With a dirty Kimberley storm rolling in, a Chilean sparkiling fruit wine seemed the obvious choice. That and the fact that is was the only bottle in the house. Leftover from a pre-Christmas booze buying frenzy that was fuelled by the manic thought that if we run out on Christmas day the bottle shops won't be open. Needless to say that we didn't run out on Christmas day and the Fresita lasted a whole month in our fridge.
Fruit wines are a questionable affair at the best of times. If you imagine "sparkling strawberry wine" it is a fair guess that happy thoughts don't spring to mind. The Fresita is made from strawberry pulp some of which remains in the bottle.
GIven the low expectations, the Fresita was refreshing. The taste was, well, strawberry. The dryness that seems to accompany all fruit wines was not completely hidden by the saccharin sweetness.
Surrounded by hot, wet air, the Fresita was not going to have a better chance of satisfying a nuanced drinker. But as much as it would pass a thousand lips as a free drink on Cup day, Cassy still reached for a Redback after the first glass. I was watching the Australian's play cricket and the Fresita seemed to take the bitter taste out of my mouth.
At least the bottle had friendly warnings about how you could take out an eye if you didn't pop the cork properly. And instructions for the proper removal of the cork.
Verdict? A glass.
Fruit wines are a questionable affair at the best of times. If you imagine "sparkling strawberry wine" it is a fair guess that happy thoughts don't spring to mind. The Fresita is made from strawberry pulp some of which remains in the bottle.
GIven the low expectations, the Fresita was refreshing. The taste was, well, strawberry. The dryness that seems to accompany all fruit wines was not completely hidden by the saccharin sweetness.
Surrounded by hot, wet air, the Fresita was not going to have a better chance of satisfying a nuanced drinker. But as much as it would pass a thousand lips as a free drink on Cup day, Cassy still reached for a Redback after the first glass. I was watching the Australian's play cricket and the Fresita seemed to take the bitter taste out of my mouth.
At least the bottle had friendly warnings about how you could take out an eye if you didn't pop the cork properly. And instructions for the proper removal of the cork.
Verdict? A glass.