Uncle Maddy

So, I ask my sommelier to sell me something bloggable last night, and this is what he gives me:

Montus 2004 - Madiran

As with all French wine, you think "ok. well wtf is it?"

Madiran is in Gascony, and it's one of the last villages in south-west France before paella replaces baguette. This appellation only does red wine, and it has to be 40-60% Tannat. Montus is 80% tannat. If you haven't had tannat before, wuh-mai-gad, its huge. They use Cabernet Sauvignon to SOFTEN it. C-a-b-e-r-n-e-t. Uncle Cab, who's too fat to fit through the living-room door. Well if Uncle Cab can't get in the living room, Uncle Maddy comes to visit by crane and has to stay outside.

This one is like meatloaf: seemingly better as leftovers, so give it 5 mins. Using a decanter would not be foolish. If you're into the wine foreplay like I am, seriously, be careful. If you breathe too deep, you will burn your face, and the inside of your nose •will• catch on fire. There is some nice plum up front, but expecting this wine to be primarily about fruit is like going to Jean George's hoping to catch a ride on a double-saddled mechanical bull. T'ain't gonna happen. It's not a perfect metaphor, because in the mid-palate (and incidentally why I think you should drink it), it's really nicely balanced with that ripe plum, but make no mistake that this wine is massively tannic. So, I guess what I'm saying is: "ride em cowboy." If you have 2 over-poured glasses of this, everyone will certainly know because:

1. You will be drunk: at 16% alcohol, it's going to happen
and
2. Your teeth will be the color of beet soup.

Anything short of a roasted leg of lamb and a Honduran cigar for dessert might be foolish.