What's wrong with this wine?!

You know sometimes when you take a sip of a wine, and you immediately don't like it.  You can't quite put your finger on why, but you know it's not tasty.  Have you ever been curious as to what's really going on with a wine you really don't like, right off that bat?  The wine may suffer from variety of very simple issues.  All of which are very discoverable.  Just hold the bad wine in your mouth for a second and it will become very obvious-




1) It's too sour.


Explanation:   When a wine has too much acid in it, it causes a visceral reaction in your mouth.  If you hold wine with too much acid in your mouth for a few seconds, you'll notice your mouth salivating towards the back of your jaw.  Almost the same sensation as you get when you think of eating something really sour.  Wine shouldn't be THAT acidic.  That's a winemaker's mistake.




2) It makes your mouth too dry.


Explanation:  When you hold a wine in your mouth for a second, and notice that your tongue and your mouth feel unpleasantly dry (like cotton mouth), you've probably got a tannic wine on your hands.  Tannins are these astringent, bitter kind of molecules found in wine which can really enhance the wine, or really detract from it.  If the fruit is picked at the wrong time, the tannins can be overwhelming, which causes that terrible, dry mouthfeel.




3) It smells and tastes kind of musty.


Explanation: You almost definitely have a 'corked' wine.  Corks are used to seal wine bottles, and they can be defective.  The contaminated cork gives the wine the taste of the wet, old, messed-up cork.  Sometimes it might not taste terrible, but you know it's just not right.  It's estimated that maybe up to 5% of wine you buy is corked.  Thats over two bottles of every fifty you buy!  Don't hesitate to take a bottle back if you think it is corked.

Bodega Norton Reserva Malbec 2006, Mendoza, Argentina

Yesterday was one of my good friend's 30th birthdays.  Big 3-0.  Twenty of us made our way to Reata Restaurant in Fort Worth, TX for a birthday dinner.  The food was lovely, and called for a lovely wine to match.  This Malbec did just the trick.


I only had a glass, but I could've finished the whole bottle.  The nose on it was beautiful initially.  The aroma erupted with bold, beautiful fruit and spices.  Malbec is a dark, powerful red but this Bodega Norton was soft and silky at the same time.  The finish was long and satisfying.  The rich taste of the Malbec stayed with me for about twenty seconds after I swallowed it.  Love when that happens.  It's a pretty complex wine, but it's accessible enough for most anybody.  My friend next to me at the table copied my wine order and she thoroughly enjoyed her three glasses too.  Thoooouuuuroughly.

Technical Info:

Varietal: 100% Malbec 

Alcohol: 14% 

Origin: Mendoza, Argentina

Price: $13 at Costco and wine shops.

Rachel's Grade: A-   I don't think you're going to find more wine for less than this Norton costs.  I don't usually pay any mind to Wine Spectator, but their 90 pt rating is well-deserved in this case.  Velvety and rich just like a wine made from this grape should be.  I think this '06 vintage is peaking right now, so go out and find some before it's gone!

Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Tempranillo 2007, Navarra, Spain

Let me start off by saying I think this wine suffers from some transportation issues.  The grapes are from Navarra, Spain and yet this Tempranillo is bottled in Geyserville, CA.  Um, not a fresh-sounding process.  Anyway, this wine is about as unpleasant as the grape-shipping process.  My very well-meaning mother bought this bottle and a bottle of La Crema Chardonnay (one of my favorites, I reviewed it here earlier) for me for Christmas.  The La Crema is gone.  This bottle has been sitting open on our counter since it was opened on Christmas.  That's how awful this Tempranillo is.  


The nose the Francis Coppola is downright off-putting.  I couldn't really tell what it smelled like given the overwhelming odor of alcohol.  It's only 13.5%.  Uncalled for.  The first taste did change my bad first impression... it made it worse.  These grapes must've been picked way too young, because the tannins are so overwhelming.  The mouthfeel is really terrible, drying out your mouth and your tongue to the point of being uncomfortable.  I felt like I needed to drink water in between every sip.  I poured myself a tasting-size portion (about an ounce) and couldn't even bring myself to finish that.  Ouch.

Technical Info:

Varietal: 100% Tempranillo 

Alcohol: 13.5% 

Origin: Navarra, Spain; bottled in Geyserville, CA

Price: $17 at Target and most grocery stores

Rachel's Grade: F   This is $17 my mother will never get back for a wine that shouldn't even be served out of a box.  I thought my bottle might have been corked, but it didn't quite taste right for that.  I looked up others' reviews and people had similar feelings- not good, but not corked.  I love Tempranillo and feel awful for anybody this wine has alienated from that varietal!  Don't buy.  Just don't.

If you like Pinot Noir then....

you probably would like a Beaujolais.  You just don't know it yet.


There are many different types of red wines that most Americans (or most people for that matter) haven't yet tried.  You see a crazy name like a "Barolo" or a "Sangiovese" and bam!  You move on to something you understand, like Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon because you know they're going to taste good.  Totally understandable, but totally boring.  There is a world of red wine out there to explore!  Go try something new!  But yes, wine is expensive, and whether it tastes good or not is very subjective.  So I'm going to try and demystify the world of foreign red wine for you, and put some new options on the table instead of the same old Pinot.


1) If you like: Pinot Noir
    Then you probably like: Beaujolais


Explanation: Beaujolais wines are made with 100% Gamay grapes.  These grapes make a wine that is just about as light and low in tannins as Pinot Noir grapes.  Gamay grapes are much less finicky too, so Beaujolais wines are going to be more consistent as well.  You can drink Beaujolais young, like Pinot, and with all the great food you like drinking Pinot with.  Holiday dinners come to mind.  There are three "levels" of Beaujolais.  The basic, plain Beaujolais, which costs $, the Beaujolais-Villages, $$, and the Beaujolais Cru, $$$.   These wines are super easy to drink, so definitely go out there and pick one up.


Surefire one to try: Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Villages 2008, about $10 in most grocery stores.




2) If you like: Merlot
    Then you probably like: Sangiovese/Chianti


Explanation: Sangiovese grapes are used to make Tuscan wines called simply Sangiovese and wines from the Chianti region of Tuscany called Chianti.  These guys are mostly produced in Tuscany, Italy.  The Sangiovese grapes though are similar to Merlot grapes, albeit maybe a bit more complex and earthy.  They're usually not that expensive, and sometimes are mixed with up to 20% Merlot grapes for a different flavor.  There are also three "levels" of Chianti.  The basic, Chianti, which costs $, the Chianti Classico, $$, and 2+ year aged Chianti Classico Riserva, $$$.  Definitely worth trying for all you Merlot fans.


Surefire one to try: Santa Cristina Antinori Sangiovese Toscana 2008, about $11 in most grocery stores.




3) If you like: Cabernet Sauvignon
   Then you probably like: Malbec


Explanation: Malbec is (we think) originally from the Bordeaux region in France.  It is one of the six grapes allowed in the Bordeaux blends, to this day.  In 1956, however, about three quarters of the Malbec crop was killed in a devastating frost.  Bordeaux Malbecs never really recovered.  They did, somehow, make their way to South America, (more precisely Argentina) where they thrive today.  The Malbec grape makes a very full-bodied, powerful, velvety wine.  In France they're often mixed with Cabernet grapes, given that the two grapes compliment each other.  Malbecs can be drunk young, but like Cabernets, they have great aging potential.  So if you're feeling adventurous, try one.


Surefire one to try:  Santa Alicia Malbec Reserva 2009, about $8 in some grocery stores.

Mouton Cadet Bordeaux 2007, France

The bottle of Mouton Cadet was the second casualty of the night this Christmas.  After Mom, my grandmother, and I had easily finished the Campo Viejo I reviewed in my last post, we broke into this guy.  Initially, the smell of this Bordeaux is very easy on the nose.  It smells like flowers and fruits, and is pretty subtle.  It tastes a heck of a lot like it smells actually.  It is, like the Campo Viejo, a very easy drinking wine.  It doesn't have the depth of traditional Bordeaux wines, but it's got more versatility.  I would pair this with really any dish.  It's light enough to put with seafood and substantial enough to put with a steak.  Pretty nice.  Didn't blow me away, but I would definitely stock my wine rack with it for future wine nights with my ladies.

Technical Info:

Varietal: 65% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc 

Alcohol: 12.5% 

Origin: Bordeaux, France

Price: $8.99 at Kroger or any grocery store

Rachel's Grade: B+  This wine is the everygirl's window into Bordeaux wine.  You're probably not going to be able to get it for much less than this.  You aren't getting this crazy complex, traditional Bordeaux, but hey, it's pretty tasty nonetheless.  Really solid wine that I guarantee you anybody will drink without complaints (maybe not wine snobs, but who cares about them?).  AND for the low price of $8.99, that sounds like a pretty good buy.

Campo Viejo Reserva 2005, Rioja, Spain

I opened this wine this Christmas dinner with Mom and my grandmother.  Both of these ladies are avid white drinkers, so springing a Spanish red on them tonight was a bit of a risk.  We poured the wine while it was a little bit cold for my taste, at about 60 F.  I let our glasses sit for a second before I attempted to take a sniff.  The nose on the Campo Viejo didn't impress me initially.  It smelled more of tight alcohol and acidic berries than anything, which surprised me given that it only contains 13.5% alcohol.  It actually tasted much lighter and nicer than it smelled.

I stuck my nose in it again two glasses later though, and the berries and jammy smells had really blossomed.   Much prettier!  As you can probably infer (given that I mentioned I had 2+ glasses) the Campo Viejo was a hit.  The balanced, light, smooth wine pleased both me and my less adventurous relatives.  I do recommend letting this guy sit out for a second though.  My third glass was much tastier than my first.

Technical Info:

Varietal: 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano, 5% Mazuelo 

Alcohol: 13.8% 

Origin: Rioja, Spain

Price: $13.99 at Newflower Market

Rachel's Grade: B+  This wine is truly a great deal.  It is balanced, smooth, and pleasant for anybody to drink; a crowd pleaser.  For the more cultured palates, it's not anything extraordinary or complex, but who really cares about that?  For around $13 I challenge anybody to find a more solid Tempranillo.  Probably not happening.

Domaine de la Soleïade Vacqueyras 2007, Cru Des Côtes du Rhône

What's going on in this title, right?  Let me break it down for you: Domaine de la Soleïade is a cuvée (a blend) of a French wine co-op in the Southern Rhône Valley, the Vignerons de Caractere.  The Rhône Valley is a region in France, with the basic wine produced there being called a Côtes du Rhône.  The wine a "step above" that is a Cru des Côtes du Rhône.  Meaning it's supposed to be pretty tasty.  Vacqueyras is a region WITHIN the Rhône Valley.  The French are very complicated with this stuff.  The grapes that make up this Cru des Côtes du Rhône are the Grenache grape and the Syrah grape. 


Whew.  Now that's over and we can get to the good part.  So I spontaneously bought this wine at Whole Foods after reading about Vacqueyras in my newest wine book purchase.  Mom and I sat down with our new stemless glasses on Christmas Eve to sample it.  The nose on this is fruity, jammy, and slightly acidic.  Very pleasant, though.  We both took our first sips, and as per usual, we had different opinions.  I held it in my mouth for a second, and found myself noticing its acidity in the mouthfeel.  The kind of acidity, almost like in a citrus fruit, that makes you kind of salivate.  This is a wine to be paired with food to balance that out, in my opinion, at least when you first open it.  It's a thin and silky type of wine with low tannins.  Mom liked it a lot, right from the get go.  But she loves whites and Pinot Noirs, so, not too unexpected.   I appreciated this wine actually much more the next day.  The berry and deeper fruit elements really came into their own after some hours exposed to air.  I'd say this thing needs some time in a glass before it really hits its peak.

Technical Info:

Varietal: 55% Grenache, 45% Syrah 

Alcohol: 14% - but it doesn't taste that high!

Origin: 

Vacqueyras, 

Côtes du Rhône, France

Price: $14.99 at Whole Foods

Rachel's Grade: B   This is a wine that wine snobs would say is a GREAT value, being that it's a Cru Des Côtes du Rhône, and those are usually $20+, but I disagree.  It's fine, it's sort of interesting, especially if you're into French wine, and some people are!  It's thin and light like a 

Vacqueyras should be

, but not elegant enough to make it great.  I personally prefer any vintage of Jaboulet 

Côtes du Rhône Parallele 45 if I'm in a French mood.

La Crema Chardonnay 2008, Sonoma Coast, CA

The first time I tasted La Crema Chardonnay, I was a bit taken aback.  Once a white-only girl, I had been drinking exclusively red for about eight months, and La Crema was the first white I'd had since my switch.  I was at Javier's Cigar Bar in Dallas (a pretty ritzy crowd) with my uber-rich then-boyfriend, and he'd ordered me a glass.  I usually did the La Crema Pinot Noir (which is also very nice) but this particular night I felt like changing it up. The Chardonnay did not disappoint.  Javiers has these huge hand-blown crystal glasses which are really fun to swirl wine around in.  So I did, and the nose on the wine afterwards was pleasant- slightly sweet and crisp, but nothing to write home about.  Pretty standard.  What really surprised me was that this Chardonnay could hold its own in my mouth!  It had some serious body.  The 13.8% alcohol content explains that one.  You could drink this with a rack of lamb; it's got that kind of gravity, while still being refreshing.  Another plus: you can find La Crema just about everywhere.  It's one of the ubiquitous higher end wines at Krogers, Targets, etc.

Technical Info:

Varietal: 100% Chardonnay 

Alcohol: 13.8%

Origin: Sonoma Coast, CA

Price: $15.99 on sale at Target (usually about $20)

Rachel's Grade: B+   This is a fabulous example of a buttery, vanilla-oaky tasting Chardonnay.  La Crema is silky smooth, like Chardonnays should be in my opinion.  It's really easy to drink and will please almost any palate (Mom and I included).  I would give it an A-, but the typical $20 price tag makes it a bit of a splurge.  It's more of a once-a-week, or once-every-couple weeks wine.

Neu Directions Malbec 2008, Mendoza, Argentina

As is my custom when I accompany my Mom to Sams Club, I was perusing the wine yesterday in hopes of finding something interesting.  The label of one bottle caught my eye; it's earthy and organic looking, though elegantly sparse.  Sure enough, the bottle I picked up was an organic, unfiltered Malbec.  

Through sheer coincidence, I ran into a woman (with rather crazy looking fiery red hair) setting up a wine tasting station.  One of the wines she was offering was the Malbec I had picked up earlier.  I inquired whether she liked the Neu Directions Malbec or not.  She said she loved it, and offered a taster to Mom and I.   Never women to refuse a sip of wine, we eagerly accepted.  Mom sipped it first and made a rather unpleasant face.  Contrary to what that might indicate to you guys- I know we have very different tastes.  So the fact that Mom didn't like it probably meant it was going to be a winner.  I had to smell it first.  I stuck my nose in the tiny thimble Sam's was serving their wine in, and it was met with a fantastic peppery, spicy sweetness.  It was a bolder nose than I'd expect to find on a Malbec; almost with the power of a Cabernet.  Regardless, it was awesome.  I took a sip and swished it around for a second.  It coated my mouth with just a hint of tannin.  If you're the kind of girl who likes Bloody Marys, you'd like this Malbec.  It was indeed spicy and rich on the tongue, with kind of a plummy finish.  I resolved right then that I had to buy it.

Technical Info:

Varietal: 100% Malbec  (though it does taste a bit like a Cab)

Alcohol: 13%

Origin: Mendoza, Argentina

Price: $9.78 at Sams Club

Rachel's Grade: A-/B+   It takes a certain palate to really appreciate this wine, but damn I think it's awesome.  If you're a Pinot drinker or a white wine girl then steer clear.  If you can really appreciate a big, complex Malbec, this is an incredible option.  Especially for under $10!

Introductions

Hello All:
Let me introduce myself- I'm Rachel Fox, a Dallas-area college student who fancies herself pretty wine-savvy, even at my young age.  I drink wine pretty much nightly, and I always have an opinion.  I've been interested in wine since the ripe old age of sixteen, and have been actively pursuing knowledge in the area ever since.  I probably own more wine books than anybody in college needs to.  And yes, I've read every one of them (including my wine encyclopedia). I aspire to take some sommelier courses this summer.  That will make me more legit, definitely.  Until that time comes, I'll be blogging here; offering my unsolicited advice on vino to anybody who cares to read.


My Grading System:
Forget the 100 pt system- I'm going to grade wine a like good old fashioned school teacher.


A+: I would definitely buy this wine again regardless of price.  I might even take out a loan. Just orgasmic.
A: Pretty damn good.  Provided I've got the funds, there is no question I'd purchase this again.
A-: Really superb.  A great wine for the price.


B+: Still a great tasting wine.  Legitimate value, but nothing that has knocked my socks off.
B: This wine is either awesome, but not worth the price, or just good, but totally worth the pennies you pay for it.
B-: Reasonably priced table-wine, nothing too interesting.


C+: A step above Franzia.  If you're catering for a lot of people, maybe this would be okay.
C: Box wine and Yellowtail would fall in this category.  Or serrrrriously overpriced wine.  Nothing is $500 good.


F: Forget C-'s and D's.  If you don't beat box wine, you just fail.  Or if you have the nerve to charge me $100 for box quality wine.  Then you fail too.