We have reached the penultimate offering in the Advent Wine Calendar we received at Thanksgiving as an early Christmas present. Advent, if you're unaware, is a season observed in most Christian denominations as a time of waiting and preparation for both the celebration of Jesus's birth at Christmas and the return of Christ at the Second Coming. It begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, often referred to as Advent Sunday.
Depending on when Christmas falls, Advent can be anywhere from 22 to 28 days. Our Advent Wine Calendar had 24 offerings, which aligned perfectly with Advent this year.
Yesterday's wine was a red blend from Portugal called "Secrets Revealed." Tasting notes said we'd experience lush notes of dark berries, velvety tannins and a hint of spice.
That was not precisely our experience. We did get some dark berry notes on the nose and the palate, but almost no tannins, which we actually enjoy in moderation. It was a medium fullness with a long, pleasant finish so quite nice; it just didn't live up to the hyperbole.
Suggested food pairings included foods with strong flavors themselves, including Portuguese salted cod, a Brazilian bean stew, Portuguese game sausage, spicy grilled chicken and Portuguese mountain cheese. "Secrets Revealed" was definitely full enough to stand up to all of these while asserting its own unique character. We enjoyed it. Hopefully you will, too.
Salute!
Visit my main page at TheTravelPro.us for more news, reviews, and personal observations on the world of upmarket travel.
Photo by Carl Dombek
Click on photo to view larger image
Click on photo to view larger image
Comments
Post a Comment
PLEASE NOTE:Comments on this website must pertain to the topic of the article and may be edited for content and/or clarity. Comments that include URLs WILL NOT BE POSTED. Please contact me directly if you wish to do a "link exchange."