Something that some wine reviewers and bloggers debate is whether they should write up the bad reviews or not. As far as I’m concerned, if a producer puts a bottle on the shelf and wants my dime for it, well… it’s fair game. I also consider it a responsibility to frugal wine drinkers everywhere to let them know that when they see these ones on the shelf they should leave them there.
As they say at Quaffability, “We taste it, so you don’t have to.” Or even more eloquently stated at Spitoon, “We spit, so you can swallow.”
And so, I start with the somewhat disappointing and work my way down to the awful.
Pepperwood Grove Cabernet Sauvignon
The nose on this California cabernet from Pepperwood Grove is very fruity… raspberry and cherry and that’s a good thing. But there is something else in the nose, a bit of epazote (that’s a Mexican herb in case you don’t know it). This is probably the first cabernet sauvignon review in history to use epazote in it, and for good reason. It smells a bit funky—kind of a petroleum type funk.
The palate isn’t as odd as the nose, but is quite fruit forward—more so than most cabs. Jammy blackberries, raspberries and vanilla fill your mouth with this one. Soft tannins and a bit of spice close it out in a rather short finish.
It’s drinkable, but a bit disappointing and the funky aspect on the bouquet knocked a couple points off the score, which ended up at an 83. Some folks may say an 83 is good, and like I said it’s drinkable… but 85+ is preferable to me. That said, this one is an affordable one at $6.99.
Wine: Pepperwood Grove
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2004
Alcohol: 13.5%
Rating: 83
Price Paid: $6.99
Concannon Cabernet Sauvignon
This was a rather disappointing Central Coast California cabernet from Concannon. It’s a bit too acidic and just not very well balanced.
The nose is dominated by leather and wet rock, plus has some black cherry and a hint of strawberry. It’s mostly black cherry on the palate with some vanilla. The tannins are soft, but the acidity pokes you like a knife.
Overall it was just kind of thin too. Although the alcohol level is 13.5%, the viscosity is more like I would expect from a 12.5%.
Wine: Concannon
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2004
Alcohol: 13.5%
Rating: 79
Price Paid: $8.99
San Andre’s Cabernet Sauvignon
This Chilean cabernet from San Andre’s was a Trader Joe’s find and it feeds my on-going rant: “The so-called bargains at Trader Joe’s are crap. You can find better deals at your local wine shop!” The other thing this wine did was ground me and my recent elation about Chilean cabernets. I now know that they are all great.
The first thing that struck me about this wine was its peculiar smell… indescribable. It had an equally peculiar taste. It was drinkable, but not enjoyable. In other words, I didn’t gag. I can’t spend any more time thinking about this wine and I’m not going to pontificate the nuances on this one. Ugh.
Wine: San Andre’s
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2004
Alcohol: 13.5%
Rating: 71
Price Paid: $8.99
I’m surprised by the Pepperwood Grove review. I just saw them on Wine & Spirit’s list of best value wines for 2007. I’ve been a fan since reading about Pepperwood in Food & Wine.
I haven’t seen the W&S listing that you mentioned. It may have been a different vintage, which can make a big difference. I’ll hunt that down to check it out.