Oswaldo Costa
Oswaldo Costa
1995 Antonio Bernardino Paulo da Silva Colares Chitas Azenhas do Mar 11.0%
The last of four bottles lovingly brought from the winery in Portugal, two of which went down at the Pie Franco dinner. A wine from Colares, an appelation on its last (ungrafted) legs, is a rare enough encounter, so anticipation ran high. Rich blackberry with hints of graphite and rubber. Medium body, resolved tannins, no trace of heat or oak. Acidity is intense, overwhelming the fruit before food, but coming into balance with it. Tastes fresh and young, could easily have gone another decade or more. Over two consecutive nights, gave me a fair amount of pleasure, but, alas, didn't rock my world as it shudda had.
We often talk about the drawbacks of tasting blind, but not as much about the drawbacks of knowing. In the dark, I would have given this far less attention; as it was, awareness of privilege was half the experience.
The last of four bottles lovingly brought from the winery in Portugal, two of which went down at the Pie Franco dinner. A wine from Colares, an appelation on its last (ungrafted) legs, is a rare enough encounter, so anticipation ran high. Rich blackberry with hints of graphite and rubber. Medium body, resolved tannins, no trace of heat or oak. Acidity is intense, overwhelming the fruit before food, but coming into balance with it. Tastes fresh and young, could easily have gone another decade or more. Over two consecutive nights, gave me a fair amount of pleasure, but, alas, didn't rock my world as it shudda had.
We often talk about the drawbacks of tasting blind, but not as much about the drawbacks of knowing. In the dark, I would have given this far less attention; as it was, awareness of privilege was half the experience.