Mary killed a little lamb

Métaireau 2004 Muscadet Sèvre & Maine “Sur Lie” “Petit Mouton” (Loire) – All the briny seawater one could want. Unfortunately, this wine arrives in stages: brine, then sweaty/leesy aromatics, then a semi-acrid sort of flatness, and each is less appealing than the first. It’s a fine match with the right food (acid-enhanced bivalves, for example), but it needs that food, because otherwise it’s a bit difficult to drink.

Since this is Métaireau’s young vines cuvée, it’s probably best to not attack it too strongly; he is certainly capable of better work, as evidenced by his other wines. But melon de bourgogne is already a light-aspected grape, and it needs to be of better natural quality to bring out the potential of good Muscadet. I wonder if this wine might not have been better in its natural, non-lees-aged form. Alcohol: 12%. Importer: Boston Wine.

Unión Viti-Vinícola “Marqués de Cáceres” 2001 Rioja “Vendimia Seleccionada” (Center-North Spain) – Awful. Horrible. Wretched. Dead and decaying hamster guts slathered with dill-infused chocolate are not what I’d call appealing, except perhaps to vultures and other carrion-eaters. Stay far, far away.

Tempranillo never had it so bad. This found-everywhere bodega does produce some drinkable wines, but they underachieve at all points. This wine is particularly dismal. Avoid it like the plague. Alcohol: 13%. Importer: Vineyard Brands. Web: http://www.marquesdecaceres.com/.


7 Comments

  • Robert Jones

    January 21, 2006

    Stop holding back…was the muscadet that disjointed that it showed itself in stages?

    And why’d you waste your money on the Caceres? 2001 was a good quality harvest… some say that wine is made in the vineyards, but human hands sure can undo what nature has given.

    Reply
  • Thor Iverson

    January 21, 2006

    Stop holding back…was the muscadet that disjointed that it showed itself in stages?

    Me, hold back? Yes, it was disjointed, and it just faded into nothingness.

    As for Caceres, it wasn’t my dime or my idea. Leftovers from a corporate event, actually. I hope the drain liked ’em. ;-)

    Reply
  • brewnoser

    January 22, 2006

    Hamster guts? You know what they smell/taste like? Was it you who killed Hammie, back when I was 11?

    Reply
  • Thor Iverson

    January 23, 2006

    It wasn’t me! You can’t prove a thing! ;-)

    Reply
  • brewnoser

    January 27, 2006

    Well, I showed the “hamster guts” thing around to my wine geek friends. Interestingly enough, the agent who, until recently, represented that wine seemed to agree. His comment was that at least now that he knew what the wine was like, he would never have the need to wonder what hamster guts were like.

    Reply
  • brewnoser

    January 31, 2006

    I found the perfect food accompaniment for the Caceres. Go to

    http://www.roshambowinery.com/about/team.php

    and click on the “food photography” link.

    Reply
  • Thor Iverson

    February 1, 2006

    That looks irresistable, but I’d think a little Dijon mustard would be even better.

    Reply

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