The problem is, I can’t decide if I like sweet wines or not. My initial impression was not, but then I tried a more traditional Bastardo the other week (I forgot to write it up in the blog, but it was good enough to bring home to my parents as a gift, so that says something), and it just didn’t do it for me, either.

On the one hand, this wine, like other sweet reds, does pack a punch. On the other hand, this punch nearly knocked me out. If you’ve read my other reviews, you’ll know what my initial impressions were. Sweet. Too sweet. My lips puckered as the saliva poured in my mouth. The next taste was the beautiful fruitiness, comparable to the muscat I reviewed earlier, but with a rich, hazlenutty glow. The third and strongest wave of taste came as I swallowed my sip, and the bitter aftertaste crawled up my throat, almost peppery as it lingered in the back of my mouth for several minutes.

Although this is a flavorful experience of a wine, I would not recommend it, unlike the muscat, which I also gifted to my parents. The initial sweetness and spicy aftertaste overwhelm the palate and preclude any true enjoyment after the first sip.