The Negroni Cocktail

25 Friday Feb 2022

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I’m putting the horse before the cart here- tasting a cocktail whose ingredients I am not fully versed in.  I bought the Campari to make this drink but my day got away from me and it’s 5 o’clock- time for an aperitif.  I’ll do a taste test of that bottle at a later date.  For now I am trying, for the first time, a Negroni.

Tasting it without ice or any orange peel as I want to get the essence of the blend without outside influence.  It is a stunning shade of rustic orange.  I can smell it a mile away btw.  On the nose it is orange driven.  I get orange peel, candied orange, orange zest and then some hints of baking spices, black cherry and a saline note.  The palate is bitter yet sweet.  Quite delicious actually.  Orange components with a licorice tinge, baking spices, medium acidity and a full body make this an elixir to savor.  It coats the palate with candied sour orange that leaves a film of sweetness.  The alcohol content is barely noticeable which is surprising considering the Gin rolls in at 41%, the Vermouth at 16% and the Campari at 24% which averages out at 27% ABV.  Throw some ice at this and a bit of orange peel- yummy.  Glad I expanded my palate this Friday afternoon.  Salut….

Franc Dusak Still Real Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Sonoma Valley, California

24 Thursday Feb 2022

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I am cooking a very complex and spice-laden dish for dinner- so no wimpy, thin wines tonight.  This Cabernet has been aged in Whiskey barrels and comes from Cali, so I am looking forward to some hearty and bold flavors to complement my Lamb Tagine which is loaded up with Ras-el-Hanout spice mix, honey, preserved lemons, dried apricots, peas and the ever present onions and garlic.  Side dish is pearled couscous mixed with peppers, garbanzos and red onion- drizzled with a lime/olive oil and honey dressing.

So- the wine itself is inky purple, as in opaque AF.  The nose is gorgeous.  Pronounced aromas of blackberry, black plum, caramel, smoke, vanilla- loads of oak influence there.  The palate is very smooth with what seems to be a touch of sweetness.  I doubt there is residual sugar, must be ripe fruit and perhaps the whiskey barrel influence?  Anyways I get delicious flavors of black berries and currants, plum, smoke, vanilla and the caramel.  The wine has beautifully integrated tannins that caress my gums from the beginning to the end.  Juicy acidity hits on the finish where I now sense the powerful 16.1% ABV.  Be careful out there, that’s quite high.  This full bodied wine is a treat that is going to pair beautifully with my exotic dinner.  I would drink this till 2026, it has some cellaring capacity but don’t let it get too long-it is drinking well now.  91 points for this $ 25 bottle makes it a 5 star effort.  Salut…..

Domaine Faiveley Gevrey-Chambertin 2006, Cote de Nuits, France

24 Thursday Feb 2022

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I was reading an olde book about French wines, written a few years ago and chock full of iconic classics.  I stumbled across a Burgundy wine that I recognized so I checked my cellar and sure enough I had a bottle or two of this 2006 Gevrey-Chambertin.  My mind was instantly made up- Duck Confit and a glass of this aged Pinot Noir would fit my dinner plans perfectly.  I needed help getting the cork out, the Ah-so was a savior…

For a 16 year old Burgundy there is plenty of medium ruby color with virtually no sign of bricking.  The nose is exactly what I was hoping for.  Stewed cherry, barnyard, garigue, dried herbs and cooked strawberry essence.  Very little oak is evident but the tertiary notes are singing.  On the palate it is very smooth, tart, dry and still very tannic.  Medium (+) intensity flavors of cooked cherry dominate with supporting notes of raspberry, strawberry and rhubarb crumble.  The barnyard/garigue and dried herb components are present but the tartness is a bit much.  It is medium (-) bodied and has a mid length finish.  This is still a young wine with more evolution left, which contradicts the original assumptions that it would peak in 2013.  There is plenty of structure and fruit to last until 2028 at the least.  Under-scored and under-estimated- this $80 wine gets 92 points from me and 5 stars.  Glad I cellared a few bottles, looking forward to more evolution.  Salut….

Lillet Blanc NV, France

23 Wednesday Feb 2022

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In my wine studies I have started to explore the nether-regions of the grape.  I’ve been trying out Port, Sherry, Vermouth and today I am looking at a white aperitif called Lillet that is made from 85% white Bordeaux blends and 15% macerated fruit liquors that fortify the wine to 17% ABV.  Served alone or mixed with a myriad of seltzers and sparklers it can make some very refreshing summer drinks or even to spice up a Martini a’la 007.

This offering is medium gold in the glass and has pronounced aromas of blood oranges, blossom, candied orange peel, honeysuckle and a pink grapefruit spritz.  Very citrus-and-floral driven.  The palate is off-dry and smooth.  I can sense the alcohol on the initial palate, but then again I am tasting it at room temperature versus well chilled as advised.  Medium (+) intensity flavors of said citrus and floral notes plus a full bodied mouthfeel make for quite an entrance.  It has medium acidity and a long finish.  I do sense the alcohol burn on the back end which will theoretically not matter much if you dilute it with seltzer or beef it up with Gin or Vodka.  By itself this one should be chilled and enjoyed over the rocks perhaps?  I like it and now that the bottle is open I must consume it forthwith or else it will oxidize.  For $20 it’s probably a good addition to any well stocked bar.  Salut….

Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth

22 Tuesday Feb 2022

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I recently did a taste test of two different Vermouths that got me thinking.  In my curiosity I delved into the history of the elixir to try and understand it better.  The nuts and bolts of which include a neutral wine, red or white.  Add aromatics and then fortify with alcohol to produce this unique aperitif or mixer.  The key ingredient by European law is the aromatic and herbaceous Wormwood (hello Absynthe) that gives it the bitterness we have come across.  The German name for this perennial (and somewhat poisonous) plant is Wermut, which was loosely translated to Vermouth.

I already tasted the Carpano Classico, today I will compare it to the Carpano Antica which runs $42 a bottle.  It is pale amber in color and has pronounced aromas of burnt caramel, orange peel, raisin pumice, bright floral notes and vanilla bean.  The palate is barely off-dry but the sweetness builds on the palate.  Very smooth, medium (-) acidity, low tannins and a crispness that is refined.  The wine is medium bodied and I can sense the alcohol on the mid palate.  The flavors are very precise and well integrated- citrus from the orange peel, raisins, walnuts, oak influence by way of the caramel and vanilla with a gentle bitterness.  The finish is medium (-) in length and bitter with the orange and nuts lingering.  I never thought I would drink Vermouth straight up but this is a seriously smooth drop that invites one to add a cube of ice and a slice of orange peel to sip at sundown.

As I mentioned in my original Vermouth post (https://caspernick.com/2022/02/14/vermouth-taste-test/), I prefer the Dolin for Manhattans but I think I would like to try this one in a Negroni, where the medium level off bitterness coupled with the not-so-sweet flavors will meld well with Campari and Gin.  Salut….

Negroni Recipe

Equal parts:

  • Vermouth
  • Campari
  • Gin

Garnish with a slice or peel of orange over ice.  Stirred, not shaken!

Sojourn Cellars Wohler Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018, Russian River Valley, California

22 Tuesday Feb 2022

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I’m a fan of this winery, having first tasted a bottle of their 2009 Gaps Crown Pinot back in the day.  My review is quite interesting and can be found at:https://caspernick.com/2012/08/10/sojourn-gaps-crown-vineyard-pinot-noir-2009/

I bought a few Magnums of this particular wine on spec and am glad I did- tasty stuff that paired beautifully with a roast Pork shoulder and apple reduction sauce.  I previously wrote about this particular wine and am glad to see my notes are consistent.

Pale garnet- which is kind of surprising for a wine that’s only four years old, it does look a little bit murky though. The nose has medium intensity aromas of strawberry coulis, bing cherry, cinnamon stick, burnt orange peel and stewed strawberry.  On the palate this dry wine is juicy with very, very mild tannins and a medium body. Pronounced flavors of red and black cherry with some strawberry nuance, spice box and hints of oak. I love the mouth feel of the wine, even though it’s medium bodied it’s got a certain lightness to it that I am really enjoying. The finish is medium length and has nice raspberry and red cherry notes with some vibrant acidity. 92 points for this $54 effort makes it worthy of 5 stars and something to look for and drink by 2026.  Salut….

Vinium Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Napa Valley, California

19 Saturday Feb 2022

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Deep ruby/purple in the glass it has a unique nose.  Medium intensity aromas of açaí berry are the first thing I smell.  After a good swirl I get boysenberry, red plum, eucalyptus, coconut and a dusty, brambly component.  Very interesting and quite complex.  The palate is reminiscent of black charcoal and blue fruit compote.  It’s quite tannic with good acidity and medium to full body.  The flavors are out of whack though- I get unripe fruit mixed with oak influence and slightly green tannins.  Not what I was expecting to be honest.  The back end is quite astringent, not in a good way.  I’m taking a step back, doing some research and letting this wine breathe.

I’m back and traced the roots of this wine- it retails for $125 and is still not very righteous.  I’m sorry but the write-ups and reviews just don’t gibe with me.  This is an 83 point wine that may improve with age as it has some structure, but unless that fruit thing on the palate resolves itself this is not a pleasant wine to sip.  1 star and a major pass IMHO.  Salut….

Gioso Barolo DOCG 2016, Piedmont, Italy

18 Friday Feb 2022

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This Nebbiolo is rather young at 5 years old but I have a hankering for something to go with our Tenderloin tonight.  It’s bordering on garnet but is clearly a pale shade.  The nose is of medium intensity and has aromas of steeped cherry, cooked strawberry compote, leather, dried herbs, coconut and charred oak.  Classic Barolo components- I’m excited to taste.

The palate is dry and tart, as expected.  The tannins are present but you can tell they have softened from their youth and are nicely integrating.  Medium (+) intensity flavors of cherry, leather, herbs, a medicinal note (from the oak presumably) and kirsch are noted.  Medium bodied- this wine has high acidity and a nice finish, albeit rather grippy and tart.  These are all qualities to look forward to in this varietal.  The wine is obviously still young and needs time to flesh out and gain more tertiary notes but it will drink nicely with our Beef and would pair well with stews and game.  I’m not convinced that it’s a 92 point wine as awarded by one pro, more like an 89 point effort that gets 3 stars for it’s $30 price point.  I have a few more in the cellar and will spread them out over the next few years.  Salut….

Nysa Vineyard Pinot Noir 2012, Willamette Valley, Oregon

17 Thursday Feb 2022

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For a Pinot Noir, this one is quite a bit more opaque- say 60%.  It’s a beautiful shade of ruby with long legs in the glass.  The nose is quite intense- cherry, black raspberry, pomegranate, cinnamon stick, red licorice and an earthy note.  The palate is dry with some nice medium intensity tannins that are balanced beautifully with medium acidity.  The flavors are quite pronounced with red cherry dominating.  The pomegranate gets joined with cranberry and I also get the spice and earth components.  Medium bodied with a decent length finish that shows off some tannic grip.  I like this wine for it’s New World boldness yet it sticks to the traditional red fruit flavors I love in Pinot.  It’s had a decade to age and is still rather primal with another 10 years ahead of it.  92 points from me for this $75 effort makes it a 4 star wine that compares with the delicious 2014 Nysa that I previously tasted.  Salut….

Marques de Vitoria Gran Reserva 2011, Rioja DOCa, Spain

16 Wednesday Feb 2022

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Deep ruby, starting to turn amber- this 11 year old Tempranillo is beginning to show some age.  On the nose I get classic Rioja: dusty earth, bramble, ripe blackberries, black currants, plums, leather and loads of oak influence.  Vanilla, coconut and charred wood notes are well ingrained.  On the palate it is dry and smooth.  Very integrated tannins and great acidity set the framework up to allow dark fruit, musty and earthy flavors as well as oak nuance to interplay.  Medium (+) bodied this delight has a medium (-) finish.  This is not a bold and big wine, it is more of a seductive and silky drop that appeals to those who enjoy subtlety over brawn.  I like it and would sip it over tapas.  I think it is at peak and will drink nicely until 2028.  It gets 92 points from me and at $40 it gets 5 stars.  Salut….