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Saturday, September 3, 2011

Ashton VSG Spellbound and Darioush 2008 Shiraz: Pairing

The Wine

$100.00 Pairing
The cigar is just as big as the bottle

Darioush 2008 Shiraz
Napa Valley
Darioush, Inc
Napa, California, USA
Darioush.com
$80.00 The Fine Wine Source

It has been a few years since I have had Darioush Cab. Sauv. and that was a great bottle of wine.  So, when I saw the bottle I had to check it out.  I have never had their Shiraz – let’s give it a try. 

Appearance: rich ruby

Aroma: blueberry, plum, fairly light soil

Flavors: lots of dark berries and fruit. Not picking up any spice but, this is the first glass and I did not decant this glass.  Picking up a hint of caramel and a touch of vanilla as I near the end of the first glass.  There is a soft soil note starting to appear.  When the wine has not been decanted it comes across like a Pinot.

Mouthfeel: warm alcohol spice on the back of the palate. 

My Strength Rating: 6

Time for the second glass (been decanted)

Aroma: Ah, there is that Shiraz spicy nose.  There is blueberry and dark current on the nose with a good splash of sweet spice and a very light peppery note.  This makes me think of pink peppercorn mixed with allspice.  Seems a bit leathery on the nose.  While the notes are pleasing it does not come across as big or bold. 

Flavors: Yes, much better. Rich boysenberry with a splash of ripe blackberry greets the palate.  Dark rich soil, touch of vanilla bean, and a very pleasing Shiraz spice quality. 

Mouthfeel: light peppery and alcohol spice on the finish.  Starts to get jammy on the teeth and gums.  Thick dark berries just coat the palate.  Sumptuous is the word for the overall mouthfeel of this tasty Shiraz.  The tannins and acidity seem to be well under control here.

My Strength Rating: 7.5 – nice jammy texture follows some rich and complex flavors.  

To the Point: is it worth the 80 dollar price tag?  Sure.  Can you find a 40 or 50 dollar bottle that is just as good?  Sure.  But, this Darioush Shiraz is ‘sumptuous.’

This bottle should be good to age for years to come.  Well, not this bottle for I am halfway through it.  I am going to buy two more to age.  I can’t wait to see how it ages and compare the tasting notes. 


The Cigar

Ashton VSG Spellbound
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sun Grown
Fillers: Dominican
Size: 7.5 x 54
$18.99 a stick

Oh, my old favorite out of the VSG lineup.  I have not had a Spellbound in years.  I have not seen them at the old Trader Tom’s store in a very long time.  Now that Smokey’s has bought the Trader Tom’s location in Northville the VSG Spellbounds are back.

The one thing I like about this big stick is that it is much smoother in texture compared to the smaller VSGs. 

Appearance: This is the roughest looking Spellbound I have ever seen.  It usually has a square boxed pressed shape but, this seems oval in sections and uneven on the edges.

Off the Light: touch of earth and then the second puff VSG spice. Yes, this is the VSG Spellbound that I remember – smooth yet spicy. 

I think I have been smoking this stick for a half an hour already and I am not done with the first third.    

Mid-Point:  I should have used white out to mark the first third and second third points on this cigar.  Tasting notes of: mineral rich soil, nice pepper mill notes, I like the dusting of white peppercorn, dry coffee bean, and a good hardwood quality (oak like). 

This cigar holds a firm salt and pepper colored ash.  The burn has been perfect all the way through.   

Just a little past one hour and I am finally at the halfway point.

Down the Stretch: This is the Kentucky Derby of cigars.  The best 2 hour smoking experience.  After one hour and twenty five minutes I think I am finally in the last third of this cigar. 


The notes become a bit toastier and slightly burnt.  The rich soil note has changed to a burnt forest floor.  The pepper mill mix has evolved into a dusty spice.  The mouthfeel is a good seven, even pushing an eight, on my strength scale.  The wine really helps to keep the final few inches of this cigar under control.  And, I smoked this big baby down to the nub and I did not want it to end.  Sadness overcomes me on the last two puffs. 


My Strength Rating: 6.5 – This bigger stick is not as warm or spicy as the smaller VSG cigars. 

To the Point: I still love this stick.  I will be buying more … soon!


The Pairing

After I finished the second glass I ran to the humidor to get this VSG.  Not only is the wine sumptuous but this pairing follows suit.  The cigar seems to bring out a sweet caramel and vanilla quality in the Shiraz.  The earthy and woody notes of the cigar mingle well with the rich soil and ripe dark berries of the wine. 

The overall mouthfeel of this pairing is tantalizing, rich, smooth, and luxurious.

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