What's the WORST red you've drunk?

ozziepost

G'day all,

As many of you know, Ozzie likes a good red, as in shiraz! Each month we share experiences of the current tastings in the regular threads entitled "Ozzie's Wine of the Month". Not always has the Wine of the Month made it to the Most Recommended list. Remember back in February we had news of a Margaret River (WA) shiraz that was not recommended? :

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/47515/1.ashx

It seems part of human nature that we have more intense memories of what we don't like (like the Borg??) than the pleasant experiences. So, how about you? What's the WORST red wine you've tasted? No, I don't include those "home bews" that the Italians and others like to make!!! But the commercial wines. Here's my all-time distasteful red wines:

In second place is, perhaps surprisingly, a Rosemount wine. It's what is known as a "blend", somewhat cheaper in price and bears a purple label. This is not to be confused with the Rosemount Shiraz with the black label which is definitely on the recommended list.

Here's what the "purple label" looks like and what the winery say about blends:

Everyday wines made from single grape varieties can sometimes lack front, middle or back palate flavour or structure. However when carefully blended the strengths of the individual characters within a selected pairing can successfully balance one another.

http://www.rosemountestates.com/wine/ranges/premiumblends/index.html

And the winner is:.... In first place of Ozzie's worst reds is:

What can I say? This wine which is exported to the UK is also offered at the tables of top hotels in Oz. You know the Wine List that has the "cheapie" to persuade the diner that you would be a cheapskate to buy it and so steers you onto a dearer bottle! The winery makes the following claim:

Nottage Hill is one of Australia’s leading brands, with a reputation forged over 30 years for consistently producing high quality, flavoursome and reliable wines. Consistency of style and quality has long been Nottage Hill’s greatest attributes, and this release continues a fine tradition. Premium parcels from Australian wine producing regions have been selected to endow the wine with soft fruit flavours and a firm structure. Twelve months maturation prior to blending, fining and bottling has further added to the wine’s quality.

Frankly, my experiences with this drop have all been bitter, and I don't mean that figuratively! My advice: Treat it as you would as a Dub offering a "free" home Bible study! You get the idea? That's right, steer clear! Spend a bit more and taste "the real thing".

So, what's your WORST red? Do tell.

Cheers, Ozzie

Celia

...actually, the worst red I tried in the last 2 or 3 years was..... a Shiraz ... That was the first time I tried an Australian wine, and I was not impressed. But I can't tell you its name anymore. I haven't bought any Australian wine since then I usually buy Chile or Argentina or California red wines.

Matty

I have terrible memories as a kid at dinner drinking Italian wine that tasted like drain cleaner - Chianti & Valpolicella being the main sinners. Thank goodness the Italians have got their act together in the last decade or so.

Max Divergent

Had something from France recently - it tasted like mud (my wife says French always tastes bad).

Every bottle my (now ex-) wine club has sent in the last three shipments smelt like drain cleaner, so that's what I used it as. They would all have been bad in a cask, that they were in a bottle was shameful. All Australian (NSW and Vic) I'm sad to say. Even worse was that I directed my first shipment of the new wine club to the Bro-in-Laws where we were visiting at Xmas, but failed to switch it back before the next shipment :-( At least I'm popular with the in-laws....

But on a more cheery note, I picked up half a dozen Goundrey's Cabernet Merlot on favorable terms recently and, for a cheaper bottle, it's quite acceptable.

Cheers, Max

(Did you ever go to the winery the Sydney bethelites go to? It's about 15 minutes away from bethel, and you take your own bottles and fill them up from the barrel. It's on old Italian (I think) family and they have hundreds of varieties to choose from. Very cheap, discreet [depending what sort of bottle you take to fill] and a high alchohol content...)

Edited to add the bethel aside

wednesday

I hate Port;it tastes like the juice off raw meat.(UGH)

I really like sweet red wines.( i so not mean mad dog though) there is nothing like the warm glow wine gives, it is so much nicer than hard liquor.

gumby

I hate Port;it tastes like the juice off raw meat.(UGH)

Wed.....LMAO ! Good one! I feel the same.

Gumby

ballistic

I don't like red, except in Sangria. I do drink port though.

But I've had too many bad (or cheap?) bottles of red, and I favor white.

Trauma_Hound

Any Red for me, I don't like Red Wine, I like Reislings, or better yet German Splatlese.

-C

Soledad

I dont like Chilean or Argentinian wines. I had a glass of Gato Negro once in a mexican restaurant--pure vinegar. I wouldnt even use it to cook.

I love Shiraz and Chianti.

cruzanheart

Once upon a time, way way back in 1973, my parents celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. My Uncle Paul, kind, generous soul that he was, was "serving where the need was greater" in Del Rio, Texas, a little border town whose only claim to fame was Wolfman Jack broadcasting from the corresponding Mexican border town, Ciudad Acuna. He sent Mom and Dad a CASE of Del Rio wine. I'm sure the vineyard has improved since 1973, or someone has put it out of its misery, but that was the worst wine I have ever tasted. Mom and I cooked with it for years because the stuff was well nigh undrinkable.

Nina (Life Is Too Short to Drink Bad Wine)

What's the WORST red you've drunk?

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