That mysterious stranger who caught your eye on the train suddenly farted, ruining the moment. This one is a weird blend of four hundred different grapes, or at least it seems that way reading the label. Apparently, it’s Grenache, Syrah, Marsanne, Carignan, Roussanne, and God knows what else. It came recommended by a wine store attendant, and a guy who has given me spotty advice in the past, so I’m now starting to wonder if they use him to shill the “non-movers.” The nose was cherry and earth, and the flavor carried through the red cherry across the palate. But then there was this burnt tinge that I’ve come to recognize as typical of when a bottle is exposed to high heat and then chilled and sold as “properly stored” later. I wrote about that here. This winery produces some good stuff (see here and here, both 4-star winners), but this bottle was fairly awful. Now that could be because it is a weirdo blend of a zillion disparate grapes, or it could be that this bottle was boiled before serving. Either way, it was bitter, harsh, and even a bit medicinal.
