After Eight

If any wine rule should be unassailable, it is “be wary of wine in plastic bottles.” Especially ones shaped like grenades or artillery pieces. “After Eight”, produced by South Goa Distilleries in Guirdolim, Chandor, Salcete, Goa in November of 2009 (batch 19). The pictures on the label suggest that this “Premium Vinho Tinto” is made from grapes, to the strength of 14% abv, and retails for the heady sum of 180 Rupees. US $4.50. Seems to me rather steep, anyways, considering that decent wine can be had for similar prices, in more, er, reputable, wine regions.

What can I say about this beverage? It’s sweet, it’s alcoholic, it smells vaguely of cough syrup, and tastes (charitably) like watered down port (spiked with cough syrup.) I hesitate to say it’s simply an imperfect or even bad wine, as I’m not entirely convinced that it’s wine in the first place. I sense a hangover coming on shortly.