The wine was simple and a bit sharp when it was young and now a year later, it's blossomed a bit but quite short and lacking in dimension and especially the finish which is abrupt and not pleasing. The nose is nice pie cherry with a bit of leather and flavors are similar. I don't see this improving so drink with rich foods like a mac and cheese dish and the cherry and tart, short finish may be refreshing if unmemorable.
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I don't like to score a wine if I don't enjoy it, which in this case was definitely true. I tried a few different temperatures, decanting, etc. and nothing made this wine pleasant to my palate. I don't know much about Dolcetto as a varietal but based on how thin and light the wine was overall, I have to believe the interesting, fairly intense purple-red hue was because it was heavily extracted. You could smell some of the fruit and taste more, but there was also a green tomato type of sourness to it and a bit of a metallic taste. Tasted a little watery in the middle with a fairly long finish which in this case didn't do anything for me.
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This has a beautiful deep purple color, but that's as far as the compliments can go. The nose was funky/skunky, with some black cherry and herbal qualities buried within, and on first sip the wine tasted of stainless steel. After decanting for an hour, the offputting aromas dissipated, revealing a pleasant, pretty nose of cherries, dried herbs and vanilla. But unfortunately the flavors never followed suit. A lightweight, somewhat thin body surrounded muted flavors of red fruits and cherry tomatoes with a bitter and (still) metallic aftertaste. We tasted it alongside a Dolcetto d'Alba from Italy -- the real thing -- which was comparably priced and just as bad (if not worse). Side-by-side, the Bonny Doon was certainly authentic, but in this instance that wasn't a good thing. Not recommended.
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9/10/2011 - dino_mike wrote: 75 Points
The wine was simple and a bit sharp when it was young and now a year later, it's blossomed a bit but quite short and lacking in dimension and especially the finish which is abrupt and not pleasing. The nose is nice pie cherry with a bit of leather and flavors are similar. I don't see this improving so drink with rich foods like a mac and cheese dish and the cherry and tart, short finish may be refreshing if unmemorable.
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1/8/2011 - jmoskow wrote: 74 Points
Licking pennies. Almost vinegar. No one liked it.
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8/29/2010 - sbreffle wrote: 86 Points
Both fruit and vegetable characteristics to this wine. Not the most delicious, but interesting.
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8/27/2010 - oaklandwinelover Likes this wine: 88 Points
nice fruit with a smokey finish
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7/17/2010 - kultcha wrote:
I don't like to score a wine if I don't enjoy it, which in this case was definitely true. I tried a few different temperatures, decanting, etc. and nothing made this wine pleasant to my palate. I don't know much about Dolcetto as a varietal but based on how thin and light the wine was overall, I have to believe the interesting, fairly intense purple-red hue was because it was heavily extracted. You could smell some of the fruit and taste more, but there was also a green tomato type of sourness to it and a bit of a metallic taste. Tasted a little watery in the middle with a fairly long finish which in this case didn't do anything for me.
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2/2/2010 - WineontheBarrelhead wrote: 75 Points
This has a beautiful deep purple color, but that's as far as the compliments can go. The nose was funky/skunky, with some black cherry and herbal qualities buried within, and on first sip the wine tasted of stainless steel. After decanting for an hour, the offputting aromas dissipated, revealing a pleasant, pretty nose of cherries, dried herbs and vanilla. But unfortunately the flavors never followed suit. A lightweight, somewhat thin body surrounded muted flavors of red fruits and cherry tomatoes with a bitter and (still) metallic aftertaste. We tasted it alongside a Dolcetto d'Alba from Italy -- the real thing -- which was comparably priced and just as bad (if not worse). Side-by-side, the Bonny Doon was certainly authentic, but in this instance that wasn't a good thing. Not recommended.
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