Sweet, horrible, ridiculously tropical and intensely weedy nose. Seriously, a wine that just makes you immediately go: WTF? Lychee and mango baking on the sidewalk, quince paste smeared on the neighbor-kid’s bike tires. Stewed raisin juice in a hazy, garnet glass married to enough grassy acrid-ness to make NZ sauv-blanc quiver.
Oh but let’s taste it! Effusive bitter stemminess shields overt acid from initial view, but eventually make plentiful statements together. Watery fruit of strawberry and watermelon consistency offers brief respite from the awkward clang of natural-ness but do NOTHING to save the wine, the final memory a cider-like putridity topped with thin candy. A perfect example of trying too hard: the result a wine so unpleasant you can look down your nose at anyone not liking it.
2018 SOLMINER Blaufrankisch deLanda Vyd Los Olivos District SYV Santa Barbara Co. 10.8
Stephen McConnell 