Hesketh 'The Proposition' Premium Cuvee - NV

   There is an expression that goes, "proof of the pudding is in the taste." The same can be said about wine. In the

'The Proposition' you'll find a sweeter style of sparkling wine with great structure and a pleasantly dry finish. Here is the end result of a difficult wine making process traditional and more economical methods cannot reproduce. It's one of those things that when done right you get a wine of elegance. When done cheaply the wine is great for maybe cooking.

   'The Proposition' came to Chicago in late January in time for St. Valentine's Day. That's where I tasted it. It was cold, snowing and in time for the worst blizzards of the century. It was hardly what one would call "rose season", as if there really was such a thing. Yet the wine had more body than most roses and the warmth of the fermented beverage was pleasant. Still, next time, I think I'll try it chilled on a hot summer night. I love hot summer nights anyway.

   Hidden in the bright, lively pink rose color are scents of fresh strawberries with a hint of zesty lemon. The first speaks of fresh chilled sweetened strawberry sorbet flavors, with overtones of citrus notes. The firm tannins provide middle palate structure followed by a dry and slightly gripping finish reminiscent of strawberries fresh from the garden . All-in-all a marvelous.

   The maker uses Chardonnay that has been matured for 12 months as the base wine is. A measured amount of oak handling provides the structure, flavor and color retention. Adelaide Hills Semillon gives the wine its sweetness and freshness. Then fermentation is halted very early by chilling and coarse filtration. The final component of "The Proposition" is a splash of full-bodied, barrel fermented Adelaide Hills Shiraz, which gives 'The Proposition' its color, complexity and palate structure. This is truly a wine for all seasons. For around $15 it's affordable too.

Kiss Kiss

Uncle Leo

Hate the Name Love the Marie Duffau Napoleon Bas Armagnac

The famous cognac distillers Prosper and Gaston Delord first produced Marie Duffau Napoleon Bas Armagnac in 1925 and named the Armagnac after Prosper’s wife. Today, great grandsons Jerome and Sylvain carry on the tradition, having established a reputation for quality that is unsurpassed. Their ageing cellars contain Armagnacs dating back to 1904. The great success of Marie Duffau Armagnac is owed in part to the use of high quality fruit, harvested from the best soils of the Bas Armagnac. 

Here's the technical stuff: they use no pesticides or fertilizers. The Armagnac is composed of 70% Ugni blanc (for foundation), 20% Bacco (adds roundness), 5% Colombard (herbal aromas) and 5% Folle Blanche (floral notes). Distilled at low temperature, around 54 to 58 degrees, and using barrels made of 10% Gascon oak to give good tannins, darker color and beautiful spices. Aged a minimum of 6 years old you’ll find flavors of cocoa, orange rind, cake batter and vanilla and soft tannins on the finish. Wine Enthusiast gave Marie Duffau Napoleon Bas Armagnac 90-95 points. 

All this is pretty cool, but the important stuff is the taste. After all, no one, well, almost no one, these days is going to pay $40 or so after taxes for something that the "experts" claim is good stuff. I'm no expert, I'm just a an enthusiast so my judgement is as good as anyone else's.  The brandy aficionado will find in this nectar something tangibly delicious. There is a nuttiness tinged with sweetness, like French toffee coated peanuts. The alcohol does not burn but warms. The palate displays notes of chocolate, orange zest, vanilla, and loam, while a hint of tannins lent by the oak carry through the finish. I would recommend it to the mature fan of fine spirits.