I hate to admit it but.......I liked it!

WINE TALK
#1

It’s easy to trash a “notorious”, “lesser” or polarizing wine. It’s harder admiting you actually like(d) it. What have been your examples in the past? Blind or non-blind when you tried it, a wine you’d hate/be embarrased to admit you liked.

For me:

Red - Silver Oak Napa (don’t recall the vintage but had it once, and only once, at a Wine Spectator Grand Tour event a few years ago…I really liked it).

White - Mer & Soleil Chardonnay (a few years ago it symbolized everything that was overdone with Cali Chard…but I still liked it). [whistle.gif]

#2

Cakebread cab
Most Mollydookers
Educated Guess
Caymus

#3

I like the thread. For me it is :

Del Dotto - Love the tasting experience (esepcially if last of day), and wines are ready to drink now. Pinots are very nice as well. Seems they get bashed regularly.

Turley - another that seems to get bashed on these boards. I admit this is a hit or miss wine, but when it is on - it is very nice.

Sinskey Wines - cooler weather grapes for the most part and more restrained style that tend to get no respect

Some Chilean Wines - like much of the Montes offerings

Wish I could list Silver Oak - but last botle we had - we dumped after trying over 3 days. Felt like I made out with an oak tree. Was just awful.

#4

Ghost Horse

#5

I don’t really hate admitting this… who cares what you guys think… [stirthepothal.gif] but I’ve enjoyed Opus One the few times I’ve had it… Silver Oak as well.

Overpriced? Yeah.

#6

burgundy [tease.gif]

#7

'94, '95 & '96 from Opus were all very good to outstanding. My understanding is now that they have divested from Mondavi, they are getting back to being a quality meritage worthy of the lofty prices.

#8

+1

I had a friend insist that I go there for a tasting. I chuckled at the pure cheese disco ball and dj booth setup in their classic italian theme. I then went home with a mixed case. The cave blend was tasty, and ready to drink.

Some of my wife’s favorites are Caymus, silver oak, and paradigm. So I’ve got a few of them around. I’d by lying if I said I didn’t enjoy them. I mean, at least you know what you are getting with them.

A couple of weeks ago, I was cooking with a $10 Jadot beaujolais and had half a bottle left over, so I drank it and… actually contemplated getting a few more.

#9

several of Veuve Clicquot’s wines, including the NV yellow label. Sure, there’s a lot better out there, sometimes for just a little more money, but I think these wines beat the heck out of anything from Moet (except Dom Perignon) and most other options when there’s no “real” Champagne available.

#10

I freely admit that I love Turley wines, specifically the PS.

#11

+1


Also, in a blind Aussie Shiraz tasting, I rated the $15 Marquis Philips Shiraz 97 points. It was wonderful and stunning. I think it was the 2002.

#12

Good point - me too, at the same event. I would NEVER EVER be willing to pay that much for it, but it was a great wine.

#13

I bought an SQN Syrah (The Prisoner) several years ago.

I am not embarrassed about liking it but at the time I was on a board which was full of SQN scoffers who kept going on and on about how it is “undrinkable.” I don’t even truly understand what the hell they were talking about.

If I could afford it I would probably buy a bottle or 2 a year. Back then I paid $100, someone had consigned their bottles to a wine shop on Long Island.

#14

Nice idea for a thread, Jorge. The one that I’ve got to admit to is:

Rombauer cabernet sauvignon. I tasted the 2005 last year, non-blind, and I thought it was pretty decent, and the price is not too bad if you search for a deal.

#15

I’ll confess that I enjoy pretty much everything made by Duckhorn – from the Cab to the Goldeneye Pinot to the quirky stuff like Paraduxx.

#16

+1 on the cab and paraduxx

#17

Thanks Alan. Another one that just popped into my head is the Jacob’s Creek Reserve Shiraz…definitely not a subtle wine, but absolutely like it every time I open it.

#18

although I’m not embarrassed to say it, I like

Columbia Crest “Grand Estates” Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon (IMO, hard to beat for $8 )
Darioush Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz (too expensive, though)
Mumm Napa sparklers (not bad for $12)
Rotari sparklers (not bad for $8)
Cristalino sparklers (not bad for $8)

… cool thread, btw

#19

Never heard of The Prisoner being made by SQN. Must be someone else such as Orin Swift who makes them.

#20

This was SQN, I just don’t recall the name. Keeps changing…

Up Against the Wall??

PS looked it up. The 1996 Syrah, “Against the Wall”