Oh to be able to travel again…I know a lot of us are missing the joy a holiday brings – whether that’s to relax, to experience somewhere new or to spend valuable time with loved ones. I, for one, am longing to step onto that plane.
So instead of an actual flight this Easter I decided to enjoy a wine flight! A wine flight is really just an excuse to taste a group of wines, typically a similar group or a selection of wines with a link to be able to compare and contrast. I couldn’t find any real evidence as to why a group of wines is called a ‘flight’ but some romantics believe it’s because it makes people think of travel, well, call me romantic.
My theme for my wine flight was the USA, mostly because it’s the region I currently know the least about and have tasted the fewest wines from so it seemed a good excuse. We tried a few classic names from California, at the entry level rather than their top wines, and I threw in a Pinot Noir from Oregon which went spectacularly with our roast turkey.
Up first was the Hands of Time 2018 Chardonnay from Stags‘ Leap in Napa Valley, California. Stags’ Leap Wine Cellars is one of the most renowned vineyards in California, having competed in the famous 1976 Judgement of Paris – their Cab Sav beat the French rivals from Bordeaux! Along with fellow Napa icon Chateau Montelena (who won on the chardonnay) they really put California on the map as a serious wine region. As quoted on the label The Hands of Time pays tribute to the individuals who have played a role in the wine growing legacy over the years…whose ‘unwavering passion has been passed down from teacher to student, and through the hands of time’. A lovely tribute and a delicious wine – soft but fresh peach, pear with lovely butteriness.
The climate and terrain of Oregon is frequently likened to Burgundy and this cool-climate style of Pinot Noir from Erath produced a very pale ruby wine in the glass but there was plenty going on with lots of cherry initially that evolved into deeper fruits and more earthy flavours as it opened up in the glass.
And finally we tried Duckhorn’s ‘Decoy’ Merlot. Duckhorn is another big player within Napa Valley and they have more recently ventured out to Sonoma – which is where they make their ‘Decoy’ range which aims to deliver great quality at a ‘remarkable price’ (retail stockists in the UK currently around £25). This wine was elegant but perhaps not as complex as I’d expected however good fruit of blackberry and plum with notes of dark chocolate.