The Lounge 102

I picked up some of this wine recently.  Cahors is an Appelation d'origine controlee (AOC)  in the south west of France.  It lies about 160km east of Bordeaux.  Under the AOC rules the wines are permitted to be a blend of native grapes, Malbec (min 70%) with Tannat and Merlot making up the balance.  The results are big beefy muscular black wines and this is no different, coming in at 14%. The wines are often aged in oak to soften the tannin and give the wines a rounder taste.  The good news continues with the three grape varieties being rich in healthy polyphenols.  On the nose this is a riot of red fruits.  Typical Malbec blackcurrants are dominant here while the Merlot lends it's full juicy character to the wine.  In the background the more austere Tannat brings structure and tannin to the party.  The oak aging has softened the wine and the result is a deep satisfying wine with a hearty warming presence and a long elegant fi...

Cider or sidra is the drink of choice for many Asturians.  Situated in the far north of Spain the region gets the full brunt of the Atlantic Ocean and is is too cold and wet for wine production.  So being the resourceful people that they are, they make cider. Sidrerias or cider bars, are common place in the country side and towns and like the Irish pub are a place to gather with family and friends.  The cider is billed as Sidra Natural.   It is made from apples harvested from the Asturian orchards and has no added ingredients.  Just pressed juice, natural yeast and time.  It a perfect accompaniment to the local cheeses and served cold better than any beer for quenching your thirst on a hot day.  The ritual of pouring it from above your head to aerate it is best left to the expert bar staff and waiters.  You're served about an inch of cider in a glass, which you knock back.  You then wait for the waiter to come back and refill your gl...

Armagnac is a fine, highly aromatic brandy from Gascony, deep in southwest France. The Armagnac region lies between two rivers, the Ardour and the Garonne. and was granted AOC (Appellation d'origine controlee) in 1936.  It lays claim to being the oldest spirit distilled in Europe with origins in the 15th century.  Despite this claim to great age it lives in the shadow of it's better known cousin, Cognac.  If you're ever in the region do not mix these up, especially in the presence of a local!  Armagnac is distilled once in a column still whereas Cognac is double distilled in a traditional pot still. This process results in Armagnac being a darker, heavier brandy, as one would expect from a region famed for its Foie Gras, Cheese and generally rich cuisine. Cognac is on the other hand lighter and fruitier. According to chef Alain Dutournier " Cognac is dependable, but Armagnac, like the Gascons who make it, is more forceful, more complicated - even excessive...

Cidre Fermier de Carnac Name: Cidre Fermier de Carnac Type: French cider from Carnac in Brittany, France ABV: 5% The areas of Normandy and Brittany are too cold for cultivating grapes for wine.  But not to be outdone the locals cultivate apples for cider, and boy, what cider it is.  Usually two varieties are made, dry (brut) and sweet (doux). Served cold, and traditionally in bowls, the cider is crisp and clean yet rich and lush in the mouth and bursting with apples.  This is an entirely different beast to industrial cider poured over ice and loaded with sugar.  An excellent accompaniment to fish, sea food and the local cheeses this is a drink to be savoured. My sister brought me back a gift of Cidre Fermier de Carnac from her recent holiday in the area.  An organic cider, this has all the noble characteristics of its lesser bred neighbours. A lovely bright colour, apples on the nose and a richness in the mouth make it a most satisfying dr...

Name: The Kraken Type: Rum, Spiced Rum ABV: 40% Rum is inextricably linked in myth, legend and marketing with the Caribbean.  With Pirate captains like Long John Silver and the British Navy.  The origins of the name are unclear and one strain of thought according to etymologist Samuel Morewood is that it may have been derived from slang for the best, as in "having a rum time".   In days of yore the navy used to issued a daily ration of rum to its sailors and indeed only stopped in 1970.  A double ration was issued at special times following the order to "splice the mainbrace", an order which could only be issued by the Queen, a member of the royal family or by the Admiralty.  In order to reduce the effects of the alcohol the rum was diluted with water and was known as grog, a term for booze that is still in use. The Kraken is a legendary giant sea creature which reputedly lives off the costas of Norway and Greenland.  It's also a blac...