Saturday, January 11th, 2003

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Palacio Bornos Sauvignon Blanc (Spanish white)

The Sanz family has been making wine in Rueda for 139 years. Today the fifth generation of descendents of founder Roque Sanz run the renovated family winery located on the outskirts of the town of Rueda in the province of Vallodolid. Founded in 1976 after a family split, Bodegas de Crianza de Castilla La Vieja has become one of the country's most successful producers. The winery's manager and enologist, Antonio Sanz, is a legend in the region. The winery made the very first barrel-fermented Rueda white, as well as the region's first bubbly. In addition to attractively priced Palacio de Bornos Rueda Superior Verdejo, Bornos Sauvignon Blanc and barrel-fermented Verdejo and Chardonnay, the winery has won widespread fame with the top of the line Palacio de Bornos Vendimia Seleccionada (which is ranked among Spain's very best white wines). With 100 hectares of mainly Verdejo vineyards, Bodegas de Crianza bottles and sells nearly two million liters of wine per year. The winery also operates the successful Bodegas Toresanas in the DO Toro and a second line facility in Rueda known as Cuevas de Castilla, with the "Con Class" and "Palacio de Menade" labels. "This Spanish wine is an outstanding example of Suavignon Blanc from the Reuda region. This wine is taut, lithe and herbal with a keen stiletto of acidity that vibrates through the center of the wine."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beaulieu Picpol de Pinet (French white)

TASTING NOTE:

This custom lot of Picpoul (Folle Blanche) is produced outside the town of Sète in the Languedoc. Fresh, clean and vibrant it is the Muscadet of the south, but with less acidity. "Made from the Folle Blanche grape, this wine is a fresh, lively, medium-bodied white wine with surprising texture, wonderful floral/citrus aromas and flavors, and a dry zinging finish. For all of you wine entusiasts tired of the dry chardonnay style wines, you will love this wine. Rated 87 points by The Wine Advocate, Robert Parker Jr."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chateau Mas Neuf Costieres De Nimes (French red)

"A super buy in a lusty, medium-bodied, fruit driven red, this blend of 60% Syrah, 20% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre and 10% Carignan exhibits a dense ruby/purple color as well as knock-out aromas of black fruits, smoke, pepper, leather and spice. Medium-bodied and soft, it should be consumed over the next 1-2 years." Rated 87 points by Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marques De Moral Temperanillo Crianza (Spanish red), Marques De Moral Temperanillo Crianza--

Félix Solís, Spain's leading producer of 750 ml bottled wine, remains a family operation with 500 hectares of vineyards, more than 26,000 oak barrels and an annual production of some 90 million liters. Marqués de Moral is a "crianza" style red wine made from 100% Tempranillo grapes (locally known as Cencibel), with 6 months of barrel age in American oak "barricas". It is a full bodied wine and pairs very well with grilled and cooked meats. Another new wine offered at an incredible price!!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's BEER TIME!!!!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Delirium Nocturnum

Category: A Brown Beer

Taste: Lightish brown beer

Strength: 9.0%

Serve At: Cooled.

Belgium is home to the most impressive brown beers in the world such as Westmalle Double and Straffe Hendrik Brune. This is a sister beer to the popular and fun Delirium Tremens, apart from the label I was unable to recognise a family resemblance. This beer does not complete with the recognised classics, it's more of a lighter Leff brune - all the same its very glugable.

Delerium Tremors

Brewery: Huyghe

Category: A Golden Beer

Taste: Well balanced bubbly golden beer with a vanilla after taste.

Strength: 9.0%

Serve At: Cooled.

This beer comes in a stone coloured bottled and is served in a glass covered in pink elephants! This may upset the purest but comes over as fun to the majority. This is a well crafted beer that rarely fails to make an impact.

-

RETURN TO TASTING PAGE