3 out of 25…Red Wines
3 out of 25…
“That ain’t Good”
Just the other day I received my $300 tax rebate in the mail and where do you think it went? You guest it, the wine store. Isn’t that where everyone’s went? So, while I was there just getting my old squeaky cart with one bum wheel ready to go, I get this bright idea to pick up all red wines that are all $10 or under.
Well it seemed like a bright idea at the time. So I proceed to pick up a little bit of everything I thought might be a good bang for the buck. I picked out Malbec’s and Cabernet Sauvignon’s from Chile and Argentina. Shiraz and Cab-Shiraz blends from Australia. Sangiovese and Cabernet’s from Italy. Cabernet, Merlot and Red Blends from California. Some Red Bordeaux’s, and some Pinot Noir’s and Merlot’s from the Pacific Northwest. Every bottle fell within the $8 and $10 dollar range.
Once I got home I proceeded to blindly reach into one of the two cases of wine, and without looking pull out a bottle and wrap it in tin foil and place it on my desk. I tasted six bottles at a time without knowing each bottle until I had taken notes on all of them. I got through 25 bottles in four nights.
My first impression after the first two nights was, “Oh Man, These all Suck”. Weak and lifeless. I then proceeded to cuss myself out and reminded myself that it is the year 2001. The $10 price tag is something from the past. This $10 price / value test for reds may have worked in 1995, but not today. All the wines that I had tasted so far had tasting notes that looked like this.
“No aromas, I mean none.”
“A bit spicy, but very uninteresting and down right bad.”
“Burnt & mentholy, with no fruit characteristics at all.”
“Good color, but really acidic & no balance.”
Overall the first 12 bottles were a bust. Let me tell you it was not fun, but it was informative. I wouldn’t even drink these if I just needed something to wash down a double onion cheeseburger. O.K., I’m lying. I would drink them but I’d have a pissed off look on my face.
Things got a bit better with the next 13 bottles, well 3 of the bottles that is. I will cut through the chase right now and tell you the 3 red wines that I would buy again and actually recommend. Below the wine labels I will include the tasting notes I took while tasting. They are unedited so they may appear a bit jumbled, but you’ll get the picture.
1999 San Telmo Malbec
from Mendoza, Argentina.
Dark red-purplish color. Clean and clear. Aromas-earth, lite cherry. Nice with real mild tannins. Smooth. Subtle fruit that catches up with the rest after 15 minutes. Blueberryish qualities. Some plum. Ripe, soft and round. Merlotish. Medium bodied. Gets sweeter as it opens up. Starts to get port like, must be warming up. Best so far.
1998 Blackstone Cabernet Sauvignon
from California.
Nice full deep dark red color. Medium bodied with a nice general attraction. Mild to light tannins. Aromas of strawberry. Good full aromas. Structure and fruit that are nice at this price. Plummy flavors. Good mouthfeel. Lite berry flavor.
1999 Bogle Cabernet Sauvignon
from California.
All kinds of fruit. O.k., it’s a fruity Cab. Full flavors of plum and dark berry fruit. Minute tannins. Balance is there and trying very hard to hold this together. Pleasant color, dark ruby red with a solid base. Mellow nose. Really good fruit. Easy drinking wine. This stands out in the crowd.
Statistical info: Vineyard Sources-Paso Robles, Arroyo Seco & Lodi. 100% aged in French & American Oak for 12 months.
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