Taste it Again / Lost & Found

Taste it Again / Lost & Found: Three Bottles Sad But Not Unexpected (Ontario)

24 Nov 2014

13th Street Winery 2002 Erv's Burget Blend (NO original review)
Mastronardi 2007 Cabernet Franc (see original review)
Colchester Ridge 2007 Merlot (NO original review)

(September 11, 2014) ... There are wines that I smack my head about losing track of, one of those was this bottle of 13th Street 2002 Erv's Burger Blend ... This was a kitchen sink blend made by the Ontario cult winery back in its hey day, when knowing how to find them and when they were open was a game of epic proportion, and going to their semi-annual open houses/new release launches were legendary.  I just so happened to be speaking with one of the back-in-the-day principals, Ken Douglas, and mentioned I had a bottle, he was quick to point out: "That was never meant to age" ... I had a feeling.  I was heartbroken to find it was also sealed under plastic.  The wine was pure tannic vinegar, and had no redeeming qualities to it whatsoever, sigh - so it was a bottle I lost in the cellar I really wish I hadn't.

The next saddening bottle I opened was from Mastronardi (Lake Erie North Shore) and their 2007 Cabernet Franc.  Upon pouring it in to the glass it was the colour of Pinot Noir, which to me seemed odd for a Franc in a hot vintage like 2007, when grapes were ripe and colour should not have been a problem.  Acidity has remained high but the flavour is out of whack and there's just something supremely odd about it, it gave me the sensation of sour cherries dipped in cigarette ash ... and what's even worse than that, it continued to get worse the longer it remained open.  By the time I dumped it down the drain it was so foul smelling that my sink almost threw it back up at me.

My last bottle of this disappointing trifecta was from Colchester Ridge, a 2007 Merlot (another Lake Erie North Shore winery).  Now recently I had a tasting of some older Colchester that was less than impressive, and alas this 2007 did not fair any better.  It was odd and funky on the nose and not much better on the palate:  think old sweat socks wrapped in rubber bands ... This was a bottle I was not happy to find.  Lord knows now I really need a drink ... Maybe this is why people turn to whiskey, it doesn't go bad.  All above bottles Lost & Found Rating:  TRASH

But I did find one good bottle this evening ... Click to see.

 

Get Our Newsletter

* indicates required

Follow Us on Social Media

Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube