Why is California wine so overrated?

[georgina]

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Yeah, Costco sells that one too for less. i like it. One of my favorite things about living in Virginia, no beer or wine in the Pennsylvania Costco's, but I have to go into DC to get Costco Kirkland gin & vodka!

 

[dvcgirl67]

Only the posers on expense account buy the Silver Oak. I would rather stick with the coolio wines like Adam Sabelli Frisch's La Malinche.

https://www.sabelli-frisch.com/wines/lamalinche-2019

I've never had that...will have to check it out.

And I get what you're saying....those two names are well known expensive wines, and so they get ordered for that reason.

 

[Skywalker]

I’m always excited, to buy wines that say “notes of cherry” or something similar, then somewhat disappointed to not taste the fruit. The my in-laws sent me a case of wine from Murielle vineyards. Yum!

I never understood the appeal of the wines that claim to have “notes of tobacco”. I‘ve not been tempted to try them

You are probably wise to avoid notes of tobacco. We once tried a wine which said "notes of barnyard" and just couldn't resist trying it. My husband spit it out. He said "Yeah great the one time I can actually taste what they claim."
The aftertaste was literally like a horse manure smell on the tongue.
We still sometimes say things have "notes of barnyard", when we mean to say its crap lol

 

[TLSnell1981]

I love wine. Especially New Zealand and French. My friends swear by California wine, they win lots of awards, and yet I've never had a glass that I actually enjoyed. They taste cheap. Even the expensive ones just don't impress. What am I missing here?

French wine and bubbles by far. IMO Although I am particularly fond of The Prisioner Red Blend. A great wine for the price.

 

[bcla]

You are probably wise to avoid notes of tobacco. We once tried a wine which said "notes of barnyard" and just couldn't resist trying it. My husband spit it out. He said "Yeah great the one time I can actually taste what they claim."
The aftertaste was literally like a horse manure smell on the tongue.
We still sometimes say things have "notes of barnyard", when we mean to say its crap lol

There was that episode of Northern Exposure where a bottle of 1929 Chateau Latour (to be served at a special meal for the town) was broken and someone tries to fix it with a more pedestrian bottle of wine but then dressed up with various flavor notes from various reviews of that wine.

https://transcripts.thedealr.net/script.php/northern-exposure-1990-Pio/s4/e21​

Shelly, peat moss, please.​

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Isn't this dirt? Holling pots his crocuses in it.​

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It'll lend sediment and a nice earthy undertone.​

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Well?​

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It's close. Vanilla.​

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Vanilla.​

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Pepper.​

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Are you sure this is gonna work?​

 

[Dan Murphy]

What am I missing here?

Well, what do you think of the thoughts here so far, nile, as to what you may be missing?

 

[Kittyblue]

To each their own. Living here I've enjoyed many Californian wines. Fat Boy by Tobin James is a favorite.

 

[TLSnell1981]

If you have any garbage like Caymus Special Selection or Silver Oak Napa that you're throwing out....send it my way .

Okay I must admit I have these on hand too!

While I enjoy a variety....I'm quite partial to a good Bordeaux.

 

[pahoben]

I had a Scottish colleague that held a single malt tasting party. He included one that was aged in former pickled herring casks. Indescribably bad smell and even worst taste. My advice is never smell or taste any alcohol aged in this manner. You would do much better drinking alcohol based hand sanitizer.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Curious what your take is on NY wines. I am partial to wines from the Finger Lakes area, but that could be more nostalgia than anything else.

I had the same thought! I grew up there.

I lived in Ithaca from 1982-1984 and then we were in Syracuse from 1986-1991. A favorite way to pass a Saturday was to do a winery tour along the lakes (and how we drank that much wine and then survived driving on the roads along the sides of the lakes/gorges is actually frightening to contemplate now) so I have consumed a healthy amount of Finger Lakes wines.

We went to a fun tasting in Hammondsport just a couple of months ago. They definitely have a lot of choices now.