Heavy wines after heavy snowfall with some heavy music

After a few days of snowing, the weather climbing above zero and dropping down again it feels like we are at the core of the Finnish winter. This is not a time for a light Pinot Grigio - this is a time for something heavy, aggressive and spicy to give you a kick that you feel. It's a time for massive reds and quality port. Some wineheads might still disagree and find it hard to down something heavy, since "balance is everything" and the subtle tones leave more room for... well, other tones. For me the balance here comes from what we experience around us and what kind of needs it creates for our wine choices. Think of it as some sort of weird seasonal terroir.

Ok, so what we are looking for:
- Thick, heavy, full bodied, aggressive
- Spicy

Lets start of with A, like for Argentina
Don David Malbec Reserve, 2010

This has it all. A really nice and think a-bomb full of tannins, bit of berries and cherry and that oak for an extra boost. It's like a bodybuilder! I've had lighter, smoother Malbec, but I have no prefrence in what it should be. Both ends work and Malbec is definately my number one grape pick from Argentina. Plough and drink with some strong cheese. (AND MEAT.)









Adabal Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva, 2007

The spanish really know how to bring that spicyness to the table - pepper, oak and tannins really work together nicely here. This like drum & bass for your palate and not the hit list stuff, I mean the deep hard-for-your-grandmother-to-understand stuff. A good year in oak certainly does the trick and a Cabernet is always a strong (not boring, you...!) choice. The catalan Cabernet delivers, now go and recieve.








Mayu Reserva Carménère, 2009

Mayu has less tannins than the other two, which might be a game changer to many, when concidering these heavy giants. It is rich, full of nice berry aromas, an oaky feel and warmth in the aftertaste. The ridicilious alcohol percentage, structure of the ever-so-lovely Carménère and the epic Zen of Elqui Valley work together to make this an easy to down, yet heavy nectar. Carménère is still my top grape pick from Chile. Please try to prove me wrong if you can.







To top things off I would like to give a musical recommendation to the afterski after-snowplough to acompany these wines: Machine Head - I Am Hell (Sonata In C#)
Machine Head are trash metal giants and the two latest albums have taken them to a more progressive style, which I enjoy. The refrence to blood in the beginning of the song goes well with thick full bodied red wines. "I Am Hell" might be the feeling when you have 20cm of snowfall to go through in your front yard. Listening to this gets you through it much faster.

Now is the time to try something heavy! I would love to hear your thoughts about these wines (or the music) so please do comment. Porvoo people remember that "Viiniä, Viiniä" kicks off at Porvoon Paahtimo 2nd of March! Some tickets still left!