Gallo, at least from what Morgan and Chris says, has done a great job managing Monte Rosso. Certainly some groups have taken over labels and they’ve become worse. Not sure the quality at mondavi is worse after constellation took them over.
Is Mollydooker still made? That could be a good option.
True, you can just select any wine he gave 95+ points ![[stirthepothal.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/f/f40faec63ca1018898a40805efbf9f0066a3d205.gif "[stirthepothal.gif]"){kind=small}
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It would be an interesting post-tasting challenge to have a re-match where the winner of each category is paired against another contender chosen from the opposing category with the specific intent to unseat the incumbent. I suspect it can be done such that you end up making absolutely no conclusive point about mass-produced vs. artisanal winemaking being the primary factor in the quality of the product. You could call your tasting “The Judgement of Boston” 
On Veuve and Moet…the entry bottlings from both leave me wanting more. The Veuve is better than the Moet to my tastes since around 2005. The vintage versions of these wines is a vast step up in quality and conveys the vintage well (so look for 2008). I used to taste through the commonly-available grocery store Champagnes so that I could grab quick host gifts when I was travelling and invited to dinner or drinks. Champagne is almost always welcomed and knowing what is going to taste good and is readily found is a good thing for these situations.
Cheers,
fred
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Veuve doesn’t suck, it’s just higher dosage than most of the slicker similarly priced grower options, and the dosage is noticeable. I’d go with Moet Imperial Brut which is, in my opinion, among if not the most soulless of the large house NV bruts, and probably the worst QPR.
The problem there is that some people will LOVE the oak.
what about that is a problem?
Is Mollydooker still made? That could be a good option.
It is. Carnival of Love would be perfect. The Velvet Glove is actually good but almost twice the price.
Mike said he’s looking for soulless wines, and Rombauer is not bland. Some people might consider it very soulful. (Others might even think it overly so.)
Thanks for this! I actually checked online and it seems we’re both wrong - the correct phrase is “bad rap.”
Just get a collection of wines from Jackson Family Wines. But, beware, a lot of people are going to prefer these wines to the ones you like.
And thus the quandry: “soul” vs. popularity vs. availability. It can be challenging guessing QPR in the eyes of the beholders.
RT
He’s our resident Wine Wraith, a highly reliable predictor of wines with oodles of points, but no soul.
That’s a great idea, if you don’t mind I could adopt it with a twist:
- 1st: I would served non-blind 2 wines that unmistakable represents the characteristics of it’s varietal, let’s say one tempranillo and one malbec.
- 2nd: I would served blind their heavily manufactured counterparts and ask the tasters to write down which one they identify as tempranillo and which one as malbec.
- 3rd: Once everyone has finished tasting the manufactured wines, uncover the bottles and check the results. (My gut feeling: 50/50)
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What about some of the Far Niente reds?
Going to disagree with that statement Howard. Jackson Family has several wineries that are solid.
Penner Ash, Brewer Clifton, Siduri, Copain, Hartford Family, Arrowood to name a few.
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Not to mention: La Jota, Lokoya, Vérité, Brewer-Clifton, Mt. Brave, Stonestreet,…
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I have had some really nice La Jota wines. Have never tried Mt. Brave. What other winery is similar?
I don’t think many realize how many good wineries they have purchased in the last few years. I was shocked when I saw what they have in their portfolio a few years ago.
The 15 Il Fauno was one of the best wines I tasted for under $30 a few years ago. Got a few cases at $20.00.
2015 Tenuta di Arceno Il Fauno Di Arcanum Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (7/7/2020)
Day 1: Not sure why I am drinking this on a 95 degree day but it is great. Blueberries, menthol, spice, roasted meats and dark cherry. Medium plus finish. 92 points
Day 2: Excellent featuring blueberries, earth, menthol, roasted meats and dark berries. Medium plus finish. 92 points
Day 3: Has gained a bit. Nice floral character on day 3 along with menthol, blueberries, roasted meats, spice and dark cherries. Medium plus finish and excellent value. 93 points
Recommendation: Got several of these for low $20s. Steal wine and a great Jackson Family Estates property. (93 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
Some nice Penner Ash wine notes from Tom Hill from Jackson Family Estate
Watch out for those who have an agenda and are trying to prove that they are the wine elite! I have a case of 05 Monbo that is good and getting better.
The problem is matching up price There is a huge difference between wines people do not like and wines that are soulless and bad QPR. My wife would suggest that you should add “You know, what’s that wine called that tastes like horse manure?” and I will say, as I did yesterday, Beaucastel. She hates it, I think it is bad, but it doesn’t fit the bill.
I had some Charles Krug cabernet that I think would fit the bill, but too cheap.
Take a look here, but it flunks the cost test: