Worst $100 wine experience ever

WINE TALK
1

For me a 2001 Heitz Marthas Vineyard, just did not get the wine at all

2

Only had a pour at a tasting bar and it was before the inflated price, but Caymus 40th.

3

Hmmmm, I vaguely remember you mentioning that somewhere… [wink.gif]

Wines need to have a rating system for style right on the side of the bottle. [snort.gif] Maybe there could be a scale from AFWE to Hedonistic Fruit Bomb.

4

I am taking my only bottle of Belle Glos Pinot to a tasting this coming week. I think it will rate a 9+ on the HFB scale. I hope I don’t get beat up! [wow.gif]

As to the worst $100 experience…the occassional premoxed 1er cru White Burgundy. pileon

5

I remember chatting with a sales person at the wind department of a high end grocery store about corked wine and she said that they get more returns of Heitz Martha’s than anything else by a huge margin. It’s been made since the 60s, so it may be older people buying it because they remember that it was one of the best way back when.

6

A Petrus bottle fell in the warehouse (previous job) and smashed to bits - worst $5,000 wine experience. Although the warehouse did smell awesome that day…

7

I recall they had problems with brett for a number of years during the 1990’s.

8

'88 Mouton Rothschild. I know I’m not alone.

9

Several vintages of Grange, late '90s to early '00s. Well over $100 each. Unbalanced and unenjoyable. I tasted, spat, and moved on.

10

Does it have to be exactly $100?

11

I actually liked the 2001 Marthas a lot. Was first one since the replanting I really enjoyed. I don’t think Alan and I are very close palate wise.

12

I haven’t had the '01, but I have tasted a couple of more recent vintages. They were far too minty for me, but I actually thought they were lovely wines for people who can appreciate that profile. Personally, I’ll take the Trailside any day.

13

As this is mostly out of my buying zone, then I have no such experience.

The nearest bets would be a friend’s birth year pair of 1st Growths, both brown as mushroom gravy and with the same aroma. He should have stuck to port (1960 birth year).

Of something I bought myself, a 1979 G. Conterno Monfortino was initially very tired, but did awaken a little with air (probably should have asked the restaurant to open it in advance). It was part of a mixed lot picked up at auction for a pretty decent price, so maybe ~ $70 to $80 of the overall hammer + BP of ~ $150.

Beyond that, some very poor (well tbh completely shot) 1997 Aldo Conterno Barolo Cicala (~$60) and some bottled stewed cabbage masquerading under the label of a 1997 Bollinger Champagne La Grande Année. I put that one down to my mistake of buying from a supermarket - such bottles are interrogated under bright lights until they break down.

Me and 1997 are not on speaking terms :angry:

14

That bottle of '82 Lafite I had in Beijing. Tasted like a $3 wine. But it was a great deal.

15

This is a good idea for a thread, though we should stipulate that corked / broken / heat damaged wines don’t really count. Not because they aren’t disappointing, but because it just doesn’t share anything with the board.

This wouldn’t be my worst ever, but I recently bought a bottle of 2011 Le Macchiole Paleo, maybe $90 or so. I love Tuscany, I love cab franc (good old and new world versions both), and I’d heard it’s a great wine.

This was just soooo average. Soft, black fruit, smooth, entirely pleasant, with a hint of tobacco/gravel cab franc character, but just simple and pretty ordinary. It had far less character than Loire cab franc, and less fruit, power and joyfulness than good California or Washington cab franc. I left half for the next day, and it was still simple and ordinary but now with less fruit, and barely worth finishing.

It was a pleasant and drinkable wine, but frankly I would give it a neutral QPR at around $15-20. I definitely like Baudry $25 cab franc significantly more than this.

16

70’ Lafite I had in 2005. Thin and long, long past it. I expected a lot more.

17

2001 Faiveley Clos des Corton

Thin, weedy green, terrible.

18

Everything I have tasted from SQN. No elegance whatsoever. Just awful.

19

I guess that’s why they only have a 10 year waiting list…:slight_smile:

20

Stan, there is an epic SQN thread from years past that you might find interesting.