ACUSTIC, Acústic, Montsant DO

Being the latest victim of the recession, I needed cheering up - and where would I go other then to Austin in Bubble Brother. And of course, he knew the right medicine for me. He recommended Acustic from Montsant and I have to say - again, that he knows his wines.

The wine has been quoted 90 points by Robert Parker and we all know how hard it is to impress this guy. Anyhow, I opened the bottle a bit over 1 hour beforehand. Prepared some lovely cheese to go with it and even managed to bake some crusty bread. It was one of these nights that were still a bit chilly so I lit a small fire, only switched on the small light and forgot about the telly but put a CD from Ludovico Einaudi in and poured the wine in one of the better glasses....the cruel world outside was forgotten.

The bouquet sent swifs of redcurrent and raspberries which the dark rich red colour already promised. The flavours are multilayered with a big punch but still light enough to be enjoyed even without the food. Next to the berry flavours, cherry comes through with a bit of light spices. The texture is smooth and leaves you with a long finish. I am glad I didn't go for more mature cheeses (Hegarty's mature cheddar would have been too overpowering) but for mild ones like Milleens.

With a price tag of €21.50 not on the cheap side....but for times when you really need a cheering up moment - this is the wine to go for. Thanks Austin for this one.