Pilavas Tentura

Appearance: Russet red. Aroma: Fortified wine and spices, particularly cinnamon and clove. Flavour & Texture: Sweet throughout the taste with fortified wine obvious as a base, although this could be port, sherry, a liqueur red wine or even brandy. However the wine is only the base flavor and bright, hot spices provide the standout tastes. Hot cinnamon and clove are the signature characteristic of the palate. The texture is full but not syrupy. Tentura is a spiced-wine liqueur from the city of Patras in western central Greece. It has been produced for over 600 years and this particular brand has been made for over a century. There are several brands currently available. I had never heard of it before buying this bottle from a Greek artisanal food store in Sydney last year. I’m joyously, and constantly, surprised by how many drink and food experiences there are in this world. Never stop exploring! When first nosing the liqueur it took a moment to sort out the aromas, but it was a pleasantly quirky experience. Then on first taste I found it to be agreeable, but confusing. I had expected something more subtle but this is not a shrinking violet of a liqueur. It is bold, assertive and confidently spicy. The profile is a combination of two things – the sweetly textured red wine (this brand uses mavrodafni which is like Commandria) and hot baking spices. It was intriguing and somehow familiar but it was not until I was halfway through my second liqueur glass that it hit me. This liqueur is exactly what Fireball would taste like if Fireball was a high-class product. Not that I’m dumping on Fireball, but it is a mass-produced drink with artificial flavours in industrial spirit whereas this is classy port-like wine infused with fine spices. If you are someone who enjoys the smell and taste of Fireball as a liqueur (rather than just chugging it for a dare at parties) then I'd strongly urge you to seek this out - you will love it. I’ve been enjoying a small glass as a digestif and I’ve come to look forward to it after a meal. It is also recommended as a small dose chilled or on the rocks, or added to an espresso to make a caffè corretto. It’s very good and I’m looking out for other brands of tentura to try. “Very Good” : 85/100 (4 stars)