I started from zero in the wine world and developed a palate through hard work and the most important applying the 5 step tasting process. Education is the key in wine like anything. So many so drink what you like but they are clueless and work for the industry. Yes when you apply the tasting process you can drink what you like as you are actually tasting wine. Wines like Caymus, Prisoner, Orin Swift, Freakshow and Sea Sun are not good in the grand scheme of things. If you like those wines save yourself some money and just drink a rum and coke. You will get the same sweetness and probably more pleasure. Here are some wines I tasted recently that are in the running for worst wines of the year.
- 2021 Cline Cellars Zinfandel Ancient Vines – USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Contra Costa County (10/8/2023)
Not even ancient vines can help this. Sweet fruits, spice and some chalk. Short finish. Drinkable. (82 points) - 2020 Cline Cellars Cashmere – USA, California (10/8/2023)
Another cheaply made wine. Some fruit, sweetness on that fruit along with spice and some floral notes. Short finish. (82 points) - 2022 Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio – Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Trentino, Valdadige (10/8/2023)
This is why the tasting process is so important. Those who drink this drink it like water and then it is non offensive because it tastes like water. A little lemon and some minerals. Not much going on. (72 points) - 2021 Vinhos Sogrape Silk & Spice – Portugal (10/8/2023)
Barely drinkable. A corporate take from reliable Portugal. Spice and some mild fruit. Smoke on the finish. Short finish and not very balanced. (78 points) - 2019 Elouan Pinot Noir – USA, Oregon (10/8/2023)
These continue to be the cheap, sweet wines from Oregon. While there are not many poorly made wines overall in the state this is top five worst. Sweet fruits, perfume and some spice. Short finish and low acidity on this one. I know surprise. (78 points) - 2021 Sea Sun Vineyard Pinot Noir California – USA, California (10/7/2023)
20 points better than the Chardonnay. Smoke, red currants and some spice. Short finish and doesn’t taste like pinot but drinkable. (73 points) - 2021 Michael-David Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Freakshow – USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi (10/7/2023)
My annual tasting of this terrible wine at a wine shop tasting today. No I would not buy this. Sweet fruit and some spice. Short and not balanced. Low acid levels reported. The label says it all. (63 points) - NV Quilt Threadcount – USA, California (10/7/2023)
Some awful stuff. The rep misunderstood me as she said people are loving this wine and I said MN wine drinkers like sweet wines and she thought I said this was from MN which it maybe should have been. Sweet fruits and not much else to talk about it. (73 points) - 2021 Sea Sun Vineyard Chardonnay California – USA, California (10/7/2023)
Ok I try these types of wines at local wine shops to make sure I have a proper top 10 worst wines of the year. This is a Caymus Family Masterpiece. Pesticides, sweet fruit flavors but not in a good way and wood chips for some extra flavor. This wine took me a few other wines to wash out that terrible taste in my mouth. For sure top 3 worst wines of the year. (52 points) - 2021 Crimson Ranch Chardonnay – USA, California (9/24/2023)
For sure one of the worst wines of the year. Cloying wine with some pesticides and muted fruit. Super bad wine. (56 points) - 2017 Casal de Loivos Douro Tom de Baton – Portugal, Douro (9/23/2023)
Day 1: Always good to include some words with a score. Ok 93 WE Roger Voss (who is Roger Voss?). These are the shelf talkers that move pedestrian type wine and this is pedestrian. Dried raisins, watered down blueberries, mild spice and dirt. Super short finish. No much acidity here. A completely, poorly made wine that is super overrated. I don’t think day 2 or 3 will help this one.
Day 2: Maybe a bit better but not too much. Dried raisins, water downed fruit and dirt. One point improvement. Portugal in my opinion is the most overrated on the planet. Go to Spain for good $15 and under wines. 73 points (73 points)