Van Rouge Rodders

[andy_s]

Any winos out there that would like to direct me to a bottle?

I'm looking for something thick as gravy, black as ink, not too acidic [think chocolate / velvet]. Me and a friend have similar taste - normally something like a Coyam, Trapiche Merlot, Black Craft Shiraz, Hedonist Shiraz et al. but looking for something a bit denser and smoother to try over the festive.

If it looks like a Venerable Pedro Ximénez, we're probably on the right track.

Any ideas?

[joncastle]

You need to discover the delights of Amarone, Italy's guilty secret. Not made every year, it depends on certain conditions for the harvest, and the grapes are partly dried off the vine on racks so that the grapes shrivel and their juice concentrates. The result is a wine of huge power and great subtlety, think 'iron fist in a velvet glove'. Several makers, of which I like Guerri Rizzardi, but there are plenty of others.

[Barchettaman]

+1, get some Amarone down you. It´s wonderful, inky, powerful stuff.

[sgtBerbatov]

Try looking for a Pinotage, a South African only wine. Discovered it by being cheap in Lidl and bought a bottle for £3.99. Very smokey flavour. I've went to Majestic Wines and there's a Pinotage they sell called "Barista". That's got a very chocolately/coffee type of taste. I thought it was quite different, but because I like the smokey Pinotage I'd recommend Lidl.

[andy_s]

Thanks chaps - I was a bit disappointed when I tried some Amarone, perhaps it wasn't a decent one; I'll have to give it another bash.

[cbmotorsport]

Chocolate you say, velvet you say, dark you say, big and bold....

Boekenhoutskloof The Chocolate Block

[Mobile Chicane]

'El Bombero' Spanish red (if you can find it). 14.5% - 15% ABV and veeery smooth.

Good Amarone is very expensive and there's a fair amount of crap out there. Better value is Valpolicella Ripasso which is slightly less 'porty'.

[JKRolling]

I don’t know much about wine but would a very good Barolo suit your needs?

[mattnovak]

In addition to the Amarone and Valpolicella Ripasso mentioned above, well worth a look are:

Barbaresco
Barolo

Also, a Sicilian Nera D'Avola / Mascalesi blend I found which I can no longer remember the name of, but have some on order.

Could probably throw some Lebanese Musar into the mix too.

[Bullett]

cbmotorsport said:

Boekenhoutskloof The Chocolate Block

This came to my mind as well.

[HarryFlatters]

I love Chronic Cellars Purple Paradise.

[arguti]

My Dad was heavily involved in the South African wine industry:

A decent pinotage is the Kanonkop although the ones from Flagstone and Meerendal are not to bad

https://www.majestic.co.uk/wines/kanonkop-pinotage...

but you may find this blend a bit more interesting but maybe not 100% to your specification

https://www.majestic.co.uk/wines/kanonkop-paul-sau...

[andy_s]

Many thanks gents, that's given me some great leads, much obliged and (but wine obviously!)

[condor]

Surprised no one has mentioned a Californian Zinfandel to add into the mix