Tropical Depression: grapes. clouds, briefly. I am in an intense yoga workshop this week so I don't know if I'll be drinking any wine. I probably shouldn't...but then I'll likely just drink beer. Beer really packs on the pounds. You think I should just not drink? Ha..you guys are funny. Here comes the clouds part... I've seen some really great clouds in the last couple of nights. A seahorse (did you know that the males carry and give birth to the young?), a yin/yang, some dinosaurs.
In lieu of wine reviews how about a grape? I did some research. Malbec. (gesundheit). Originally cultivated in the Burgundy region of France, this grape is thought to have been brought to Argentina in 1868 possibly by a Hungarian peasant. Cultivation spread to Chile. Australia has it now too, and they think they are so cool. I wonder what the clouds are like in the vineyards of Argentina. When does the mist settle in? Is the morning bright and clear? Would you not want to sleep on the ground because of poisonous snakes? Hmmm. Do their vineyards have frost alarms like those high-tech Californians? Is there a burro involved anywhere along the line?
The French used Malbec mostly for blending with other varieties because of its inkiness and smooth tannins...which means that they are not terribly astringent themselves and can kind of tone down a crazy-ass tannin grape....which is one of the reasons to drink it unadulterated. If you can find an oak aged one (as opposed to stainless steel vats) you'll get a bit of vanilla in the nose. gesundheit. Malbec goes by other names as well...pressac, tinta amarela, and something else I can't remember.
Unfortunately most of the grape varieties that are grown in Argentina don't make it out of the country and are more "regional favorites". Same as anywhere else I suppose. Malbec. If it was a guy he could build you a shelf and fold the laundry. Have it with grilled meat and/or vegetables. He's versatile. And might prevent scurvy.
