Do you have the time to listen to me whine, about nothing and everything all at once
Basket case. Surely you didn’t die your wine green today. If you insisted on drinking something green, I hope you added the food colour to your weak domestic or discount imported beer, but not to anything micro or craft brewed. Better yet, to toast the Roman0-Brit, patron saint of Ireland’s day, a shamrock shake would have done the trick.
What did St. Patrick’s Day mean to Canada in 2013? Marc Weisblott provided the answer.
The most obvious isovolumetric libations to celebrate the anniversary of the ’The Apostle of Ireland’s’ passing included Irish Whiskey and beer, like Guinness or better yet, McAuslan St-Ambroise Oatmeal Stout. But what came to mind first in terms of wine? The cue should likely have been Portugal’s Vinho Verde, meta phrased as “green wine” but it’s freshness and effervescence shares little in common with the cask influence so prevalent in Irish Whiskey and heavy men’s beer.
Unconsciously, I veered in the direction of a Spanish white, built upon a Catalan variety named Viura and aged in new French barrels. Oak along with the verdant, green notes found in the whites of the Iberian peninsula are key. White wine from Rioja reminds me of chilled yet warming Irish tipples and if you know anything about me, wine goes with everything, including St. Paddy’s Day.
Muga Barrel Fermented White 2011 (958736, $15.95) is creamy like a dark stout’s head or Bailey’s Spanish equivalent, Senaris Crema de Licor. Hazelnutty and piquant, like Tilford Licor Avellana. Suave, steeped coconut, pomello, grapefruit blossom, organoleptic Sangria. Muga’s selfless Blanco defines the winery. Consistent sweet/bitter/acid interplay from a grape that can withstand drought, tough vintages and extreme conditions. Makes you want to wrap yourself up in a sheet, head for a St. Patrick’s Day party chanting, “Muga, Muga.” 88 @bodegasmuga
Good to go!
