Last night, we tasted 8 pretty bad cabs. A few were drinkable, and the clear favorite was the 2005 Cycles Gladiator, available for $9.99 at Nugget Market. I believe this was also the most expensive wine.
It's actually amazing to me how bad most of them were. Maybe cheap cabs are to be avoided as a rule.
Stay tuned for the next blind tasting!
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Monday, August 27, 2007
Cabernet #8
Joe: 63. this is good. still pretty safe. smells like a Kubrickian hallway.
Maya: this one has esophagial travel. it hurts. wax vampire mouths. 52
Rebecca: I find this one very smooth. That could be the music, though. this would stand up well to spicey italian sausage with arrabiata sauce. 69...er...71....it got better!
Chris: tastes like something...grape gum. bubble yum. I think it's not bad. a little waxy. 65
Margaret: smells like alcohol. waxy thing. it really is sticking to the edges of my mouth. it's more like a zin.
Molly: this one actually burned my mouth.
Unveiled: 2004 Puzzle Time, $3.99
Maya: this one has esophagial travel. it hurts. wax vampire mouths. 52
Rebecca: I find this one very smooth. That could be the music, though. this would stand up well to spicey italian sausage with arrabiata sauce. 69...er...71....it got better!
Chris: tastes like something...grape gum. bubble yum. I think it's not bad. a little waxy. 65
Margaret: smells like alcohol. waxy thing. it really is sticking to the edges of my mouth. it's more like a zin.
Molly: this one actually burned my mouth.
Unveiled: 2004 Puzzle Time, $3.99
Cabernet #7
Molly: This is another one that doesn't have a finish. 57
Maya: I smell wood here. I'm thinking it would be good with portabella mushrooms. I'm getting a meaty smell right before I drink it. 65
Rebecca: This goes well with Rick James. It's sort of overwhelmed with the prunes. I don't taste anything else. I like my wine to be earthy, but this is sticking to the juice. 62
Joe: totally prunes. licorice. tastes like short ribs...marinated in cabernet franc.
Margaret: smells like prune. like when you open a container of prunes. yes, (responding to Rebeccea) clearly aged in particle board barrels. I want a panini with portabella mushrooms, mozzerella, and roasted red peppers. 65
Chris: not bad. 70
Unveiled: 2006 Banrock Station, $5.99
Maya: I smell wood here. I'm thinking it would be good with portabella mushrooms. I'm getting a meaty smell right before I drink it. 65
Rebecca: This goes well with Rick James. It's sort of overwhelmed with the prunes. I don't taste anything else. I like my wine to be earthy, but this is sticking to the juice. 62
Joe: totally prunes. licorice. tastes like short ribs...marinated in cabernet franc.
Margaret: smells like prune. like when you open a container of prunes. yes, (responding to Rebeccea) clearly aged in particle board barrels. I want a panini with portabella mushrooms, mozzerella, and roasted red peppers. 65
Chris: not bad. 70
Unveiled: 2006 Banrock Station, $5.99
Cabernet #6
Note: everyone is now talking about wikipedia. we'll try to get through the rest of the tasting...
Molly: Woah! a littly burny. like ee ee ee ee. 55. I think it needs red meat. I'm thinking winter.
Margaret: pop rocks. i feel like I swallowed a chamois cloth. It's like some
Maya: oh my god, that is fizzzy. dimetapp. 57
Rebecca: right about the first inch of your tongue, it's fizzy. I think it's a 7th grade volcano reaction with the last one. 12
Chris: yow! what the hell? 35
Joe: I wouldn't mind if it was fizzy if I knew it was supposed to be. 35
Unveiled: 2006 Balbo, $7.99
Joe: It's probably corked and they owe us money.
Molly: Woah! a littly burny. like ee ee ee ee. 55. I think it needs red meat. I'm thinking winter.
Margaret: pop rocks. i feel like I swallowed a chamois cloth. It's like some
Maya: oh my god, that is fizzzy. dimetapp. 57
Rebecca: right about the first inch of your tongue, it's fizzy. I think it's a 7th grade volcano reaction with the last one. 12
Chris: yow! what the hell? 35
Joe: I wouldn't mind if it was fizzy if I knew it was supposed to be. 35
Unveiled: 2006 Balbo, $7.99
Joe: It's probably corked and they owe us money.
Cabernet #5
Chris: It has that flaw -- soapy. 45
Molly: smells salty. Cheap liquid soap that you find in dispensers in public restrooms. Some of the others were too bitey. This one is too not bitey. 40
Maya: yes, soapy. A little effervescent. Tastes like grape soda.
Rebecca: Jammy. currant.
Margaret: tastes like plum to me. Ya, Jammy.
Joe: Jam. It's an opera with no epiloge. Graham cracker. 59
Maya said it was like the ending of the 7th harry potter book, and then everyone started talking about harry potter and wizards.
Unveiled: 2004 J.W. Morris, $2.99
Molly: smells salty. Cheap liquid soap that you find in dispensers in public restrooms. Some of the others were too bitey. This one is too not bitey. 40
Maya: yes, soapy. A little effervescent. Tastes like grape soda.
Rebecca: Jammy. currant.
Margaret: tastes like plum to me. Ya, Jammy.
Joe: Jam. It's an opera with no epiloge. Graham cracker. 59
Maya said it was like the ending of the 7th harry potter book, and then everyone started talking about harry potter and wizards.
Unveiled: 2004 J.W. Morris, $2.99
Cabernet #4
Margaret: Smells like canned creamed corn. (Molly and Rebecca back me up -- I think we have a consensus)
Rebecca: Olives. Nice, actually, like a tapenade. I'd like it with lamb, rosemary and potatoes. 54
Joe: Anisette. Black licorice Dots. (drinks) blueberries. I'd like it with other wines preceding it. I think it's pretty damn good. 62
Maya: Doesn't hurt my esophagus at all. 62
Molly: I taste olives. I want to eat this with venison stew. 65. I like that one, It made me very happy. It made me want to cook. Be afraid.
Chris: I'd like it with corned beef. 65 (Tried with food) With the food, this one kind of disappeared. (Molly contends that only the finish disappeared.)
So far, people like this one best, and really want to pair it with food.
Unveiled: 2005 Cycles Gladiator, $9.99
Rebecca: Olives. Nice, actually, like a tapenade. I'd like it with lamb, rosemary and potatoes. 54
Joe: Anisette. Black licorice Dots. (drinks) blueberries. I'd like it with other wines preceding it. I think it's pretty damn good. 62
Maya: Doesn't hurt my esophagus at all. 62
Molly: I taste olives. I want to eat this with venison stew. 65. I like that one, It made me very happy. It made me want to cook. Be afraid.
Chris: I'd like it with corned beef. 65 (Tried with food) With the food, this one kind of disappeared. (Molly contends that only the finish disappeared.)
So far, people like this one best, and really want to pair it with food.
Unveiled: 2005 Cycles Gladiator, $9.99
Cabernet #3
Chris: I like the color of this one. 40
Margaret: Smells fruity! Nice. (Drinks) Oh! Oh! It's really not good.
Rebecca: Undertone of cat urine. (Chris: It could be our house.) Tastes like raw flower ... or paste. This might be the first one I throw out. Like chewing on a q-tip. 28
Molly: Smells like rosemary and weed together. Thyme! Thyme! (Drinks) Nothing, grainy, no finish. 35
Joe: Color is definitely ruby, garnet. A light style cabernet. Rain slicker, $2 poncho from Sea World smell. 40
Maya: Doesn't taste like a cabernet. Tastes pinoty to me. As a cab, 37. But as a pinot, 55.
Unveiled: N.V. Barefoot Cab. $4.49
Margaret: Smells fruity! Nice. (Drinks) Oh! Oh! It's really not good.
Rebecca: Undertone of cat urine. (Chris: It could be our house.) Tastes like raw flower ... or paste. This might be the first one I throw out. Like chewing on a q-tip. 28
Molly: Smells like rosemary and weed together. Thyme! Thyme! (Drinks) Nothing, grainy, no finish. 35
Joe: Color is definitely ruby, garnet. A light style cabernet. Rain slicker, $2 poncho from Sea World smell. 40
Maya: Doesn't taste like a cabernet. Tastes pinoty to me. As a cab, 37. But as a pinot, 55.
Unveiled: N.V. Barefoot Cab. $4.49
Cabernet #2
Margaret: Smells like alcohol. (Drinks) Zingy! I like it better than #1. It's got more fruitiness. Pinesol?
Rebecca: This makes me want to pop and rock. Or maybe it's just the music. Smelling some pine. (drinks) no finish except a peppery sting. Holding it in your mouth and aerating normally helps a wine, but in this case it doesn't help at all. Tastes like orajel. 42
Molly: Plastic! It smells like plastic! Like when you take something out of plastic wrap. Mushroomy. (drinks) No bite. I think it would be really good with beef stew and a potato gratin. My mouth is numb. 35
Joe: Rosemary, but maybe it is plastic (Drinks) Kind of tastes like salsa (drinks) Woodsy, barbequey, smokey. mesquitey. 40.85
Maya: I don't think there's much difference between rosemary and plastic. Fruity. I'm at a loss for a number.
Chris: I don't know what to say about this. Slightly better than the last one. It could be earthy, could be vegetally. 62
Unveiling: N.V. Prosperity Red, $5.99
Rebecca: This makes me want to pop and rock. Or maybe it's just the music. Smelling some pine. (drinks) no finish except a peppery sting. Holding it in your mouth and aerating normally helps a wine, but in this case it doesn't help at all. Tastes like orajel. 42
Molly: Plastic! It smells like plastic! Like when you take something out of plastic wrap. Mushroomy. (drinks) No bite. I think it would be really good with beef stew and a potato gratin. My mouth is numb. 35
Joe: Rosemary, but maybe it is plastic (Drinks) Kind of tastes like salsa (drinks) Woodsy, barbequey, smokey. mesquitey. 40.85
Maya: I don't think there's much difference between rosemary and plastic. Fruity. I'm at a loss for a number.
Chris: I don't know what to say about this. Slightly better than the last one. It could be earthy, could be vegetally. 62
Unveiling: N.V. Prosperity Red, $5.99
Cabernet #1
Rebecca: I could not stand on these legs. (Drinks) It feels like I swallowed a biting insect. I wouldn't go near flame. 37
Maya: It's got some legs. It smells moldy. (Drinks) It's boring. There's nothing going on. 50
Chris: Oh my god (winces). (Drinks) I'm getting short of breath! This is slightly worse than what I would drink. 55, but maybe that's just cause I needed a drink.
Molly: It's got a really sharp and acrid smell to it. Oh, a funky smell. (Drinks and spits it out with agonized look on face.) No finish whatsoever. Like Everclear that's been colored red.
Joe: A dusty smell. (Drinks) But I actually like it. 40
After the unveiling: 2005 Robert Mondavi Woodbridge, $4.99
Maya: It's got some legs. It smells moldy. (Drinks) It's boring. There's nothing going on. 50
Chris: Oh my god (winces). (Drinks) I'm getting short of breath! This is slightly worse than what I would drink. 55, but maybe that's just cause I needed a drink.
Molly: It's got a really sharp and acrid smell to it. Oh, a funky smell. (Drinks and spits it out with agonized look on face.) No finish whatsoever. Like Everclear that's been colored red.
Joe: A dusty smell. (Drinks) But I actually like it. 40
After the unveiling: 2005 Robert Mondavi Woodbridge, $4.99
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