sick as a dog

down with more than the sniffles ... nasty. cannot taste anything ... well, almost. didn't think of imbibing but strangely ended up at the usual place. anyway, been downing copious amounts of vitamin C, am told that the grape contain lots of the stuff...
la rioja alta, vina arana, rioja reserva 1995 (tempranillo)

ruby with slight bricking; cassis, mushroom, greenish stalkiness, some cedar/tobacco, nice and secondary; some fruit (plum maybe) with an initial sweetish hit at the front, aforesaid stalkiness, fruit and wood intergrated; still reasonably tannic but agreeable and quite ripe; acidity nice and fresh; not very long; some resin,slightly stalkiness and raisin in the finish; medium bodied; 12.5%; would be nice with some meat; given the price over here, quite a bang for the buck. BANG!

then 2 suspects appeared ......

chateau pouget, margaux, 2003 [generally cab sav 6: merlot 3; cab franc 1]

ruby; floral, cherry, oak, sandalwood (?), bandaid, smoked meat; sour cherry, plum, smokey barbequed meat/bacon bits; still lots of fine tannins (nice), balanced acidity; medium length/long; medium bodied; 13%; can be a little lean but fills out and lenghtens nicely with food; roast pork helped; elegant stuff; one suspect's choice ... not bad. even the contrarian chimed in with "not bad, can drink". BANG! (-)

with some bacon sandwiches and voila ... i could breathe easy again. there must be some anti-viral elements in plonk.

anyway, was a decent evening and to the other suspects away up north, ... cheers.