Tag Archives: Spain

Wine, Wine Events

Wine Vision 2015

I’ll be at Wine Vision this year from December 9th through the 11th. If you’ll be in the area, I hope you’ll join us. Below is a little more info. Hope to see you all there!

Wine Vision 2015 to challenge ‘old thinking’ with its focus on innovation, new routes to market and sustainability with commercial rewards

Finishing touches are being applied to the Wine Vision 2015 programme. It promises to challenge traditional thinking in the wine industry by showcasing high-growth new market entrants and by exploring innovative approaches to producing wine, selling it, creating powerful brands and extending consumer markets. “We’re urging the wine industry to move increasingly quickly to keep up with shifting global markets and changing customer tastes,” says Andrew Reed, Managing Director of the Drinks Division at William Reed Business Media. “In established markets wine is under challenge from alternative drinks categories, while in emerging markets brands are racing to win ground in a gold rush. We’re bringing together some of the most progressive individuals in the global industry to investigate sources of future growth.”

Wine Vision’s 2015 highlights will include:

  • A re-definition of the ‘luxury’ for the wine market of the future by Giovanni Geddes da Filicaja, CEO of Tentua Dell’Ornellaia; the estate that produces two of the world’s most coveted wines.
  • An account of how Invivo Wines made it to the Deloitte TOP 50 within seven years of launch and has broken records for crowd funding to fuel its next stage of growth, from its Co-Founder, Tim Lightbourne.
  • An introduction to the new rules of wine marketing from an acknowledged trend setter. Mike Ratcliffe has made rules and broken them as MD of South Africa’s Warwick Estate and the South African-American joint venture, Vilafonté.
  • A close look at power shifts in the Chinese market and the democratisation of wine with China insider Lenz M. Moser, chief wine maker of Chateau Changyu MOSER XV
  • An exploration of ‘fusion wines’ and their appeal to consumers thirsty for a new experience, by Dominic Rivard, fruit wine expert, sommelier, winemaker, distributor, exporter and author.
  • An account of progress at Sonoma County – on track to become America’s first 100% sustainable wine region by 2019 – by Karissa Kruse, President of Sonoma County Winegrowers.
  • A call for collaborative innovation between competitors to raise the game of the whole industry, from Adrian Bridge, Managing Director of Taylor’s Port.
  • An exploration of alternative investment and growth strategies from Charles Banks, Founder of Terroir Selections and recognised for the stellar success of the Jonata and Screaming Eagle brands.

With this year’s Wine Vision taking place in Bilbao, the capital of Spain’s Basque region, it makes sense that the programme will investigate the enduring link between food and wine. Laura Price, Content Editor of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, will lead a panel of wine producers, sommeliers and chefs to discuss how wine and food in combination can stimulate a region’s economic regeneration. Javier Ruiz de Galarreta, President and CEO of Araex Rioja Alavesa & Spanish Fine Wines, will give an account of a unique regional business model that has established the Basque Country’s wine as a global luxury product.

Wine Vision attendees will have every opportunity to sample the fruits of the Basque Country’s success. On the first evening, three top chefs will prepare examples of Basque Country cuisine paired with regional wines at a welcome reception held in the iconic Guggenheim Museum. Their restaurants, Nerua, Azurmendi and Mugaritz have six Michelin Stars between them. On the evening of the second day, the Wine Vision Reception and Dinner will be held in the three Michelin Star Azurmendi restaurant itself. “We took the decision in 2015 that, every year, Wine Vision will travel to a different wine region,” says Reed. “This allows attendees to learn about the sources of success in each region, while continuing to investigate global developments and issues within our programme. On Friday and Saturday after Wine Vision closes, attendees will have the option to investigate the region further, with wine tours to estates including Rioja Alvesa Estate and Basque Culinary Centre.

Wine Vision’s Chairman for 2015, Doug Frost, author, wine consultant, Master of Wine and Master Sommelier, welcomes the investigatory nature of Wine Vision, “This programme gives wine industry leaders around the world the chance to listen to innovative case studies, discuss the global issues that are uppermost in their minds and, for the first time, get close to the success strategies of a progressive wine region. We all learn in different ways – and Wine Vision’s got them all covered!”

Wine Vision 2015 will be held between 9 and 11 December across two venues in the City of Bilbao; the world famous Guggenheim Museum and the Alhondiga, formerly the Basque Country’s wine exchange and now, transformed by architect Philippe Starck, Bilbao’s cultural meeting point. Its sponsors include Araex Rioja Alavesa & Spanish Fine Wines and, returning for the third year running, Taylor’s Port and the world’s largest cork stopper producer, Amorim.

“We’re delighted to welcome Wine Vision to our home country and look forward to meeting our peers from across the global wine industry,” says Javier Ruiz de Galarreta, President & CEO, ARAEX Rioja Alavesa & Spanish Fine Wines. “And to introducing them to a bottle or two of our favourite wines, of course!” .

About Wine Vision

Wine Vision is a leading industry event created by the international publishing and events business, William Reed Business Media. Wine Vision was founded in 2013, takes place annually and complements a portfolio of wine publications and events, which include Harpers Wine & Spirit, BeverageDaily.com and the globally renowned International Wine Challenge. It is part of a series of industry specific Vision events focused on wine, nutrition, food and drink.

www.winevision.com

 

Wine

August 2005

Many more Spanish wines to rave…

Olivares Altos de la Hoya 2003 Jumilla is a bright and juicy Monastrell (the French like to call it Mourvedre but it’s not their grape so it’s not their choice) with 10% Garnacha. It’s rather New World-ish but that doesn’t have to be a dismissive descriptor, instead it’s friendly and fruit-laden, dusted up with spicy clove at the end.

Olivares Dulce Monastrell is old school, more like a Fondillon (see below) than a modern wine. And Olivares Panarroz 2003 is nearly as rustic, though that rusticity is exaggerated by the backward nature of the nose at present. It has a toasty note that is almost roasted.

Carchelo Monastrell 2004 is also from Jumilla and this time the ¾’s of Monastrell is ameliorated with Merlot and Syrah. It’s in the style of Beaujolais, but far more interesting than that left-handed descriptor.

And another solid performer in Jumilla, Casa de La Ermita, has a couple of wines to show. The Crianza 2002 blends Monastrell, Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo to create aromas of black raspberry, strawberry, with lots of black cherry creating an almost sweet nose, including baking spices and clove. The mouth is juicy and tangy and a little tannic. If the finish is somewhat short, this is pretty throughout, with a hint of raisins.

The tannins step forward expectedly in Casa de la Ermita’s Petit Verdot 2002. But despite the leanness of the 2002 vintage, this is impressive wine with bright red raspberries and cherries. It’s surprisingly fruity for the grape with some barrel derived hints of caramel and baking spices. The wine is juicy, tangy, with blackberry, lots of red cherry and plum and a roasted, toasty oak note. If only because it’s such an unusual success (who does Petit Verdot well?), it deserves attention.

And one of the all-star labels of Jumilla is Finca Luzon. Their 2004, 2/3 Monastrell and 1/3 Syrah, is laden with chocolate and boysenberry and is drinking absolutely the best it could ever drink, I believe.

A Jorge Ordonez label that’s new to me is the Wrongo Dongo, also from Jumilla. This Monastrell is a bit short but very stylish, juicy and jammy throughout.

La Mancha is very much the origin of many of the newest (or at least new to the market) bargain wines arriving from Spain.Campos Reales has a Vino Joven Tempranillo from 2004 that is as easy as pie. Condesa de Leganza 1999 has some plump character to it as well. Finca Antiigua’s Tempranillo 2002 shows a surprising note of overripeness (well, it’s warm there in La Mancha, even in a less than ideal vintage like ’02. More like spiced red currant jelly than wine.

And speaking of crazy bargains, the Eguren family’s Codice is commonplace on every critic’s list of great values. The 2003 is not only tasty, it shows some ability to age. I hope to pop a few of these in a couple of years, because I wonder if there isn’t more to come from this particular bottle. On the other hand, people age perfectly nice wines beyond their best moments. Still, the amount of oak showing on the wine seems to be increasing with this release, and I don’t believe this wine is over-oaked, but I hope that it might show a bit more in a couple of years.

The new Protocolo (also from Eguren) is, of course, just plain drinkable, but not at all plain.

Navarra may be known for Rosado but far more important wines are happening here. Vega Sindoa (Bodegas Nekeas) is a well-known producer of pretty wines, mostly varietal bottlings. Castillo de Monjardin Deyo Merlot 2002 is aromatic and intriguingly well balanced. Palacio de la Vega has a pugnacious Cabernet Reserve 2000, and a still youthful if Brett-ladenTempranillo Reserve 1999.

Senorio de Sarria no. 9 2002 has a very intensely spiced nose from the rather aggressive American oak usage but the fruit itself is rich and plumy, with a finish of cinnamon and sawdust (American oak comes from sawed staves and you can smell that).

Penedes might be famous for cava, but many more styles of wines are emerging from the region. Jean Leon was certainly the first to convince Americans that wines from classic varieties could be made here. Leon first brought Cabernet and Chardonnay to everyone’s attention back in the 1970’s and the Jean Leon name has been continued by the Torres family, but the quality hasn’t suffered.

However, in truth, I would have to argue that Jean Leon wines are not so much better than they were twenty years ago. They are better, but other labels have improved to a greater degree. And the Jean Leon Cabernet Reserva 1998, as well as the super label, Zemis 2000, are just plain brutal. Time will heal things, I’m sure, but I tend to fuss about wines that are willing to demand that much time from its consumers.

The Torres family made the most famous red wine of the region, Torres Gran Coronas, and then in the early 70’s, theTorres Gran Reserva Black Label, set new standards for greatness in Spain. That wine continues to be delicious, but the Torres stable has evolved and brought new wines forward in the last decade.

Montsant truly is baby Priorat, a wine with Priorat intensity, Priorat structure and balance (a remarkable achievement for such a powerful style of wine), and Priorat soil-derived aromas and flavors. Fra Guerau’s 2002 is muscular and well-made.Cellar Capcanes Cabrida is lighter on its feet and just as chockfull.

Casta Diva has a Fondillon, which is an ancient style of wine and an anachronistic manner of winemaking, something that is as much a product of Roman ideas as it is Spanish. Take an overripe and raisinated red and place it in amphorae, calledtinajas in Spain, and let it age far more quickly than it would in barrel or bottle. It creates something that is more like Port than table – something nutty and filled with dried fruits like raisins, figs and dates.

A wine from the modern era, Casta Diva’s 1995 Fondillon is absolutely delicious. It loses nothing in its modernity and gains everything from its illustrious background.

Spain’s most famous desserts are Sherries. But a huge chunk of Sherry is made in a dry style. The aperitifs are Finos andManzanillas; the Manzanillas achieve a bizarre lightness of being, despite alcohol levels over 15%. The secret is a particular sacchromyces, a sugar eating yeast that provides the wines with a barrier against oxygen as they age in barrels. Most Finos rest under a thin layer of the foam, or flor, produced by the yeast.

Manzanilla is different. It’s aged in the coastal town of Sanlucar de Barrameda, and the flor may be six or more inches, not only protecting the wine from oxygen, but adding more flavor and character: nuts, salt, and earth.

Any Manzanilla you buy will be a fascinating experience, as long as you buy it fresh. Drink it with a chill and consume it with grilled and oily foods, if you like. The tartness and salt note lance through the food.

But perhaps you had a Manzanilla and didn’t like it. Perhaps you’ve tried the big names in Fino, say, Tio Pepe or La Ina, and didn’t get what the fuss was about. One word of caution; if the Fino you tried came from a bottle that was room temperature and open on someone’s back bar for the last two months, forget about it. I’m not sure what you tasted, but it wasn’t a real Fino.

Perhaps Fino, and Sherry, are non pareil; the big brands (such as La Ina and Tio Pepe) are not the least interesting bottles available. If we didn’t know the brands so well, it would proper to describe those two as shockingly good wines. Certainly they are absurd bargains.

For Manzanilla, another enormous house, Domecq, produces a lovely Manzanilla. My personal favorite is La Guitana, but that’s just me. I buy it in half bottles and finish it on the spot. Even the next day, the wine has less of the delicacy that gives it such grace.

Once Fino loses its flor and is aged further in barrel, as in versions called Amontillado, the wine can handle weeks or even months open on a back bar. But not Fino.

Fino’s older iteration is Amontillado. Here too the big names have a lot to offer: Domecq has cheap stuff like the Medium Dry; it’s a good drink. They also have an outrageously extravagant Amontilado called 51-1. It’s labeled as a VORS, which means that the wine is at least (!) thirty years old.

Sandeman’s friendly Character Amontillado is every bit as tasty, if less complex.

Williams & Humbert also makes the ubiquitous Dry Sack. I’ll admit that it’s not particularly compelling. But in comparison to all the other cheap labels of yesteryear, it acquits itself very well.

And there’s a lovely bottle of Dry Sack labeled as a 15 year old; it’s very nice dessert wine.

Harvey’s has that other well-known label: Harvey’s Bristol Cream. It too is better than people assume. Sure, there are far better examples, but you can’t beat the price. I’m serious, taste it blind and you’ll see it’s not a bad wine.

The landmark old wines of Sherry are unrivaled wines. These intense desserts can be made by concentrating the wine through long barrel aging or by other extreme steps. Say, for instance, with Lustau’s East India. It’s aged in hothouse conditions, just as with Madeira, all to mimic the effects of a long ocean voyage to India. Gonzales Byass’ NOE taps the former route to richness, and as a VORS, the youngest wine in the blend is thirty years old. Considering that a barrel would theoretically evaporate all its contents every twenty-five years or so, that should be a very expensive wine. It’s not. It should be.

Romate Cream Sherry is disgustingly rich, more fig juice than wine. The many and grand wines made from Pedro Ximinezor Moscatel that are flying through the marketplace at present are of another world, albeit one in which dessert wine is generally enjoyed as a fruit or pastry condiment rather than something drunk by itself.

Lest it seem like all dessert sherries are sweet, they’re not. Romate also makes an Amontillado, called NPU Amontillado Special Reserve, that is a true classic. Though it too is at least thirty years old, you can still smell the flor that grew upon the wine decades ago.

Finally, a few German wines to report on, starting with a 1990 J. J. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Auslese, which was showing more age than I would have expected. Indeed, I’m guessing there was something wrong with the bottle. J. J. Prum wines are meant to age, and I’ve had thirty-year-old versions that tasted younger.

On the other hand, it was delicious. The nose was mushroomy and truffle-laden, lots of honey and apricot; the mouth was sugary and powerful.

The Graacher Himmelreich 1976 Auslese was up next; it had huge earth aromas. Some call it petrol; in the words ofManfred Prum, the owner, it’s a far too complicated aroma to call it something so simplistic. Firne, the Germans call it. Slate, honey, beeswax, candied lemon zest, baked apples, cinnamon hints, candied orange segments at the end. This was an amazing wine. Most 1976’s are long dead. It might have been the “miracle year” (because it started out so badly and ended so gloriously) but it was always a low acid, short term vintage.

But those who complain about Prum’s insistence upon high sulfur levels and some CO2 in the bottle should drink wines like this. Remarkable.

So, we tried the superior vineyard, Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese, also from 1976. The sugar is higher, this ‘76 is far more complex, and just as youthful. Yes, the sugar is higher here, but it sticks out less. Integration is a good thing. The citrus is more interesting, more lacey, like orange foam, instead of orange candies in the Graacher.

Multiple citrus fruits and long earth. Even more amazing than the Graacher ‘76.

Gunter Kunstler’s ’98 Hochheimer Hoelle Auslese is sweeter than the ’76 but hides it beneath acidic armor – oranges, apricots, tangerines, with earth of a smokier variety. The sugar on this was ridiculous, so was the balance.

A lot of people love these wines, but the wines aren’t as slavishly lusted upon, like a cultish Napa Cab. A lot of wines have sugar, but the deft acidic lift of this wine, even in an area that makes big wines and in a vintage called super-rich, is unlike all but the greatest sweet wines in the world.

Schloss Saarstein Serriger Schloss Saarstein Auslese 2001 – more sugary stuff, and even more acidity. The orange and apricot of the previous wine are built of sterner stuff, hints of unopened flower and drippings of caramel – the flower is from great Riesling, and the caramel comes from botrytis.

Wine

July 2005

In July, I left for Greece. It was a short trip, but that’s fine since my family couldn’t come along. Athens, Santorini, the Pelopennese, Athens, go home. No one feels sorry for me, I know.

Santorini is one of the truly remarkable places on the planet. It’s an ancient volcano, all blowed up, as they might say, now a sunken caldera.

The remaining hillsides are populated with those famous Greek homes of white plaster, or with vines. The vine training is something I’ve never seen before. The canes are twisted and woven into a round form, like a basket. The grapes spill onto the dry ground, volcanic dust and broken rock. There’s no rain to speak of, so there’s no harm in letting the grapes rest on the earth.

The basket of canes protects the vines from the sun and wind. The vines drink what little they can find from the ground and then soak up the fog and mist that appears most evenings as the moisture condenses out of the Mediterranean Sea and air. At night, the walls are wet and so are the leaves of the vines. By morning, everything is dry again.

The Assyrtiko vine may have been grown here, in this fashion, since before the last volcanic explosion, the one that pretty much killed everything, except the grapeseeds and legends. Large rocks from Santorini are found on islands hundreds of miles away, blasted into the air when in the 4th century BC all hell broke loose.

It’s a vanished and sunken bowl of a volcano. My room faces into the interior of the caldera. Perhaps three miles away is the center, still active, though I don’t see anything. The hills are brown and red and the white homes hang above the cliffs like exposed bone sprouting out of the hide, like teeth, baby teeth. The sea is darkening; the sun has disappeared into the ocean.

A line of darkness follows the base of each cliff, just shadows, but it’s as if each cliff is floating slightly above the water. There are two ships in the center of the caldera’s sea; one is an almost Chinese skiff, like a sampan, the other looks like a pirate vessel. They circle each other, occasionally a flash bulb glows as they take pictures of each other. Are they disappointed with their selection?

There is a steady glint on one of the hills. I’m thinking of a rifle.

The swallows which give my hotel its name, Celladonia, swerve and twitter across my vision. My laptop sits like a black hole on my legs.

Two cruise ships have been lazing about, like fat men in a tub. But now the lights are coming on. Music comes and goes from all quarters of the warren about me and from the ships in front of me.

When it first blew up nearly 4000 years ago, it’s thought that this was a mighty city. Then two thirds of it just went up in the air and down into the water. Some people think that this was Atlantis. Now we float above its aquatic grave.

I was fortunate enough to have dinner with Paras Sigalas and his wife Antonio. He’s the winemaker Jancis Robinson calls the best winemaker in Greece. He might well be; he’s certainly got my attention on Santorini. His Assyrtikos are fantastic. He makes a red from the Mavrotragano grape; it too is delicious. It’s a 2003, and black plum, vanilla, rose hips and saffron, a touch greenish. “Yes,” he says, “if it’s not ripe enough, it has green tannins, so I let the alcohol go to 14%.” It smells like Grenache meets Pinot Noir in some ways as well.

He offers two dessert wines. One he calls Vin Santo. It’s deliciously honeyed and nutty and I have a good chuckle about the name. He shows me the bottle; it says Vin Santo. How do the Italians feel about that label, I ask?

Oh, we invented Vin Santo, he says. In the 1450’s the Venetians bought the wines of Santorini and called them VinSanto, which is short for Vino Santorini. That’s why the Italian haven’t been able to stop them from naming the wine.

Back then the wines were sent in goat sacks. In the 19th century, barrels were used to move the wine to Russia. The craftsmen of Santorini were famous for their great woodcrafts but there was a problem; there was no wood on Santorini. So the barrels of wine went to the Black Sea and they sent back wood. “We traded wine for wood,” Paras says.

I’ll have to add more of Greece later.

Early summer saw some tasting as well, especially from the Loire Valley. There’s great stuff afoot there these days. Pascal Jolivet is always trustworthy; all the wines are pretty and carry some elegance even in the super ripe 2003 vintage. And their 2004’s are very fine as well. The Chateau du Nozay Sancerre is far more complex than all but the very best California Chardonnays. Yes, I know they’re different grapes; I’m serious that comparing them in this way ends up with Sancerre and Pouilly Fume as the more compelling actor in this conflict.

Henri Pelle Menetou Salon – okay, you haven’t heard of it, but that’s your fault. Try it; first rate Sauvignon Blanc, even in a warm vintage like 2003. Another Henri, Henri Brochard has some delightful 2004 Sauvignon Blanc to offer from both Sancerre and Pouilly Fume.

Even white Burgundy seems to have handled the heat of 2003 fairly. Bouchard’s Bourgogne Blanc ’03 won’t change anyone’s world, it’s far too simple for that, but despite the richness and alcohol, it still carries pretty earthiness.

As usual, Jaffelin is completely reliable. The Macon Fuisse 2003 is textured and fine. Chateau Fuisse’s St. Veran is probably short of acid, but who cares? So it won’t live a long time, compared to most of the wines Chateau Fuisse produces. I’ll drink it sooner and enjoy it more.Bouchard’s St. Veran 2004 has richness; Jaffelin’s St.Veran is even better. It’s richness comes from the fruit only; no support from oak is required. Drouhin’s St. Veran 2004 is similarly pretty. And I continue to be impressed by Chateau de Davenay. Bouchard’s Beaune Premier Cru 2003 isn’t too rich to loose its traditional personality, but it’s a close battle between ripeness and earth.

A lovely Spanish discovery in summer as well: Casta Diva Cosecha Miel 2003 – A pure, bright and floral orange muscat nose, the floral notes are surrounded by flavors of lemon, orange, and honey; the mouth is round, very tasty, and very well balanced. This is what people mean when they call a wine “pretty”. A wine for light desserts, such as fruit pastries, or just a bowl of fruit.

Wine

May 25, 2005

One of my favorite unheralded grapes on the planet is the white grape of Spain’s Rueda area, just abutting the region of sexy, showy Tempranillo, Toro. Aura Verdejo 2003 has a very full nose of orange, baked red apple, melon and baked lemons; the mouth continues the theme with melon, lemon, cinnamon, baked and green apples and a hint of white pepper. Friendly and layered and happy with rich dishes.

Wine

May 24, 2005

Vionta Albariño 2004 was pretty as well. This Albarino has a floral touch but it’s more about orange, green apple, the cinnamon hint we associate with red apple, with much the same flavors in the mouth: orange green and red apple, but even more melon with some lemon. It’s round, soft, simple, and a bit floral and spicy in the end. I had it with grilled scallops and we drank the whole bottle.

Wine

May 22, 2005

Condes de Albarei winery in the Val do Salnes in Galicia is always offering fun Albarino. The 2004 shows a soft and floral nose with orange, apricot, baked apple with earth hints. The wine carries a round, but tart pear and apple finish, with baked green apple pie. Its tartness screams for shellfish.

One of my favorites is Lusco Albarino; their 2004 shows a friendly sweet orange and apricot nose, brightly floral almost like jasmine. The wine has some great layers of orange zest, lemon zest, green pear, green apple. The finish offers red pear skins, almost a roasted pear hint with banana.

Wine

May 20, 2005

Martín Códax Burgáns 2004 – A pretty note of spice to an otherwise floral nose, with orange and apples of all type: very tart apple, red apple, granny smith, and ripe pear hints, it ends soft and crisp with white pepper and some melon. Very well balanced and capable of a few years in the bottle.

And the slightly more expensive Codax bottling of Martin Codax Albariño 2004 was just as impressive, with lots of pretty layers of apple, melon, orange, barely floral, some generous notes that almost show mango or papaya. The wine was friendly, soft, and creamy, with apple, orange, melon and a hint of white pepper; it has lovely balance and some few years ahead of it, if you don’t get thirsty first.

Wine

May 19, 2005

A pair of Valdemor wines: Valdemor Albariño 2004 with a bright orange, mango, and apricot nose with hints of wet cinnamon and wet nutmeg, as well as baked green tart apples; this is full and fun, with apricot, mango, and red apple, and showing some length.

And Valdemor Albariño Barrica 2002, which showed plenty of barrel fermentation smells, but they tended only to enhance the apricot, mango, and apple notes with cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. The flavors were lemony, with red apple, mango and orange notes growing under black pepper, cinnamon and clove hints. Since it had some barrel time, it had good length, and was friendly and fun, with crisp fruit at the end. But at the end of the day, I remain a bit ambivalent. I think it ought to be treated as a complex aromatic white wine, like a Riesling, and not like the Chardonnay most would assume it resembles.

Wine

May 18, 2005

Albariño di Fefinanes 2004 from Bodegas del Palacio de Fefiñanes was a strange animal. The wine looked mature, even old, but had fresh fruit smells of apricot and peach slices with notes of lemon and green apple. There were pretty notes of honey and wet nutmeg, and the mouth was round, clean, and pleasant with baked apple, honey, and lemon. Still, I can’t imagine it has a lot of time ahead of it, and I’m sure it wants simple foods.