Tonight I opened a Jumilla Monastrell, Altos de la Hoya, 2004, and had a taste as I made the salad that was to be the evening's main course. It was a pretty good wine for US$11.95 -- good acidity, tannins a little brash, but I forgave, pleasant fruitiness of sort of a mixed berry character. Dinner -- light supper, really -- included the aforementioned salad of mixed greens with vinaigrette with pugliese bread and chevre. Everything was fine until I tasted the chevre. After that the wine took on a distinct peanut butter aroma and flavor that lasted for the duration of the meal. Now, a couple of hours later, there is still a trace of "peanut butter" in the wine. I didn't consider it a good thing. So, on my mental list of wine-food matches, I draw an imaginary line through "monastrell and goat cheese".
- posted
18 years ago