Wednesday's Wine - Gala Rouge Pinot Noir 2004

I thought we'd leave Australia for the modern world cradle of wine: France. Now, if you're like me, when you hear the words "wine" and "France" in the same sentence you think, that's gonna be expensive. Actually, there are some good values to be had in wine from France. Today (okay, this evening) I'm sharing with you a nice find, recommended by my wine guy, Bob. The Gala Rouge Pinot Noir, 2004 was available a couple weekends ago for $9.00 although generally it's usually priced between $10.00 and $15.00. It's a lightweight Pinot Noir and seemed a tad closer to a Merlot than some Pinot Noirs I've had. I'd consider having it again as a general table wine since it goes well with beef, pork and even a fish like salmon. Here's what Gala Rouge said about their wine: the "Pinot Noir has subtle touches of black cherry and blackberry mixed with highlights of woody oak and soft tannins". An interesting thing about this wine is that some of it is aged in oak barrels and the rest in steel barrels. Then the oak barrel aged wine and the steel barrel aged wines are blended. This is to develop some wood notes while keeping the fruit notes. Who knew!?! And you gotta love that wine label too!

For those of you who are wondering about tannins: the astringency from the tannins is what causes the dry and puckery feeling in the mouth following the consumption of red wine, strong tea, or an unripened fruit. I think there are some tannins or tannin like components of dark chocolate too. Tannins generally promote a strong or sharp taste in red wine. If it's fermented correctly, it complements the fruit and takes the edge of the sweetness. Done wrong, it might as well be vinegar. Tannins are one of the reasons I like red wines. I prefer strong flavors and spicy foods. That said, I'm training my palate to enjoy the more subtle flavors too. That's why I'm willing to try more white wines. I'm just not ready to go back to the sweet wines (Strawberry Ripple anyone?) so don't ask me. Next week...who knows what I might pick, so check back then to find out!