Pages

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Fat Bastard Merlot 2007


Fat Bastard wines have been around for several years and I’ve had it more times than I can count. When it first hit the shelves, I really enjoyed the wine but then I think I had a bad vintage and pretty much walked away from the wine. Well, I decided it was time to give it another go.

Aromas consist of oak, vanilla and a slight rubbing alcohol smell. Prior to aeration, the wine was light and almost too thin. Detect cherry cola and some faint plum smell along a tart and astringent quick finish. After aeration, berry aromas are detected but the rubbing alcohol smell remains. Smooth mouthfeel yet still a little tart. Can it be smooth and tart at the same time? Sort of reminds me of grape cough syrup.

The Fat Bastard story begins in the cellar of Frenchman, Thierry Boudinaud, a renowned winemaker who had crafted wines around the world. Guy Anderson, a friend from London arrived to sample a recent vintage. After a night of sampling decent but not superb wines, Thierry remembered an experimental wine he had in a few barrels. The wine in the barrels was left on the lees (yeast cells) resulting in a wonderful color and rich, round palate.

The name comes from Theirry’s expression “now zat iz what you call eh phet bast-ard”. Fat Bastard being an expression describing things that were great. After deciding to release the wine to the public the name Fat Bastard stuck and as they say, the rest is history. Both Europeans and Americans flocked to stores to pick up a bottle. Most purchased based on the cheeky name and then returned to buy more because of the great taste. I remember this wine as being very tasty in the early 2000’s, maybe I just got another bad vintage.

I won’t swear off Fat Bastard wines completely, I think maybe I’ll try the Cabernet Sauvignon next and see if that fairs any better.

2010© Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.

http://winechicksguidetoeverydaywines.blogspot.com/

Follow me on:
Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=114185461044&ref=ts
Twitter:http://twitter.com/WineChicksGuide

No comments:

Post a Comment