Brumont Tannat Merlot 2006

Our run of modestly priced wine continues, but this time with one to avoid. Good to know, as I might have been tempted if I'd come across this wine - like Iron Chef, I've had good luck with wines from Alain Brumont in the past, and the Tannat grape is something different. Too bad this one didn't work out. Here is a review from Iron Chef.

--- Iron Chef's Review ---

After all the success I have had with the Brumont wines from Madiran, I was shock to realize there was one I had yet to try. I had it in the cellar for a while and was excited to find it buried.
The nose was oaky, spearmint gum, Leafy Green and a familiar smell of a dusty gravel road on a hot day. It smelled very young with a bunch of unripened grapes.

The palate confirmed the nose. Very Grippy front cheeks and jaw felt the sting of the tannins. Sharp biting acidity. Aromas of Allspice and nutmeg probably from the oak. The fruit was unripened cherries and cheap coffee. The palate was hollow in the middle- where the fruit should be and overall very chalky in the mouth. My wife called it harsh, I called it immature. I still expect at this price point some balance between fruit, acidity and tannins, I can’t even imagine what this would taste like without 50% Merlot. This was after 45 minutes in the decanter.

Price: $14.79
Score 70
Value 2/5
Region: Southwest France- Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne
Grape: Tannat, Merlot
Alcohol: 13%
UPC: 3372220000236

Château Lamothe de Haut Premiere Cuvee Bordeaux 2004

I almost never drink Bordeaux as I tend to find it overpriced and not very tasty. But in the spirit of blogging I decided to see what ANBL has to offer in a mid-price Bordeaux. I picked this pretty much at random and shared it with Kelly and Ted.

The nose on this wine is striking. Here's how their analysis went: "Whoa, this wine smells like poo!! It's dog poo! No, no, it's baby poo. No, not baby poo, it's diaper bucket. Yes, you're right, diaper bucket, without any bleach. Yes, that's it." I wouldn't have called it poo, but then I have to admit I'm not all that familiar with the smell of diaper bucket. But the nose was definitely not very appealing. It wasn't as bad on the palate, but it wasn't very good. Kelly did pick it out as a Bordeaux blend, even though she and Ted were tasting it blind, so it does have reasonable "typicity." But that's the best that can be said. It was thin and acidic, with a short finish and an off-putting sour aftertaste.

I'm afraid this wine confirmed all my prejudices against Bordeaux. Bordeaux drinkers out there, please set me straight. Is this just not my style? Or can you do better in a mid-priced Bordeaux? Can anyone recommend a good one?

Day 2: Kelly decided give it another chance, with the thought that a couple nights in the half-bottle might have mellowed it. Verdict: "It still smells like poo. And there are some smells you just can't get past."

Price: $25.79
Value: 1/5
Score: 70
Alcohol: 12%
Tasted: Sept 2008
ANBL UPC: 3539301094113

Feudi di San Marzano Primitivo di Manduria Sessantanni Old Vines 2004

This is one of the worst wines I have had that is not technically flawed. I am glad I had it because I think I now truly understand what is means for a wine to be over-extracted. It is slightly sweet, inky purple and 'big', without fruit, complexity or character, or anything else that makes a wine worth drinking. This is not just a style issue - I like a decent Australian shiraz as well as anyone. I rate this wine below 80 because I have had many slightly corked wines which I prefer.

Price: Approx. $34
Value: 1/5
Score: 78
Tasted: May 2008
ANBL UPC: Carried by PEILCC

Dan Aykroyd Discovery Series Chardonnay 2006

Dan Aykroyd is a funny guy and this is a funny wine. Well, maybe weird is a better word. The nose is unique; I tried it at a dinner party with a few friends and at the first sniff everyone's first reaction was "what the heck is that!?" Everyone's second reaction was "Blech." We finally decided that the closest description is apple cider that is just starting to go off, maybe with a touch of gasoline. But with some time and air the wine developed. Unfortunately, it didn't get any better. A strong medicinal note became apparent - Vicks VapoRub. More of the same on the palate, then it finishes with a sour note. There's plenty going on here: as one person said "This is way more interesting than tasting good wine." But he's a Scotch drinker. Maybe someone out there would like this wine, but not me.

BUT WAIT: Did I just get a bad bottle (see the comment from Andrew Stodart)? Could well be. I'll have to try another - and in the meantime I'd love to hear from anyone else who has tried this wine. Remember, I'm no expert - the point of this blog is to get the conversation going, not for me to tell you what's good or bad.

UPDATE: I've tried the second bottle, and I'm afraid all I can say "Tasted twice with consistent notes."

Price: $17.29
Score: 65
Value: 1/5
Alcohol: 12.5%
Tasted: August 2008
ANBL UPC: 625713025067