I must give
credit where credit is due to our fabulous
dinnerguest discofever for bringing this wine to us.
The facts first:
Borsao Red is made from Garnacha (Grenache) and Tempranillo grapes. 75% of the vines are at least 40 years old. It's from the Agricola de Borja, in the town of Borja, Spain.
Hear now- I have never had a wine like this before in my life. My first images upon tasting it:
Antique leather couches in the personal study of an aging eccentric that smokes a different pipe tobacco every evening.
Wandering through a forest in November, at midnight, lost.
Slithery things that go bump in the attics of Stephen King.
A bookshelf untouched by human hands for the past decade, and the smells of the books when you stick your nose deep in the crack.
Autumn. Oak. Halloween. Mystery.
The wine is luscious and spicy, with a well-balanced tannin level. It is also fully accented with dark, juicy fruits and leaves a dreamily long aftertaste. The aroma is pungent and a little musty, in quite a mouthwatering way.
I served chicken with a cream sauce and garlic-curry roasted potatoes, and it offset the meal nicely. With as much character as it holds, though, I would suggest serving it with venison or a nice tasty steak. It's a great wine to smoke with as well, and is hands-down what I'm drinking this fall.
Ken says it's around $6 a bottle. I'd pay $30 in a heartbeat.