This bottle was picked out for my by the fabu Dani Morgan.
(Who needs to get her story finished… Yeah. I called you out. ;p)
"Aconga" was the result of a night out with friends. It
was $3.99 on sale at the nearby Kroger. It may have been picked 90% on the
packaging. Because really…this thing looks a little like a filigree gun barrel.
With the black bottle and seal, it really has a badass vibe.
Hubby saw me taking pictures of the bottle and grimaced. “Am
I going to have to taste it?”
I wasn’t sure I was going to make him, but then he asked if
he was an official part of the Cheap Date review and smiled. Awww. He feels
included. (Still won’t read a thing I write, but hey…at least the man will
drink with me.)
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Is it sad that even all these years after college, one of
the first things I look at is the percentage of alcohol?
You’d understand after the helacious harry buffalo we made.
That sucker was potent.
But the Aconga isn’t like the Everclear we used in college
(thank god.) This wine is 13% alcohol.
The back of the bottle reads “An ancient Incan word meaning
“Stone Sentinel”, Aconcagua is the highest mountain in the Americas, towering
over Mendoza. It is this great mountain’s name that inspired “Aconga,” A symbol
of grandeur and the celebration of a land steeped in history. Argentina, known
as the land of silver, embraces artisans well known for their unparalleled
silver craftsmanship.”
Huh. Who says alcohol makes you stupid? This wine just
taught me something. And I feel mildly proud of myself for catching onto the
silver link. *pats self on back*
There isn’t a whole lot of sweet/dry info on it, and despite
the very long flavor description, “soft and supple” doesn’t tell me much.
We’ll just have to test it out. At least, I learned the
where the highest mountain in the Americas is!
I have learned something through this whole cheap date
process. If you have a foil seal over the cork, there is no need to take it off
before putting the corkscrew in. The cork will usually break the seal when you
yank that bad boy out. Then I just peel back the foil until it pours without
spilling everywhere. I’ve only dropped a few pieces of the seal into the wine.
It didn’t kill me. Think of it like finding the wishbone. Make it a game!
Well…look at that. The cork has a map on it, highlighting
Argentina. This wine is teaching us all kinds of things!
THE SMELL
Definitely more than fruit here. This has a few different
flavors going on. It’s got a spicy scent that reminds me of either coffee or
chocolate, along with dark tart berries. I’m down.
THE POUR
A few bubbles collected at the top as I poured but quickly
dissipated. It’s a deep ruby color and hugs the glass as I swirl it. A couple
little pockmarks interrupt the smooth flow of the drag on the glass, but not
too much.
Now that it’s in the glass, the smell is all smoke and spice. I can
smell very little fruit.
FIRST SIP
Oooh. That’s different. It’s not sweet, but it’s got a soft
tart flavor that I can’t quite place. The wine coats my mouth and has a
fantastic warmth to the drink.
The bottle recommends this be paired with beef or red sauce
on pasta. It reminds me of eating at an Italian restaurant where you order the
red because that’s the house wine and the only one under $10 a glass.
I can also smell it without another sip. This stuff invaded
my sinus cavity. Good thing I already ate, because I doubt this would pair well
with McDonalds.
HUBBY VERDICT
I woke him up to make him take a sip. I’m an awesome wife.
Him: “It tastes like fermented grapes.”
Me: *eyeroll*
Him: “It’s more bland, I guess, but it’s not sweet, so eh?”
Me: “Bland? So if someone put it in front of you for free
would you drink it?”
Him: “If there was no alternative, yes.”
FINAL VERDICT
I get what they mean by the word “soft” now. It’s not super
dry, and it’s not super sweet. This is a wine that would go well with dinner.
Not so much with a chocolate mousse.
It’s something to sip while writing or watching a movie, and
at $4, I can see myself buying this again.
Two wino thumbs up.
And it taught me something! If I start buying wines from
around the world that teach me about the place they are from, imagine how smart
I could be in a year.
Furthering my education one bottle at a time.
Not bad for a cheap date.
~Roxy
No comments:
Post a Comment