Bulls Blood 2005

According to legend in 1552 the defenders of the fortress of Eger in northern Hungary, besiedged by the invading Turks who vastly outnumbered them, fortified their courage by drinking up the town's wine cellars. They fought so fiercely that the Turks concluded they must be drinking bulls blood and lifted the siege. Be that as it may, this red is not for the faint of heart. Although it's translucent in the manner of a South Tyrolean, it comes on with a big, earthy mix of tobbaco and plum, with strong tannins that make it a good choice to go with very spicy foods (we had Hungarian paprika chicken). Nothing subtle or complex here, but a pleasant enough quaff. $6.99.