience. In short, adding a solid made the wine more jammy!

4. Taste With Spicy-ish Food: I paired the Grand Veneur with some bowtie pasta topped with parmesan cheese and some Italian Sausage with Peppers & Onions pasta sauce. Tasting the sauce, I figured that it would have just enough spice to make this pairing work. However, I feel it wasn't quite enough, considering that the spice of the wine was still quite noticeable. Thankfully, the portion that did blend created a burst of berry that was quite pleasant.

5. Leave Open For Longer And Taste Again: Finally, I let the wine sit out for an additional 4.5 hours (so 6.5 hours after the start). This time, the smell was definitely more muted, and the taste was subtler than I remembered, though the blackberry and pepper were still obviously there. The consistency of the flavor just goes to show how solid and well put together the wine is overall, and I'm happy to say that it just became more easily palateable with age!