Wine: Big Llama

[elfs]

Last Friday, fallenpegasus and I opened a bottle of Fat Llama Shiraz, 2004 vintage, and were simply unimpressed. It was heavy, oaky, and not at all sophisticated. It wasn't the worst wine we'd ever served, but it certainly didn't rank as a repeat buy.

Today, I had another glass with dinner. It had improved significantly with a little exposure to the air-- it was much smoother than it had been. Still way too oaky and a bit too simple for my tastest. It may also have been the meal: on Friday, we had halibut fillets. Today, I made ground chicken burgers with crumbled bacon and bacon-grease sautee'd onions mixed into the grind, and then cooked the chicken patties in the bacon grease in a stovetop grillpan along with charred Grannysmith apple slices. Stunningly delicious, and the wine went with it very, very nicely. I'm not inspired to buy Big Llama again, but I am inclined to forgive it for its terrible showing against the halibut.

Y'know, the good life isn't that expensive after all. A couple of burgers, a $8 bottle of wine, some spare time... After dinner and we put the kids to bed, I owe Omaha a massage. Naked, with an oil with essence of lavendar, marjoram, and orange.

Comments

[technoshaman.livejournal.com]

Omaha a massage. Naked, with an oil with essence of lavendar, marjoram, and orange.

Oh, my. What an image. :)

[leethomps.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a fantastic image at that :)

[voidrandom.livejournal.com]

It probably was partially the food. The old "rule" about the kind of wine to serve with food is far from ironclad, but it speaks some truth. I've found that beef, buffalo, lamb and venison are much better to accompany the big red wines, particularly if the wine isn't that sophisticated. Spicy dishes can work well also: there is little point in drinking a subtle wine if your tognue is numb.