Robusto Rumble – Vegas Robaina Famosos - Joseph Sparkling Red

The second cab off the rank for Rob’s Robusto Rumble. For no particular reason at all, I grabbed the VR Famosos, a cigar I have not smoked for a long time. They were well received on release in 1997, which was probably before some FoH members were even born – how depressing is that? 

The match? An Australian icon! 

I have been doing some tastings of the Aussie Spurgles, once known as Sparkling Burgundy but now either Sparkling Red or often Sparkling Shiraz – of course, only when it is made from Shiraz. That is usual, though sparkling reds in Australia are made in almost every region from almost every red variety. The Joseph is actually Shiraz, Cabernet and fortifieds. 

Anyway, one of the stars of my tastings has been, as it always is, the Joseph Sparkling Red ($90) from McLaren Vale. So, after the official work was done, I stoppered the bottle and whacked it in the fridge, so I could use it for this Kenfessions. What was left was used the next day for the vid Rob and I did with the R&J Maravilla 8. Sharing great sparkling reds with certain people (no names, Whipcrack!) is pearls before swine.

As someone once said, ‘you can lead a horse to water, but a pencil must be lead’. Hey, I'm just the messenger. 

This was the only brand of Cuban cigars to be named after a grower, such was Don Alejandro’s fame. The Famosos was one of the original five VR cigars. Five inches by a ring gauge of 48. What is interesting is that the wrapper seems to vary more than on almost any other Cuban cigar that comes to mind. Dilute and pale to not quite LE maduro. This one was dark, but not too dark. Looked good.  

It had a firm draw, not too firm, and a leathery note cold. Opened as a powerful cigar with immediate notes of walnuts and sultanas. Quite roasted notes and a little leather and woody notes. 

I got these in a bundle from Rob, so no ages given. This one seems to have a reasonable amount of age. In the early stages, it was finishing with a slight bitter almond note. It did not take long before a honey note emerged and then the nougat and the nougat very quickly became the dominant theme and remained so throughout. The power throttled back and it turned into a lovely soft cigar. A hint of cinnamon near the finish, but mostly nougat, honey and more nougat. Smoked reasonably slowly. For me, 92-93. I wavered. Really enjoyable robusto and definitely one worth having in the rotation. 

The Sparkling Red? Cracking stuff (heathens aside). I will concede that for winelovers outside Australia, they are often very surprised to come across this style. It was called sparkling Burgundy originally because there was once a bucketload of this style made there. And other places. Way back in the 1850s, it is alleged (in Hugh Johnson’s extraordinary ‘The Story of Wine’) that even DRC made a sparkling red on one occasion. A friend in Finland, who probably has the greatest cellar I know of, always has me bring a Rockford Black Shiraz (might be one of the very few that could match or possibly even top the Joseph – line ball stuff) as he loves it so much and can’t get it there. Says something when a guy with a cellar full of First Growth Bordeaux and Grand Cru Burgundy going back over a century wants Aussie sparkling reds. 

These are usually made in a sweet style but the acidity, in the best, assures that this sweetness is almost imperceptible, as they are so well balanced. The Joseph has 23 grams/litre of sugar but good luck spotting that! 

The Joseph may or may not be the best sparkling red made in this country (it is undoubtedly one of the best) but it wins best bottle hands down. It is an elegant extended bottle with a dark maroon label (go the Maroons!!). 

This is a non-vintage wine. And how! 

This wine has been described as the Australian wine industry in a single bottle. Basically, every year since 1989 for the Shiraz and 1991 for the Cabernet, a hogshead of each is added to the “mix”. So, a form of solera if you like. But go back further. Wines from the 60s and 70s were purchased and used to start the solera. There is nothing quite like it. Tirage occurs only every 18-24 months and the wine then has two years on lees before hand disgorgement. Liqueuring is done with a blend of aged Aussie fortifieds. 

Those unfamiliar are stunned by how well and for how long these wines can age – many decades! 

The result is a luscious and decadent wine with notes of leather and cloves, black olives and chocolate, but especially a lovely Christmas cake note and oodles of black cherries. Love the cherry notes. There is also even a hint of tobacco leaf. Richly flavoured and excellent length. A plushness which overlies the complexity. For me, 94-95. 

As a match, fair at best. These wines can work wonders with the right cigar. It was unfortunate that on this occasion, they just didn’t gel better. I could not help but think how much better it would have been had I paired it with a Romeo & Juliet to take advantage of the cherry notes those cigars often exhibit. 

Still, if you enjoy both the cigar and the wine, one should not complain.

The good news? I'm looking at a few more of our best Spurgles over the next few weeks, so I might just try again.

KBG