Wines that make you go "hmmmm..."

Starting a lighter thread to take our minds off the frost, the terroir confrontation, the QPR conundrum and the yearly revenue debate.

The Overnoy thread made we wonder: what is that wine that you enjoy but makes others you drink it with dubious, gag or simply look at you with dismay or hate?

From what I remember, I’ve had fun reactions serving the following wines to friends and family:

  • Vin Jaune
  • LdH whites
  • Ganevat Y’a bon the Canon (pop’n’pour)
  • Domaine des Terres Blanches Gamay de Bouze Pot d’Vache La Vacherie

One caveat: Let’s restrict this to wines made with grapes. No moutai or no Omerto Tomato Sec. Grapes.

Pretty much everything I sell falls in that category! :wink:

I’d say Coulee de Serrant. Weird, wild, and not everyone’s cup of tea.

I’m usually the guy doing the dubious look!

+1

While I do enjoy wines in general and such wines on an intellectual level, I don’t buy these kinds of wines anymore. I prefer wines which I give me intellectual pleasure AND hedonistic pleasure. Still have to find one which would do that for me in this category of wines. But that’s just my taste, not all wine lovers are alike.

Sercial Madeira.

Thinking of one wine friend in particular, Ontario Chardonnay.

Musar (rouge) with a colleague (it was great, btw).

jenkem

For many, many years, it was the wines of Jacky Truchot. I have also had this reaction to German wines (perceived as too sweet) and Loire Cabernet Franc (just too weird).

The best lesson I have learned from this is trust your palate.

In the same lines of LdH, Ygay GR blanco

Aged white Hermitage also often seems to be really polarising between people I tasted some with.

I had a Vinos Ambiz Tempranillo a few months ago that still makes me go hmmmmm. I am still not sure what I think about it. It was purchased from a local natural wine purveyor. Super sour and acidic with fruity bubblegum type flavors from carbonic maceration. Drank the whole bottle so it couldn’t have been too bad! Certainly unlike any Tempranillo I have ever had. I love LdH whites, sherries, etc. The Vinos Ambiz would be interesting to serve to company to elicit reactions.

bogle petite syrah and kirkland caneros pinot. these are my BBQ cooking wines. pound em while I BBQ up something to eatk with another wine. if I really want the extreme hmmmm looks, I drink a beer.

Weird friend or weird wine?

And know your audience!

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Many aged whites in general require a certain palate and experience to appreciate. Some of my favorite wines last year were completely lost on others. A 2004 Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc “Le Meal”, which currently has 96.3 on CT, got a disgusted “Yuck” from my non-wine enthusiast drinking partner, “this tastes like drinking a glass of liquor” was her response. She similarly found a 1989 Eyrie Chardonnay and 1989 Dr. Heyden Riesling Auslese to be undrinkable. I thought they were spectacular and gladly had her share for myself!

Not the wines I drink IMHO. LOL

Just peeked at your website - looks very cool! : https://www.feralartetvin.com/exposition-d-art

I’ve lost count of the number of wines I’ve served friends and family who smile politely, look at my wife with pity, try to pour the glass into a handily positioned plant pot when they think I’m not looking, or who have even tried to give it to one of the cats.

Obviously due to lockdown most of the memories are old ones, but I did enjoy the grimaces on the faces of some colleagues to whom I served an Ondenc by Domaine d’Escausses - their noses rose, their lips curled, their eyes narrowed and they grabbed some peanuts.

Thanks Julian, the website is a work in progress - Insta is our main tool!

We give every wine a ‘Feral Factor’ 1-3 for how ‘hmmmmmmm’ it will make people! Everyone buying a 3 is given a serious warning! :slight_smile:

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Absolutely. I have had times where I have served fabulous wines to friends where my wife and I are looking at each other amazed at how good the wine is while the friends find the wine to be just ok. It has made me more careful about who I give what type of wine to.