Jun 22 2009
$5 Fridays: Chenin Blanc & Pinot Grigio
So… It’s not Friday. And it’s not Saturday, either. No. No, it’s Monday.
What happened?
We got rid of one set of parents only to trade ‘em in for another… Which? I love them all – really I do – but one week of my parents followed immediately by a weekend with his, with me STILL working full days (yes, weekends too!) left me exhausted. As soon as the last of the ‘rents left, I fell into bed. It didn’t matter that it was 8pm, I was going to bed!!!
And then it was today. Monday. Blech.
But let’s think happy thoughts, why don’t we? Thoughts like… Good, cheap wine! Yeah!
Except… Nope… This week? I wasn’t thrilled by the selections. Actually, to be honest, I was downright disgusted by one. (Nearly spit it back out, and NOT in that “I’m on a wine-tasting kick” kind of way!!!)
The two I reviewed this week were:
Indaba Chenin Blanc and Cadonini Pinot Grigio (both $5.99)
So let’s get down to business, all right?
Indaba Chenin Blanc
Type: White
Variety: Chenin Blanc
Location: Stellenbosch, South Africa
Drink Date: Now – 2011
A review says, “A sweetly perfumed wine, characteristic of the grape, showing lots of tropical fruit, melon, citrus and floral aromas. The same luscious fruit flavors follow through on the palate, backed by refreshing acidity and good structure. The finish leaves you with an intriguing note of clove.”
And I say, “WHA?!?!?!?!” I really wanted to like this wine. I really, really did. It was pretty! And really, a $10 bottle (on sale for $5)! And, did I mention, PRETTY?!?!
But… No. Just no. My first sip was without food, on a clean palate. It was so acid, I nearly spit it out. Before I took another sip, I had a few bites of my dinner. Second sip? A tad better. Slightly. No urge to regurge, but also – no real desire for another sip. Which? If you know me? Is saying something.
And so I put it back in the fridge overnight, thinking maybe I could do something with it… Or, you know, drink another bottle first so that I was drunk enough it tasted alright later on. (WHAT? You KNOW that works!) The next day, despite not partaking of another beverage, it was… surprisingly, MUCH more palatable. The overnight aeration had gotten rid of a lot of the acidity and bitterness, and the wine was now passable. Still not one I’d recommend, but – OK. And that’s the final verdict.
(Just thought I’d mention here, again, that these reviews are totally my opinion and I am in NO WAY a wine expert. Who might love and recommend this wine. But me? With my plebian “would I drink it?” standards? No, I do not. Sorry.)
Cadonini Pinot Grigio
Type: White
Varietal: Pinot Grigio
Location: Italy
Drink Date: Now
This was a cheap Pinot Grigio that… tasted like a cheap Pinot Grigio. There was nothing offensive about it; there was also nothing distinctive about it. Wikipedia tells us that the wines made from the Pinot Gris grapes grown in Italy are “a light-bodied, often lean wine that is light in color with sometimes spritzy flavors that can be crisp and acidic. Although this wine can be very sweet, it will begin to lose its acidity when it is nearly ripe.” And who am I to disagree with Wikipedia?
This wine was OK; truly one where you got what you paid for. Worth $5, sure. But you’re not getting a huge bang for your buck.
Next week (um, OK. THIS week!) I hope to find something with a bit more OOMPH behing it. A $5 wine that tastes like a $8 wine? Is that too much to ask for?!?! 
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