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 LIFE WITHOUT A CARE
Wine: Far Niente 2004 Estate Bottled Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville
Alcohol content: 14.5%
Price: $120
While leisurely dining with a favorite lush on delicious Greek cuisine, Risqué was again feeling juicy for something delectable to accompany his grilled salmon with smoked artichoke and caper lemon cream sauce and perusing the wine list, spied a carefree amore! Far niente: Italian for “without a care." Perfect for an alfresco evening.
The long purple stained cork yielded to the force of the screw and released a shimmering liquid, inky purple to the rim. The viscous liquid, thick with complex and delightful aromas, surged with dark fruit, rich, concentrated cassis and blackberries swirling with old fashioned licorice, chocolate, vanilla, tobacco and earth. After lingering for quite some time over the sensuous nose, Risqué anxiously laid the fine glass rim to his lips and carefully—almost sacredly—partook of the divine contents. The opulent, silky texture of this treasure is coated with layers of succulent wild blackberries and ripe black cherries, black currant and spicy oak. The luxuriously rich fruit, balanced against perfectly structured tannins, succumbs to a lengthy afterglow, again plump with black cherries and spice.
Carefully tendered by winemaker Stephanie Putnam, this cuvee of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and similar remaining parts of Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, all caressed in French oak barrels for 17 months, has borne a rare and stellar Cabernet Sauvignon, with only 9,200 cases produced. Although drinking delicious now (with about an hour open), this opulent treasure will only layer with complex sophistication over the next decade.
Risqué's evening had become perfect—nothing more could have been more complete. The evening slipped away into glowing moonlight, cool breezes, delicious company, an incredible repast, and two bottles of liquid decadence. Can one's life be more care free?
Dolce Far Niente!
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For more of the Risqué Sommelier's adventures, visit risquesommelier.com
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