A No Go On this Merlot – Badger Mountain NSA Organic Merlot ‘07

Oct 1 2009

You are about to read something that has never before been written on PalateBomb.com: a non-positive wine review.

Why “non-positive” review? Why not “bad?” Well, in the words of a good friend (to me): You’re not allowed to say a wine sucks. You can say you don’t enjoy it, but not that it’s bad.

Sure, there are people out there who know enough about wine to say that three-letter word with some authority, but we don’t like those people here.

Moving along…

I picked up this wine, an ’07 NSA Organic Merlot from Badger Mountain,  from The Wine Gods at Palate Bomb (what I’m going to call them until they tell me to stop or I can think of something better). I was attracted to it because I like merlot and, frankly, I’m a good little yuppy. We yuppies LOVE anything organic (the wine is stamped USDA organic).

After letting the bottle sit in my wine fridge for about a week, I knew The Wine Gods were getting restless for the review so I popped – er – unscrewed the cap (which I am PRO screw – but that article is coming soon). It’s my bad, I over-chilled it a little and being a little impatient poured. The only thing I could honestly smell (kick me here) was bread. I know, here we go again. I gave it a few minutes and the smell (thank God) went away. Still, I couldn’t exactly place what I was smelling. The nose was pretty unique. Not bad or good, but definitely interesting.

Initially, the the wine hit my tongue like a stereotypical merlot. It came on strong like barfly near closing time, and I did enjoy that (the wine that is). But there was a lingering taste – it was fruity but horrendously bitter. Like drinking unripened berries. I didn’t care for this, and since the finish is what stays with you the longest, it didn’t exactly urge me to pick up my glass again. (Note: According to the winery’s web site, the tasting notes include sweet cherry (didn’t see that), raspberry, caramel,  spice, and marionberry as well as oak.)

A couple minutes and a few drinks later my palate began warming up to the wine. The finish wasn’t as mouth-puckering, but there was still an odd fruit (I’m thinking it was the marionberry) that I could not fully accept as likable.

Luckily, by this time, the side effects of being on a diet (having an empty stomach) and the wine kicked in and I was already “feeling it.” Mission accomplished. Wait? Oh, that’s right, mission No. 1 was to write a review. Mission No. 2…

Overall, I didn’t enjoy this wine. It’s a good price (around $15 online), but honestly there’s a lot of other wines for that price (or less) that I like a lot more.  I did, however, like the fact it was made from organically grown grapes and I would definitely be interested in tasting more wines from Badger Mountain’s NSA (no sulfites added) collection.

Wine: 2007 NSA Badger Mountain Merlot
From: Badger Mountain (Kennewick, WA)
Where Found: Gift from the Wine Gods at Palate Bomb (but you may find it for $15 or less in stores and online)
Paired With: Nada (this wine was flying solo tonight)

Emiliana Vinyards “Natura” Cabernet (NV – Red Wine)

Aug 3 2009

Kicking off our week of “Captivating Cabs” An Bui brings a wine from Chile to the table… — SH




How to Hail a Cab… Cabernet, that is.

“I like it how I like it when I like it and that’s how it is…” Lindsay Lohan, Bossy

Never thought I’d quote LiLo, but last night my taste buds took a brief trip to South America. At dinner at a Brazilian grill in Denver, I asked my server to bring me tastes of each cabernet on the menu. I knew I wanted a cab, but didn’t know which one. I thought I might have the Brazilian cab, but I wanted my taste buds to make the decision.

I tasted the Peterlongo from Garibaldi, Brazil and the Natura from Valle Central, Chile.
The Peterlongo, a medium bodied wine, hit my taste buds with a crisp, tart fruit. The wine’s sweet, light scent paired with its taste and did not have the complexity I sought.

My final choice? The Emiliana Vineyards “Natura” from Valle Central, Chile. Made from organically grown grapes, this cabernet presented a very full body and a fruity scent, reminiscent of ripe berries. The deep jeweled red gleamed in the medium lighting. As the Natura slipped across my tongue and down my throat, I caught hints of fruit, the slight bitterness much like really dark chocolate. The complex finish was both smoky and spicy at the same time.

Of the various meats I sampled (peru com bacon, presunto, mahi-mahi, lamb, and many others), the pairing I enjoyed most was the picanha, a rare top sirloin, with the Natura cabernet. The beef highlighted the wine notes in a distinctive manner.

An drank the Natura cabernet from the Valle Central region in Chile ($7.25/glass), at Rodizio Grill in Denver’s LoDo neighborhood.
For taste, color, scent, experience and complexity, An gives the Natura cabernet a 3 out of 5.