Oops wrong choice of wines.

[Andre]

The door suddenly opens during a wine tasting class. An old friend from Hungary has just dropped in for a few days.

“May I join?” he smiled.

The class enjoyed some very fine wines for the rest of the evening.

Two days later I managed to drag him out of hid very tight working schedule and at 20:00 we landed in the Northern city of Acre in the famous Greek restaurant Abu-Christo with a couple of whites.

Pastoral evening with an oil-like calm sea that reflected the lights of Haifa from the other side of the bay.

My father in low Christo, the owner of the restaurant was pleased to see us.

“Crabs?”

“Certainly” we answered with enthusiasm.

Some Mezze were brought to the table as we watched the young children of Acre bathing in the Sea-pool. A joint venture between nature’s huge rocks that sheltered the Restaurant from the Sea and the Historical wall that managed to stop the brilliant Napoleon.

There isn’t a single kid in Acre that didn’t learn to swim here, we were told.

A Huge pile of Mediterranean blue-crabs appeared in the center of the table in a “Nature” form.

“ O.K. Hard work awaits us. “

A bottle of Regaleali Bianco by Tasca del Merita from Sicily was opened.

The Tasca Sauvignon, the major gtape variety of this wine, did little to compliment Poseidon’s art. It was disappointingly nothing but O.K.

“These crabs can stand up to the best crabs I have eaten, in northern Spain” my friend remarked.

Hard work prevails and the empty crab tray was replaced with fried baby-calamaries.

This was a slightly better match though fried sea-food is a tough match for wine.

Even though completely full, none of us denied the tray of sea-bream fish that appeared next. I regard this fish amongst the best tasting in the world.

The long green empty bottle of the Regaleali was replaced by a burgundy shaped Reserve Verdelho 1995 from Australia.

The Reserve Verdelho, Swan valley by Talijancich 1995 was light green vibrant toward yelowish color,

The nose was rich in green grassy, lemony notes with a peachy aroma hovering very smoothly and very well balanced with lightly toasted finish.

A full bodied wine, rich in lemony and grassy notes, sweet on the palate with dominant peach and dried tropical fruits, very well balance between the toasted oak, sweetness, fresh grass and fruits.

A very good wine.

Mind the sweetness if you wish to have it with food. I didn’t and the great tasting Sea-Breams lost their charm under the influence of this wine.

I skipped dessert both as a matter of self-punishment and due to the fact I was 110 % full, but my friend was happy he didn’t.

The children of Acre were still bathing in the sea when we left, way passed midnight.

[Craig Camp]

Wonderful story. Sounds like a beautiful place and what a meal? Sounds like wines with a bit more acid would have made the evening even more perfect. I do like really zesty wines with fried food. Fino sherry is also great.

[Andre]

Thank you Craig,

I will follow your advice with North- Eastern Italian wines on mind and a bottle of Spanish Sherry or perhaps a very dry south-African sherry;

A Rene Santhagnes by Santa Petra, Stellenbosch [ its the place they make everything, even tequila or Agave ].

Cheers,

Andre

[Craig Camp]

Don't forget Muscadet or a really screaming Sancerre or Quincy. For Italy think Alto Adige, Collio wines these days are getting a bit fatter.

[StephenT]

or perhaps a very dry south-African sherry;

Andre,

Do these really exist? I didn't really experience any when I lived there, and when I last went back on holiday I ended up at KWV doing tasting. I asked the lady doing the tasting if they had any dry sherry. The conversation went something like this:

Me: Do you have any really dry sherry?

Her: Yes, try this one.

Me: Hmm, a bit sweet (tasted like supermarket Amontillado in the UK)

Her: It is quite dry.

Me: Not properly dry though, and too warm. I enjoy Spanish style dry sherries served chilled.

Her: But we're not in Spain.

Me: No, really? (not actually voiced, but certainly thought... I think I wandered off bemused at this point)

Since getting to know Fino and Manzanilla and even real dry Amontillado, I really think that South Africa could do with some proper dry sherry (or... sherry style wines), especially considering the climate and the amount of seafood consumed.

[Andre]

or perhaps a very dry south-African sherry;

Andre,

Do these really exist? I didn't really experience any when I lived there,

It is important to have "very dry" stated on the label.

The locals are not really into sherry and most sherry produced is either medium dry or cream, [ 80-85% of all sherry export ].

In the area of Xerez. the local consume the opposite, that is 80% dry and the rest sweet.

Try the Santa Petra, Rene Santhagnes, very dry from Stellenbosch. With so many "sant" in the label, we are bound to get an honstly dry sherry.