Wine & DVD - Marquis Philips Sarah's Blend & "Charulata"

Marquis Philips Sarah's Blend 2006 - a blend of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot clocking in at 15% alcohol (no wonder I was a bit loopy!). Rich, full of delicious dark fruit. Even at that level of alcohol, it was still smooth and very succulent. Great QPR. We got it on sale for $11.99 per bottle and bought a case.

"Charulata" - (in black & white) released in 1964 and set in 1870's India, it's about a young wife (Charu) whose husband is too concerned with his newspaper to give her any consideration. Her loneliness is evident and he asks his brother (in-law?) to keep her company. Can you say "love triangle"?

I have several problems, not with the movie itself, but with the production:
The DVD looked like it was copied from a poor quality videotape
The contrast was super-high making watching the film difficult, especially with subtitles
The subtitles seemed to be a poor translation of what the characters were saying. At times the subtitles lingered far too long, at other times they moved too quickly.
The sound quality was pretty bad (pops, static, etc)
As the movie progressed, the picture got darker and darker, making it difficult to distinguish who was speaking.

So it's impossible to give a good review of the film itself since we were so distracted by the poor quality.

But...we DID see a terrific Bollywood film the previous night - "Saawariya", another love triangle theme. Released in 2007, this was the first Bollywood film to be produced and released by a Hollywood production company (Columbia TriStar), and the first Indian/Bollywood film to be released on BluRay disc.

The scenes were lavish - gorgeous cinematography, rich colors. Based on Dostoevsky's "White Nights", it was a story about Ranbir Raj who meets the lovely Sakina who is waiting for the return of Imaan. The acting was wonderful, the singing and dancing were great, the costumes...wow! This film was a visual feast. I enjoyed it so much I'd like to purchase the BluRay disc so I can watch it again (and again).

Bennett Family Cabernet Sauvignon The Reserve 2004

photo © Linda Blakely 2008

We took this wine with us to dinner tonight. When we first opened the bottle, the wine seemed a bit thin and flabby. Tom said to let it open up a bit and not to judge it right away. With dinner it was a bit better, having some more body and fruit. We didn't finish the whole bottle, so we corked it back up to finish at home. It didn't hold up. It seemed too astringent and made my face scrunch up when I drank it. Needless to say, I didn't finish it. Definitely not impressed, especially at $25.00 per bottle.

Artesa Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

photo © Linda Blakely 2008

This was everything you'd expect from a good Napa Cabernet: rich, luxurious, ripe fruit, not overly oaked, vanilla notes, hints of tobacco. This is one of those wines that make you go "mmmmmm..."

Another one purchased at Wine Warehouse, for the terrific price of $24.99 (what a steal!). I think I'm going back to get some more!

Notes from our Open That Bottle Night (from what I can recall)

There were nine of us gathered at Blue Bamboo Restaurant and Wine Bar to share some special wines. There were a lot, and I'm pretty groggy this morning, so I'll do my best to recall the tasting notes. Listed from the first wine drank to the last.

Weingut Dr. Zen Zen Riesling Spatlese Valwiger Herrenberg 1989 - heavy petroleum aromas. I do mean heavy! I swear we could have put it in our gas tank and driven home. It was definitely not sweet. Tom's comment: "this is...interesting".

Helena View Cabernet Franc Estate Proprieter's Reserve 1997 - We were a bit worried about this one, having opened a few bottles of the same vintage some time ago and they were far gone. This one held on though. Gorgeous aromas of vanilla and ripe berries. Smooth and silky on the palate. *swoon*

Mollydooker Cabernet Sauvignon The Maitre D' 2006 - We labeled this one "a moaner". In my humble opinion, Sarah and Sparky Marquis (the winemakers) can do no wrong. This wine was luscious and full-bodied and delicious!

Monte Cristi Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico 2000 - clearly the Belle of the Ball! I honestly can't remember exactly what it tasted like, but I do remember at one point exclaiming "this doesn't suck!"

Tenute Silvio Nardi Brunello Di Montalcino 1998 - Big. Earthy. Tobacco. Yum!

Neyers Zinfandel Tofanelli Vineyard 2002 - Raspberries, raspberries and more raspberries on the nose. Smooth and silky on the palate. Another yum!

Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 1986 - This was no slacker! Berries and vanilla on the nose, oak and beries on the palate. Good body, good acidity. Impressive for its 22 years in the bottle!

Broadbent Rainwater Madeira - smelled like caramel syrup on toast! Nutty on the palate. Awesomeness in a glass :-D

All in all, they were some terrific wines. We laughed, we drank, we laughed, we ate, we laughed, we drank, we laughed, we ate. Now...where's the aspirin for my headache?

Brassfield Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Sereno Vineyard 2003

photo © Linda Blakely 2007

Let me first start off by just saying...WOW! This gorgeous Cabernet from the Clear Lake district really has it going on. Beautiful ruby red in color with aromas of dark fruit with a bit of spice box. The palate just explodes with flavor, big and juicy! I get, among other things, tobacco, vanilla, black cherries and gripping tannins. By gripping, I mean these tannins take hold of your tongue and won't let go. The finish is long and invites you to keep drinking.

We have three more bottles of this wine in our cellar and it could easily develop for another 2 - 3 years, but if it's this good now, I can't see how we'll be able to wait that long ;-)