What "Big Name" Wine/Grape/Region Do You Not "Get"?

I write this in anticipation that Dom Perignon might be a common response. Yet, as I've mentioned in other posts, I've always had very pleasurable bottles of Dom and find it to be a finely crafted wine for the number of bottles made. It's actually one of my very favorite champagnes.

As for grapes or regions, I still haven't come across a Burgundy I like. I suspect that I just haven't tried the right ones. It's perhaps a bit ridiculous that I find it such a sublime component in Champagne yet, to the south, I don't taste the same magic in its still form.

I'm also not too big a fan of the "green" taste of Sauvignon Blanc.

What wine/grape/region do you not "get"?

I agree with you on Sauvignon Blanc. Viognier is another one I don't get.

What wine/grape/region do you not "get"?

Wine: Penfolds Grange
Grape: Aussie shiraz
Region: Several actually

There are wines that I don't like as much as others, but I'm not sure I don't 'get' them. I mean I can usually see why other people might like them.

The one that comes to mind is quite specific, and that is wines from the Beckstoffer vineyards. I do understand why some would find them appealing, but do not understand why they are considered to be so special.

[David M. Bueker]

I despise 99.9% of Sauvignon Blanc. I cannot see why anyone would drink them.

I despise 99.9% of Sauvignon Blanc. I cannot see why anyone would drink them.

I can understand why some would not care for Sauv Blanc, but for me, it has the potential for such remarkable focus, purity, and depth.

Sancerre.

Chile.

Sauvignon Blanc, except Sancerre.
Syrah/Shiraz

At least there has been no mention of champagne yet, so all replies have been appreciated...

Jeff

Red Burgundy (love the white and fizzy versions)
Barbera (virtually all I've tried have tasted like charmless charred creosote with shrill acids)
Aussie Shiraz
Parkerized everything (but especially CDP and St Emilion)

I never reckoned much for Spatburgunder but a real surprise in my glass here from Weingut Knab. Very worthy of going back for 2 more bottles for sure.

Shiraz (but I love cool climate Syrah)
Lambrusco
Warm climate Chardonnay
Warm climate Merlot

Red Bordeaux. OK - if it is a good mature example I can appreciate it, but I don't "get" the style in the way that I do many other wines.

In terms of varieties - any grape with the word Cabernet or Sauvignon in it - which might explain my problem with Claret. I like white Bordeaux though, including Sauternes - it must be the Semillon.

There are wines that I don't like as much as others, but I'm not sure I don't 'get' them. I mean I can usually see why other people might like them.

I'm with Rahsaan on this, I think. Some of the grapes, I don't like as much as others include Malbec, Carménère and Shiraz from down-under. I keep trying these once in while but only at tastings.

At least there has been no mention of champagne yet, so all replies have been appreciated...

Jeff

Actually, that is me but I was going to spare you the pain. There are a few exceptions (Pierre Peters, Duvall-Leroy, Billecart-Salmon) but otherwise I just don't understand the love that many have for it. I am just as happy if not happier with a good CA sparkler or Cava at a fraction of the price.

As for grapes, I have never appreciated Gewurtztraminer. I think I grasp why some like it so that probably does not fit the OP.

Flipping the question around and I don't get why the S. Italian wines don't get more love but am happy they don't. Prices have stayed reasonable while selection has slowly increased over the years.

I agree with you on Sauvignon Blanc. Viognier is another one I don't get.

I never liked Viognier until I tried Cold Heaven http://www.coldheavencellars.com/. This is not the big, lush, oily style of Viognier. The 2010 are especially nice with the Sanford and Benedict showing the best. Not sure if you can get them or if its even worth it to you to try but this is one wine that may help you understand, it did for me.

I agree with you on Sauvignon Blanc. Viognier is another one I don't get.

I never liked Viognier until I tried Cold Heaven http://www.coldheavencellars.com/. This is not the big, lush, oily style of Viognier. The 2010 are especially nice with the Sanford and Benedict showing the best. Not sure if you can get them or if its even worth it to you to try but this is one wine that may help you understand, it did for me.

Brian, thanks. I'll look out for this.

[Robin Garr]

To my eternal shame, Riesling. <sob>

Also Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier.

My growing hypothesis is that the high-aromatic class of wines blasts my scent and taste receptors in ways that bother me more than most wine geeks.

For me, wine is very much an integral part of mealtime, so I don't get the obsession with over-ripe, flabby, overblown alcoholic wines that smother food from any region or grape. This rules out 95% of what comes from Australia and California. The one region most befuddling to me though, is Napa, and the obsession people have with it. I have tasted some very good wines from Napa, if the winemaker understands how to show restraint. What I don't get is how people are still duped to buy stupidly overpriced, very lush wines that have no nuance other than explosive fruit and oak, because they think they must hold on to the status symbol that "Napa is everything" and they want to impress their friends.

Another thing I don't get are people who say "I only drink Cab".

At least there has been no mention of champagne yet, so all replies have been appreciated...

Jeff

Jeff-

Not to be a pot-stirrer, but one thing I don't get about Champagne is why people are so obsessed with the big Champagne houses, when you can buy much superior (IMO) RM Champagnes for much better values. Why buy massed-produced when you can have very small production, hand-crafted, family owned-estate Champagne that carries with it so much soul?

The exception I could see might be some of the very old Champagnes you have mentioned from the big houses in another post. Personally, I have not had the pleasure of tasting a Champagne much older than the early 90s, so I can't speak to the super-aged stuff.

At least there has been no mention of champagne yet, so all replies have been appreciated...

Jeff

Jeff-

Not to be a pot-stirrer, but one thing I don't get about Champagne is why people are so obsessed with the big Champagne houses, when you can buy much superior (IMO) RM Champagnes for much better values. Why buy massed-produced when you can have very small production, hand-crafted, family owned-estate Champagne that carries with it so much soul?

The exception I could see might be some of the very old Champagnes you have mentioned from the big houses in another post. Personally, I have not had the pleasure of tasting a Champagne much older than the early 90s, so I can't speak to the super-aged stuff.

Hi Joy,
Thanks for the response. I'm sure you're correct about many of the RM champagnes. The main reason that house champagne occupies the bulk of my cellar is that those are the bottles most easily obtainable for me and I've had the best experiences with them. So part of it is sticking with what I know and love. There's just much greater variety available to me with quality house champagne than with RM champagnes. But, money-wise, I have no doubt that the grower champagnes would likely carry a better value.

Also, when I first fell in love with champagne, all the books I owned dedicated the bulk of coverage and study to the big houses. So there is a natural "fascination/romance" instilled about many of the big name houses and their wines. Hopefully, I haven't become so big of a champagne snob that I start to intentionally overlook grower champagnes. Because I wouldn't want to do that. But it is true that I find a great deal of pleasure and mystique in the big house wines.

Jeff

For me, wine is very much an integral part of mealtime, so I don't get the obsession with over-ripe, flabby, overblown alcoholic wines that smother food from any region or grape. This rules out 95% of what comes from Australia and California. The one region most befuddling to me though, is Napa, and the obsession people have with it. I have tasted some very good wines from Napa, if the winemaker understands how to show restraint. What I don't get is how people are still duped to buy stupidly overpriced, very lush wines that have no nuance other than explosive fruit and oak, because they think they must hold on to the status symbol that "Napa is everything" and they want to impress their friends.

Another thing I don't get are people who say "I only drink Cab".

A number of years ago, my wife and I were in the cellar at Citronelle with the Som at the time and as he was showing us around I will never forget his one line. "And over there are the California Cabs. They don't go with anything on the menu but we sure sell a helluva lot of them. "