Lardy's Wine Tasting Notes
Heavy Bodied Red Wines
Lardy's Wine Tasting NotesHeavy Bodied Red Wines
A minority of wines fit into this class. The main distinction between midweight and heavyweight is concentration. Concentration - of alcohol, flavour, fruit, oak, tannin and other, lesser elements - is the hallmark of a great wine. The classification of mid or heavy weight DOES NOT IMPLY A QUALITY judgement. There are many heavy wines on the market (most from hot climates) that lack fruit, nerve, complex flavours or elegance. Many of these are dominated by tannin additives that add spice and oak and sweetness. They are simply heavy. On the other hand, most wines from cooler climates are not intense enough to be heavy.
Heavy reds are most suitable to cooler times of year, and heavier foods. They are those most likely to be sipped and appreciated by wine lovers on their own. At their best they are big, strong, heavy with oak, fruit, alcohol, extract and tannins, and show layers of flavour. They dance in your mouth, and are too good to dilute with food (though most people do so). The best have solid acidity which makes them extremely long-lived in conjunction with the alcohol, tannin and extract.
These are the Canadian wines to compare with such international heavyweights as top Bordeaux, Chianti, Barolo, top Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot blends, the bigger wines from the Rhone, Chile, South Africa, Australia and California (and now coming from many surprising sources). Many consumers do not like wines with this concentration - they are out of the price range in many cases, or too strong in even more. Be sure to look at the detailed tasting notes for each wine before making a purchase decision.
www.littlefatwino.com