WineLovers Discussion Group

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.

Let me guess. They used a real cork in 2002?

Real cork, but I've never blamed cork for VA before.

VA or TCA?

No corked/TCA odors, just overpowering nail polish remover, which I associate with out of control VA.

We had a real nasty one at the Blind Team Challenge tonite. After a lot of wrong guesswork, the wine turned out to be the `03 Chardonnay from Fleur du Cap (SA). My team thought either Oz or California! Oh and it was heavily oaked/chipped whatever.