Biggest wine disappointment?

Question

What's the biggest disappointment that you've had with a fine wine? Has there been a really expensive, exclusive bottle that you were hyped up about, but it turned out to be nothing special at all?

Answer 1

New Year's Eve, 2005, 7pm.

The store had just closed; myself and the rest of the fine wine team where I was working all gathered around the tasting bar, relieved that we had finally seen the back end of a busy Christmas/New Year's sales period. Our reward: a bottle of Perrier-Jouet 'Belle Epoque' 1996 to enjoy before we left to enjoy our evening.

The seven of us (including an MW) chatted about anything but work as we waited expectantly for the bottle to be uncorked. As the bottle sighed its cork away, our mood lightened instantly. Our ISO tasting glasses (not the ones we let customers use, but the ones that had never seen soap) were filled and a small toast was made. We clinked glasses and took our first mouthfuls.

And then there was silence.

Slowly we all went into our personal routines - some sniffing more deeply, some having another small, more careful taste. Silence continued as one by one we looked quizzically at each other, nobody wanting to say what nobody wanted to have to admit. Finally, one of my colleagues broke the silence: "Does this seem corked to anybody else?"

We all glumly noted our agreement. There was no doubt about it - corked. Not heavily, or even particularly noticeably - this wasn't the sort of TCA infestation that instantly hits anybody; rather it was corked just enough to deaden the flavours and mute the expression. It was the sort of corked that most casual wine drinkers just assume is a wine they don't like.

Worst of all, it was the only chilled bottle. Here we were, surrounded by Krug, Cristal Rose, and a handful of older vintages of Salon, amongst others, but not a drop of the good stuff was in a fridge. Even the Dom Perrignon had sold through that night. Stuck with a choice between corked Belle Epoque or chilled Moet, we did what we could - and drank the rest of the Perrier-Jouet.

I've had better, more expensive wines be corked on me. I've seen some stunning bottles downed by brett. But the perfect combination of expectation, irreplaceability, and closeness to flawlessness worked its way to setting us up for a massive disapppointment.

Answer 2

You don't really know what a wine disappointment is until you buy a bottle of MD 20/20 or Richards. If you ever did, and
survived it, then feel good about yourself if you can go to a
supermarket and pick out a nice rose without feeling ignorant.

Answer 3

A bottle of Dom Perignon. It was skanky. And around that same period, a bottle of Mumms Cordon Rouge with the same problem. They were both so nasty that I took one sip and threw up. Not kidding. I dumped the bottles down the sink.

Here's the kicker. I love bubbly. And I can only drink Cali Mumms now. There's some difference between the French and CA ones. I'll never try Dom again.

Answer 4

A bottle of 1996 Opus 1 that we bought at the winery. Saved it for 10 years, should have opened it earlier.

Answer 5

Ravenswood Shiraz

Answer 6

Dom Perigon Vintage 1998!

Loved their vintage 1996 though

Answer 7

it particularly is a tie between Argo triumphing maximum suitable photograph yet Ang Lee triumphing maximum suitable Director and the tie for many suitable Sound modifying between Skyfall and nil dark Thirty. BQ - Jessica Chastain did no longer win maximum suitable greatest Actress

Answer 8

Sterling Chard.

Answer 9

I generally dislike Pinot Noir - it is fitting that pretentious wine pricks like it and call it Pinot