Comments on: Extreme Wine: The Worst?

By: Sean P. Sullivan

Sean P. Sullivan — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 21:06:55 +0000

Mike, glad to hear you got to check out this class. I didn’t hear about it until the last minute and wasn’t able to change my plans. Sounds like a great class. Will keep an eye out for the next time its offered.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:48:01 +0000

I’ve been tasting wine (in the biz) for 15 years, and I always find that winemakers/owners are blind to any flaws in their wines as they have spent too much time with them. Even when a wine is out of balance (over oaked, too much alcohol) they always seem to find the good things in the wine.

But really, in today’s age, there is no excuse for releasing wine that was defective before it left the winery.

I’ve actually had a bottle of bubbly or two that was corked. Very weird.

By: Mike Veseth

Mike Veseth — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 01:56:07 +0000

I was a judge once (and only once) at an amateur winemaker event. Need I say more?

By: Mike Veseth

Mike Veseth — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 01:55:23 +0000

Agreed on both points.

By: Crocodile Chuck

Crocodile Chuck — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 01:43:48 +0000

I’ve read other sources stating that cork taint* afflicts up to 8% of all wine-that’s effectively one bottle per case! The chemical involved, tri choloro anisole is v strong and can be detected in the low parts per million. Another reason for wholesale adoption of stelvin caps.

*strangely, I have never experienced this with sparkling wine/champagne

By: Pamela @ Enobytes

Pamela @ Enobytes — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 01:24:45 +0000

Well, I’m glad you removed the amateur wine category from this post because I could probably fill the body of this page with my experiences of bad wine!

Here are a few prize winning wines coming from our readers titled, “Wine worthy of throwing at your enemies” http://enobytes.org/forums/index.php/topic,3.0.html

Cheers! Pamela

By: Paul Gregutt

Paul Gregutt — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 23:46:36 +0000

I certainly have encountered more than a few horribly flawed wines over the years, and Amy’s class (I’ve taken it twice) has been a terrific asset in helping me to identify what’s gone wrong. The question you pose – how can such wines be marketed and sold – is one that has puzzled me forever. It’s worst when the wines in question, horrible though they may be, are sporting fancy price tags. This too I’ve seen more than once or twice. When I encounter such wines I do not review them, but notify the winery that their wines failed to be of commercial quality, and I suggest they send samples to a qualified laboratory for professional analysis.

By: Mike Veseth

Mike Veseth — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 22:22:52 +0000

Gosh — a shame to waste bad wine …

By: RickT

RickT — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 22:13:37 +0000

You and Amy could provide a service called “Identify the Defect.” My wife and I were in So California two weeks ago and bought a $15 California Zinfandel (red, not “white”). It tasted exactly like the effluent from a petrochemical factory. Strangely, the odor wasn’t particularly bad, sort of smelling vaguely grapey with no other particular scents. If I hadn’t poured it down the drain after one sip I would be glad to share it. This would be my first choice for last choice.

By: stayingfortea

stayingfortea — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 22:09:16 +0000

It is interesting to note that there is a second layer of protection for the consumer in that most retailers also value their reputation. Wine clubs offer a third layer, because not only does their reputation depend on selling fault-free wine, but on selling well-selected “good” wine. And here, “de gustibus non est disputandum” does not hold. I’ve returned “bad” yet unflawed bottles more than once to my wine club with the simple explanation “I didn’t like the wine.”