Top 10 Worst Wines of the Year

This is more entertaining than posting a top 10 best of the year. I have tasted some really good wines this year but like a McDonald’s hamburger there are some really bad one’s out there. These wines are typically sweet and infused with Mega Purple but not always. Here is the top 10 worst wines of the year from 3 Day Wine Review!

1. 2022 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon 50th Anniversary – USA, California, Napa Valley (8/24/2024)

Caymus Napa vs. Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells (Tom & Bruna’s Edina): Oak chip overload along with ripe, dark fruits almost port like here. Sugar along with an artificial smoke element piped into this wine. If you just swallow this wine like water it is pleasant which is what the chemists have designed here but if you hit all those taste buds there is just an awful experience in my mouth. Hard to believe people like this and drink this but I am doing a blind tasting tonight with this vs. Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Cab which is 1/6 the price. The aftertaste on this lingers for quite a while and really two glasses of this and I am going to have heartburn and/ or a screaming headache.

Day 2: Even Caymus can improve on day 2. Less of that sugar overload and more smoke and oak chips. Shorter finish than day 1 and still get that chemical, lingering after tasting but a bit more drinkable. Got a little left for day 3. 68 points

“WS 91: A creamy, forward style, with a core of warmed raspberry and boysenberry preserves infused liberally with mocha and melted licorice. Shows a late flicker of chaparral. This is meant for near-term hedonism. Drink now through 2034. (JM)“

2. NV Austin Hope Cabernet Sauvignon Harvester – USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles (11/29/2024)

Day 1: Total Wine top wine of the year! Artificial smoke like Burger King pumps out, Jammy fruits, spice and oak chips. Super SWEET wine. One of the great marketing scams of all time in wine that this is number one for anything. Another example of how bad Paso Robles Cabernets are and this at $20.00 is a complete joke of a wine. Acidity levels extremely low. Beverage Dynamics 90 points. 68 points

Day 2: Young well-made wines improve on day 2 almost every time however this is not a well-made wine. Overpowering smoke, some riper fruits and super short finish. With this NV labeling almost a sure thing this is bulk juice from the 2020 smoke tainted vintage. JUNK! 60 points

Day 3: Maybe the worst day 3 tasting of my career. This is smoke and water. There literally is no detectable fruit left in this wine. 50 points

Recommendation: Day barely drinkable and would not be able to consume a half of glass but day 3 is maybe the worst wine experience in a long time. (68 points)

“Beverage Dynamics-Paso Robles, Central Coast, CA- “Full-bodied with inviting flavors of red berries, spice, and velvety tannins; a densely-packed Cabernet that is defined by its soft, luscious finish.” Crafted by Austin Hope of Hope Family Wines. 90 points”

 3. 2022 Quilt Cabernet Sauvignon – USA, California, Napa Valley (10/19/2024)

Tom & Bruna’s Halloween Party (Edina, MN): Up there for worst wine of the year. Cotton candy, burnt fruit and raisins. Finish is not pleasant. Good thing I was spitting wines all night but would be spitting this one anyway. Not sure how people can drink this and hopefully no critic gave this above an 80 or they should be investigated. (66 points)

“94 points, Tasting Panel.”  

“Heavy aromas of oak char and toasted almonds lead to a spicy, rich palate of white and black pepper, pineapple and butter in this robust, swaggering wine. — Jim Gordon 90 points” Wine Enthusiasts

2024 Thibault Ducroux Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau – France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau (11/29/2024)

A simple wine and just a marketing joke BN is. Easter egg dye, bubble gum and some earth. Short finish. Just stop making this stuff. I have no doubt the Cru lineup is probably good but this is not. (67 points)

4. 2021 Belle Glos Pinot Noir Dairyman – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (11/16/2024)

$40 Plus Pinot Tasting (Minneapolis, MN): Well the average will drop a tiny bit but how people think this is good is beyond me. Rasins, spice and chalk. Short finish and acidity levels are low. A hard wine to drink but I smell, swish and spit so no worries. One person thought this was better than the 2022 but they are both terrible. One person gave this 100 points. Wow. (67 points)

WS 85 points

5. 2019 Siduri Pinot Noir Garys’ Vineyard – USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (11/16/2024)

$40 Plus Pinot Tasting (Minneapolis, MN): What a complete mess of a wine. Tried early and later and later offered a chemical taste and smell along with really sweet currants, paint thinner and spice. This is looking to compete for the 3 Day Wine Review top 10 worst wines of the year. (68 points)

“91 Points WS. Delicate and elegantly styled, with rich fresh cherry, raspberry, pomegranate and boysenberry fruit flavors enlivened by firm acidity and supported by firm, fine-grained tannins. 517 cases made.”

6. 2022 Belle Glos Pinot Noir Dairyman – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (11/16/2024)

$40 Plus Pinot Tasting (Minneapolis, MN): Was joking on the way over that someone would bring a Dairyman and sure enough one person did but then someone who came later brought a second vintage which is equally as bad. Raisins, spice and dirt. No real Pinot character and Belle Glos continues to make some really bad wines. (68 points)

“Wine Enthusiast 94
Beautiful, pure and focused fruit flavors distinguish this elegant, well-balanced wine. Tart cherries, black cherries, blueberries and black tea nuances seem primed for further complexity over time. A lithe structure of fruit acidity and medium tannins will carry it far. Best from 2026–2032. Editors’ Choice-WE“

7. 2020 K Vintners The Creator – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (10/29/2024)

Day 1: From WTSO for under $46 so good deal. Pop and pour and concerns with smoke taint. I have found Washington in 2020 hit or miss so will allow some time on this one to make that clear determination. Smoke, earth, dirt, spice, muted fruit and gravel. Will sample later tonight but not a good showing on a pop and pour which many Walla Walla Wines have showed better. No Score.

Day 1.5: As one of the few honest critics this is clearly smoke taint. Fruit is muted and smoke taint very obvious. Trying to mask with wood. Will try on day 2 but smoke taint will be more present. A real shame a wine critic gave this 97.

Day 2: This is a bit better on day 2 but the smoke is overpowering the fruit on this one. Raspberries and sour cherry with smoke and smoke, spice and black pepper. A wine that so far is not even close to any of the other vintages of the Creator. 78 points

Day 3: A harsh, chalkiness to the wine which masks any fruit that is trying to emerge. I can tell they also oaked these wines probably more than usual to mask some of that smoke taint. All in all this wine is very poor in quality compared to any other vintages I have sampled.

Recommendation: There was a reason WTSO dumped these wines a week or so ago as no one from the tasting room was buying them. Buyer beware. (78 points)

Insane on these Scores: WA 97, Dunnuck 96, Suckling 95

8. 2022 Waypoint Pinot Noir Starscape Vineyard – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (11/16/2024)

$40 Plus Pinot Tasting (Minneapolis, MN): Some really bad wine but Last Bottle and there you go. Water, sweet fruits and some mild spice. Acidity is lacking and disjointed wine. Many spit this one out at a wine party. Tried an hour later and equally as bad. (71 points)

Suckling 92

9. 2016 Guarachi Cabernet Sauvignon Meadowrock Estate Vineyard – USA, California, Napa Valley, Atlas Peak (3/16/2024)

2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Event (Minneapolis, MN): This is why I don’t buy anything from last bottle. This is a no Namer winery that threw their inventory over to them and is about the worst Napa wine I have sampled in a long time. Raisins, earth super thin. Short finish and dump this out. Easy pass and should cost around $9.99. I see Wine Spies also carries this and would never buy from them. So many silly sites out there. (71 points)

RATINGS: 99 Tasting Panel, 92+ Wine Advocate, 92+ Jeb Dunnuck, 92 James Suckling, 91 Wine Enthusiast

10. Need to save this spot as still time in 2024.