Ciao famiglia,

Truett Hurst, 2012 "Curious beasts blood" Red Wine (CA appellation), 14.5% abv, retail is approximately $15 or so based on my Google search. This was a distributor sample. The gimmick here is that instead of a label on front and back, it has a paper wrapping instead, as if you were "drinking your dinner from a paper sack" (extra credit to anyone who gets that reference!) OK, here are more clues:

"Driving like a fool out to Hackensack
Drinking his dinner from a paper sack
He says I gotta see a joker
And I'll be right back"

Anyway, this is a drinkable red blend, touch of sweetness, spicy red fruits, big, and totally forgettable in the sea of similar red blends on the market now. Grade: Drinkable. I feel sorry for the "joker" that pays $15 for this.

Similarly, their 2012 "Schuck's Fish, White Wine" is a North Coast Sauvignon Blanc which comes in at a whopping 14.5% abv and is remarkably bland for the price point. The conceit is that the paper wrapping indicates a lack of pretension, an "everyday have fun with it wine, no need to meditate on it, or geek out over it" (my words). OK, but why charge $15 for a $8-10 SB??? Grade: Drinkable.

Finally, the 2012 Chloe Chardonnay (Sonoma County) has very intense apple and pear fruit, it is fresh and crisp, and has the merest touch of phony oak (staves or chips, probably) that reminds me of cheap butterscotch. This would have been a superb un-oaked Chard if they had not added the "oak" but that being said, if I put on my sales hat, this would probably be pretty popular with my average Chard customer. The label sucks, though, and the name "Chloe" merely reminds me of that annoying character from "24". smile From the folks that originated the Cupcake line. Grade: solid B.


Edited by Dave Cuneo (04-19-2014 18:27:24)
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"When laws become the enemy of men, then men become the enemies of laws".