Friday fishing: What type of wine do you give third or fourth chances to in the spirit of keeping an open mind but you really never warm to?
For me, it’s either Condrieu or CDP. I’m sure sublime examples exist but I’m usually snakebit. Condrieu often comes off squishy, fat and low acid to me, with that feeling of overripe stone fruit that is two days past prime. Grenache-based CDP often has that rhubarb meets pesticide note that is slightly sickly to me. In both cases, I have hard time even contemplating a second glass.
Not being judgmental of others who love these wines. Just curious about other experienced palates that just can’t get on board with certain wines …
I feel the same way about Pinot Noir - having tried hundreds, I don’t get the obsession some people have. I just keep on trying them because once in a while you can find a good one. I pretty much never buy them though. There’s the odd Burgundy or CA bottle, and it makes a good rosé - we had quite a few this year, from CA and Germany.
Viognier is one of the most disappointing grapes out there - usually offers a lot on the nose but doesn’t follow up. With those too, there are some good ones both in CA and elsewhere.
As far as CdP goes, there are plenty that don’t fit your description but I totally get what you’re saying - last night my wife said the same thing about a wine we had opened. So we opened something else.
I don’t know - the search is half the fun. So while there are wines I know I like, it’s almost as enjoyable to try new ones, even if they don’t turn out to be great. I don’t think I’ve ever completely given up on any grape or region. I have given up on wine makers.
Sauvignon Blanc is mine. While I enjoy some White Bordeaux, I think it’s the Semellion blend that I respond to. On its on, Sauvignon Blanc strikes me as too thin and acidic. I keep trying tho.
barolo. having tried multiple blue-chips dating back from the 60s has me scratching my head. they are enjoyable, but they don’t reach the zenith that i get with other wines.
I usually (but not always) try wines that others open because I try to keep an open mind and because I try to be polite, but I never ever try to love wines I don’t like. That would seem . . . odd to me.
I have a friend who absolutely seeks out the most oxidized styles of a given wine that he can find. He loves them. I hate them, but love my friend…so, I concentrate on the positives: how well the wine pours, how well it assumes the shape of its container, and the fact that (after all) it does contain alcohol.
Whatever gets me through the night. It’s alright.
As for style of wines that I try to love but don’t like: these new spoofy over-fruited darlings. I can sit at a table full of people going full “When Harry Met sally” over these things and just don’t get it. I keep trying, but no love affair has ever taken root. Saves me alot by not having to struggle to get on certain mailing lists!
Grapes I try to love, but can’t: Don’t get mad at me…Grüner Veltliner.
Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, CdP, anything with a lot of viognier, Loire reds, Oz reds, sweet wines, etc.
But of course the point is to try everything - you never know.
Buying is another issue.
Best, Jim
One would think with my wine profile that Rioja would work. I’ve tried to like it many times. Once in a while one hits me, I go back to the well, and just am not thrilled. It’s the American oak and pickle juice that just turns me totally off. I understand not all throw this, but many many do, including the Rioja Altas that get much praise here and with critical, and are so reasonably priced.
Better, but I still pick up the American oak and pickle, granted, LdH pulls it off better than most given its use of larger and used oak casks. I wonder if it is just the mix of Tempranillo and American oak to me. Well, perhaps not, as there are some Ridge bottlings that I no longer drink either since they started using more new oak in some cuvees.
![[scratch.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/4/42a16863a8714da3c1604419e3eb9206bb87aa50.gif "scratch"){kind=small}