Do I Want Wine in My Coffee or Coffee In my Wine?

 

Like the rest of the world, I have been in quarantine for the majority of 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. To occupy my time I surf social media (a lot), workout ( a little) and drink wine ( well...let's not discuss frequency).

There have been wines I loved and others I never want to drink again. There have been few where I can honestly say, I do not have an opinion one way or the other - until now. 

Last night I opened a bottle of Barista, a Pinotage from South Africa. The wine is described as having notes of coffee, chocolate and cherries - three of my favorite food groups. So I took a chance and purchased a bottle. The bottle was less than $20 so if I hated the wine, it would not be a great loss to my wallet. 

So, I'm home. I open the bottle and I am ready to practice the 5S of wine tasting - sight, swirl, sniff, sip and savor.  I did my exaggerated wine tasting ritual, primarily to annoy my boyfriend, but whatever.  Then I was ready to provide my non-expert assessment. 

Please indulge me for a second. Normally, the tasting notes are subtle.  I may detect a little of this or a little of that. Nothing too overpowering. All of that change with this wine.  The notes were about a subtle as a Mack truck. I tasted coffee, chocolate and even some smoked meat. I mean it really tasted like a cup of coffee spiked with wine and dark chocolate. Maybe wine spiked with coffee, I'm not sure. What I am sure of is that I never tasted anything like it in my life.  It wasn't unpleasant, just different and shocking. 

After my first glass, I decided to read reviews to see if anyone shared my assessment. Some loved this wine. Thought is was a great wine, especially for the price point.  Others hated it. One reviewer stated if you liked the wine, you should reevaluate your life choices and your taste.  I normally do not judge one on their wine preferences unless it Arbor Mist or Almaden in a box. 

Here are my final thoughts:

Pros:

• Tastes like coffee and chocolate
• Tannins are not too overpowering
• Easy on the wallet. 
• High alcohol content, if that's your thing. 
• If you let it breathe an hour or more, the flavors balance out

Cons:  

• Tastes like coffee and chocolate
• Strong coffee notes.  Some reviewers found it offensive, since I like coffee, it id not bother me
• Unique taste
• Not just a wine you sip, it's better served with a hearty meal like steak or  barbeque

Initially, I did not think I would purchase another bottle, but after allowing it to breath for a while, it turned out to be a decent wine.  As a stated in my cons, this is not the type of wine you would just sip around the pool or while you're watching Netflix. This wine is best enjoyed with a hearty meal.  For less than $20 a bottle, you may want to take a chance. 

Until next time. Cheers🍷🍷

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