Merry Christmas! (a few days late)
Christmas Day: Cozy. Warm. Memories. Family. Surrounded by loved ones- celebrating and thankful. Tara’s homemade wine wrapped up under the tree.
But before I start giving bottles of it away as gifts, I better make sure it’s at least tolerably consumable!
The last blog on the homemade wine was October 31st- Step V: Bottling. I also tasted it once, just before Thanksgiving. My last memory from that tasting was, “…WAY too acidic…too young. Fruity; pleasant, but needs MAJOR mellowing out.
Today I grabbed a bottle off the rack, admired our labeling and foiling work, and cracked it open! Ryan poured it into the decanter to relax and open up for a couple hours before dinner. It is the color of beautiful burgundy rubies…very deep and dark…
Two hours later, I pour some into one of my Riedel Red Wine glasses (big, oval-y ones), and swirled it nervously. Well…bottoms up!
WOW!!! I have NEVER experienced such a noticeable change in a wine than during the 6 weeks this Cab has been aging. It’s amazing the difference!
BOLD. Polished. Smooth. Fruit forward. WOW, fruit! Cherries, raspberries, oaky-subtleness, with a decent finish! I can’t believe I am describing this same wine as “smooth”. Six weeks ago it was harsh, sharp, under ripe, acidic!
I am SO RELIEVED and happy!
~Introducing “Rappel”, by Tara Merry (a.k.a. Tara “Rapp”-Smith). (Get it? “Rapp”el??!) The inaugural batch, 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, is made of 100% Australian Cabernet Sauvignon grapes; so it is on the fuller-bodied side of the scale, rich, and tannic.I am shocked. I am pleased. Cheers!...and Rappel!
Congratulations and well done!!! Creative by nature, artisan by choice. Love you!!
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