On Wednesday at my wine course, we covered The America’s both North and South. I find most North American wines too sweet. Most of the wines we had from Argentina and Chile were reds and most were pretty sweet. One stood out for me though and that was Bodegas Callia Blend de Terroirs Cabernet Sauvignon. That’s the one in the top right corner of the image. It’s a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon from two different Terroirs or soil types.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not an amazing wine or anything like that but it stood out because it was highly tannic. I think I was the only one that really liked it and that meant I got to finish off the bottle.

What’s a tannin though? What does it do to a wine? Well firstly, don’t mistake a tannic wine with a dry wine. They are not the same though a tannin is very drying. Essentially, a tannin has the effect of removing moisture from your mouth and makes you feel like you have fillings that are trying to escape. It’s pretty bitter too. I like bitter things, especially in beer but also in wine and chocolate. In fact dark chocolate is high in tannins too. The more cocoa, the more tannins. I also love strong, bitter tea which everyone knows is high in tannins.

Tannic acid helps break down meat so you can marinate a steak in a high tannin wine to tenderise it. Drinking a tannic wine with a big steak helps break down the meat in your stomach too and since they are often very rich and intense wines, it complements the steak too.

Tannins aren’t for everyone though but for me, I love a good tannic bite.

 

The week before was night three. We covered Italy and Spain

Here are some quick notes I made of the wines.
Vedicchio – Slightly salty. Perfect for seafood

Tomassi Laguna – Paulone loves. Stewed veg. I don’t like it too much.

Le Volte – pauline not a fan. I like it.

Zenato Amarone – wow, portish. Lovely and dry but fruity too. Love it.

Twrras Gauda – is interesting. Pauline loves. I like it. Smells sharp but tasting immediately 180s to a big bodied, fruity sweet but still sharp citrus wine.

Las Rocas – super fruity. Lovely. We both love.

Muga Reserva – I like but Pauline not so much
Dry and fruity. Not sweet.