Betsy was getting in late, I made dinner (reprise of the garlic baked
chicken, plus broccoli and pasta w/pesto). Unoaked Chardonnay worked
well last time, so I opened a recent gift, the 2002 Plunkett "Blackwood
Ridge" Unwooded Chardonnay (Victoria). Whoa! What the hell! Enormous
nose, but unfortunately of plastic, nail polish remover, and rotting
fruit. The plastic and fruit battle valiantly, but the nail polish
remover easily cruises in as dominant flavor. David doesn't normally
join us in wine, but smells this and says "industrial waste." It really
dominates conversation, with Betsy and David curious to how such an
awful wine could get bottled (sadly, since I love to be pedantic, I
have no idea). I let it rest a while, and it does get a bit better-
going from NASTY NASTY NASTY to merely "nasty." I'll be generous and
give it a D-

Luckily we still had some 2004 Brun Beaujolais out. Went ok with the
chicken.

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent
wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't
drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no
promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.

Well, interesting:... Pedantic...not likely.


"DaleW" > wrote in message
oups.com...
(sadly, since I love to be pedantic, I
> have no idea).

Richard Neidich wrote:
> Well, interesting:... Pedantic...not likely.

It sounds like an ageing issue. Probably too much TA in the wine
following malo ferment. Probably the wrong acid was used, in
conjunction with no sulfites prior to bottling. All sums up to a
spoiled wine. Wines of this type would be fine for the first few months
after bottling, but quickly spoil.

Better luck next time.

David

Sorry re double post.

So I left some in glass and recorked bottle. This morning the VA in
glass had blown off (volatile after all) , leaving behind oxidized
fruit. What was in bottle still reeked of VA, with the added bonus of
the oxidized smell of cooked apples. I've certainly seen wines (old
style Riojas) where there was some variability of the volatile acidity,
but even the "bad" bottles never approached this. This is the kind of
outright faulty wine that one doesn't see much of anymore.

Well, I think when I give a gift it lets my friends know what I think of
them.

Your friends did exactly that. Defective wine for a defective....

With friends like that ...who really needs enemies.

:-)
"DaleW" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Sorry re double post.
>
> So I left some in glass and recorked bottle. This morning the VA in
> glass had blown off (volatile after all) , leaving behind oxidized
> fruit. What was in bottle still reeked of VA, with the added bonus of
> the oxidized smell of cooked apples. I've certainly seen wines (old
> style Riojas) where there was some variability of the volatile acidity,
> but even the "bad" bottles never approached this. This is the kind of
> outright faulty wine that one doesn't see much of anymore.
>