wine opinions

[hlsess]

I am not a wine drinker but I am having a small girl's group- I asked a few friends and here is what i bought- Bogle- cabernet sauvignon , Vendage Chardonnay, and Yellow Tail Pinot Grigio- I want to have something that is good but not the best and not the worst- any opinions??

[Littleman]

Yellowtail is absolutely not worthy of drinking...............

[Chinon00]

Will your friends know the difference?

[redmeatfan]

No they won't which is a shame but if you swallow any wine without smelling or moving it around in your mouth they all lack taste. This is why Pinot Grigio is popular from Italy as it has a little more taste than mineral water sometimes less.

[ChefJune]

There are actually a few Pinot grigios that are quite good, but they are not the mass-priduced, heavily marketed, available in supermarket ones...

[PolarBear]

While tasting our way through the Wine Ghetto in Lompoc on Saturday we were told that a new completely different style of PG would be released next year, iirc, from Mark Cargasacchi, owner/winemaker at Jalama Winery.

[Bill Hunt]

I'll keep my eyes open for that. I have been very underwhelmed with PG, and that includes some rather high-end ones from Italy.

Going back a bit, the King Estate Reserve (only their Reserve), was the only one to really do much for me.

Had a Croatian PG recently, and it was very interesting, but could only score 2 btls. of it. On second & third tasting, I wondered what I thought I had found earlier on, as they were rather insipid. Maybe just a varietal, that I should avoid, but I want to find a good one.

Hunt

[zin1953]

Do you feel the same way about Alsatian Pinot Gris?

[Bill Hunt]

I have not had any that moved me. Now, some Alsatian PB's have.

Hunt

[SteveTimko]

Try Weinbach and Boxler.
Also, out of the Alto Adige, try Elena Walch and Alois Lageder.

[ChefJune]

Pinot Grigios from the Alto Adige have more body than others I've tried. They are not always "more expensive." Maybe it's the colder temperature that contributes to the better flavor profile. It's still not my favorite white grape variety, though, by a longshot!

[catspercapita]

I also vote for Alto Adige PG's. Nice body and flavor.

[Vetter]

Funny you mention King Estate. I was just thinking about Helvetia's (west of PDX) pinot gris. Some years, it's like a grapefruit party. Other years it's a brilliant green apple. Never boring. Love that stuff.

[Gnoop]

Might consider a Bogle Petite Sirah. Even the wine geeks are picking some up as daily drinkers.

[Val]

The Bogle PS gets very good scores and has for a while now! For $10, very good tasting!

[hlsess]

All 3 wines were fine and so inexpensive!! And I sold lotsof jewelry and got 650 in free jewelry!

[RicRios]

"il fine giustifica i mezzi"

Niccolò Piero Machiavelli

[dinwiddie]

As most of the posters have said, none of them will please the typical wine affectionado on these boards. Bogle Cab is probably not that good, but you never know since Bogle sources whatever bulk wines are available to bottle. Cheap Cabs are not the best, but depending on the year, they could be good. (or adequate) recent vintages of Napa Cabs have been good, so there was a lot of good bulk Cab available. Yellow Tail is a huge Australian producer, and I've never had a good Aussie Pinot Grigio. But, for non wine experts (i.e., just the girls) it could be OK. Vendage is another bulk producer, mainly known for jug wines (i.e., 1.5 liters of average wines) and again hit or miss. Actually, you probably would have been better off if you got a Vendage Pinot Grigio and a Yellow Tail Chard.

[hlsess]

thanks-I ma thinking it'll be fine- it's for a jewelry show and most will only have one glass-

[SteveTimko]

Yellowtail is a huge importer of wine into the United States and got successful by making wines the masses -- but not necessarily wine geeks -- like. Cheap cabernet sauvignon is seldom good, but wine growers are hurting badly and wine that used to go into mid-priced cuvees is turning up in low-priced bottles. Bogle old vine zinfandel is cheap and usually da bomb. Vendange is part of the Constellation group of wines. I usually see their wines in one-liter bottles.
I'm guessing the Yellow Tail will be a crowd pleaser.
For the typical person who posts on this board I don't think any of the wines will reach the level of good.

[invinotheresverde]

Dump the PG. Yellow Tail is a crappy producer and PG, in general, is a crappy variety. The Bogle is passable. Never heard of Vendage.

[ChefJune]

I agree, the Bogle should be drinkable. Maybe the Vendange. But I'd have to be dying of thirst in the desert before I'd drink anything made by Yellowtail. Think of alcoholic Mountain Dew...... 8-(

[Bill Hunt]

I forget who does the Vendage, but it was the wine of Southwest Airlines, and barely drinkable - harsh, unbalanced and not worth the calories, IMHO.

Hunt