The color is the first thing to notice, a bright rich 18k gold. The nose is sweet and floral, hibiscus with apricot and honey. Layer after layer of flavor dance across the palate, all varying variations of apricot and honey, with a bright acidic backbone ranging from sweet Key Lime juice to tart Key Lime zest. Hints of mango linger throughout, though teasing, barely identifiable. It is hard to clock the length of the finish as the desire for the next sip overruns the attempt to measure the finish. Suffice to say, it is incredibly long. Drink with foie gras for the classic match, but it would be even better with Kung Pao from Lucky Strike in Portland, the sweet a counter-balance to the spice. Very Highly Recommended. DH
Human beings, as a whole, love sweet. Studies have shown that newborn babies, when given a choice, prefer sugar water over milk. We begin life with a sweet tooth, even while that bud is still locked inside the confines of our tiny gums. For most of us, the craving continues to haunt, delight, plague and pleasure us for the rest of our days.
After a whole generation of ignoramuses, it’s the younger people who are starting to appreciate the great sweet wines of the world. Snapple®, Cosmo cocktails…sweet wines: is this their liquid progression? This is what I found at Vinoble, the biennial sweet wine conference held recently in Jerez, in the south of Spain.