In talking with many wine producers in Washington, they don’t make Rose because it is going to be good they often make it for the tourist crowd. Well here is one that fits that category for sure.
- 2024 Smoky Rose Cellars Syrah Rosé – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (6/27/2026)
Liz’s Outdoor Tasting (Minneapolis, MN): These are some of the most overpriced Rose wines in America. Simple and watered down. Dust, stone, chalk and light fruit. Short finish. I don’t get them. (75 points)
Well Paso Robles struggles to make drinkable Cabernets and this one is at the top of the class. Bad wine always goes sour over 3 days and look at this transformation.
- 2021 Austin Hope Cabernet Sauvignon – USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles (5/31/2026)
Day 1: Glasvin Kane. Natural cork. Well is this better than some of the Caymus products. Slightly. There is a lingering artificial fruit flavor on this wine that requires meat or cheese to remove this unpleasant taste. Cotton Candy, spices, chemicals, riper fruits and wood. There is nothing to like in my opinion especially if you apply the tasting process. Drink it like water and it is ok. 69 points
Day 2: Wow has this gone down hill from the 69. Tastes like fruits sitting in 100 degree heat and stewed at best. Chemicals and artificial flavors really kicking in. Yes Mega purple is being used as well. Wow is this wine terrible or what. 55 points
Day 3: Well the wine now tastes like chemicals and grape cotton candy. Clearly undrinkable on day 3. 50 points (lowest cellar tracker allows)
Recommendation: NO! (69 points)
Well if there is one wine under $20.00 that gets more high scores from critics I would love to know what that wine would be. This wine is stainless steel fermentation and in my opinion if you are not applying any wood during fermentation or barreling with Chardonnay then it will not be good. This is no exception.
2024 Diatom Chardonnay – USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County (5/31/2026) Even at $13.99 this vintage is not good. Chemical taste with artificial fruit flavors, floral and chalk. Short finish and awful wine. Don’t be fooled by the critics. 94 down to 90 points. Not sure I agree. (72 points)Posted from CellarTracker |
Well as MN resident one thing that has always made me think is why we attempt to produce wine? Here is a good example of that and not cheap at all at $25.00.
- 2022 Alexis Bailly Vineyard Red Wine – USA, Minnesota (5/22/2026)
Day 1: Glasvin Universal. Well the color alone should tell you how bad this wine is. Thin with easter egg dye, salt, matchstick and chemicals. Hard to believe anyone would buy this wine. Terrible is a complement. 50 points
Day 1: Easter egg dye and dirt and water is featured here. No serious wine expert will ever say MN makes good wine. 50 points
Recommendation: Go to the west coast for the good stuff. (50 points)
How can a Russian River Pinot Noir be so bad? Well this one is top 20 worst of the year for sure.
- 2021 Juggernaut Wine Company Pinot Noir – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Garbage. How did the Russian River Valley allow this wine to be produced here? Sweet and artificial chemical tastes. Spices and sugar taste. Boo! (55 pts.)
Well here is a fitting wine to disrupt in April as it is the Caymus of Champagne.
- N.V. Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut – France, Champagne
The new NV is terrible. Chalk, chalk and more chalk dominate this. Light on the fruit and some floral notes. I can’t believe this costs $60. (78 pts.)
