Prime Time with Primus

Normally I like to write these reviews after a couple days when we're almost done with the bottle.  However, we've got an Italian wine dinner at Santa Fe Steakhouse this weekend, so in order to not get behind, this review is going out a little early.  Tonight we opened up a bottle of Veramonte's 2007 Primus which is a fine Chilean wine that's one of our "always in stock" wines.  Of course this was our last bottle which means we'll be stocking up again shortly. 

After the Altamura it was going to be tough to go to a regular wine, but we figured Primus was up to the challenge.  Normally this is a fantastic wine, and we'd pulled out a bottle earlier to review, but it had turned on us for some reason.  That's always a risk you take with wine.  This bottle from Chile's Colchagua Valley though was Primus perfection.

This is a bold and full bodied wine with an expressive nose and a complex palate.  Dark notes of spice hit you immediately with the first swirl of the glass.  After that dark rich fruits burst on the palate followed by subtle spices.  Powerful tannins make for a long full dry finish to this exceptional wine.  As big and bold as this wine is, it's not overwhelming.

The authoritative flavor of Primus is unsurprising if you look at its pedigree.  its made of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Syrah, 8% Merlot and 7% Carmenere (a Bordeaux grape from France that is rarely seen in France, but thriving in Chile).  This is a powerful blend of some of the biggest boldest grapes out there and you can tell.  Pair this wine with big food that work well with bold wines.  Think a porterhouse and a wedge salad, or a large hunk of aged cheddar with crackers and stoneground mustard.  We had it with some skillet heated leftover sirloin; asparagus sautéed with garlic and capers; and loaded mashed potatoes with garlic, paprika, cheddar cheese and sour cream.  It was an outstanding accompaniment.

One of the great things about Veramonte Primus is that you can find it just about anywhere.  Here in Brownsville you can get it at Jones Liquor, Feldman's, or H.E.B.  I don't remember where we got our, most likely H.E.B.  It runs between $20 and $23 depending on where you get it.  For more information on Primus you can go to:  http://www.veramonte.com/home.html