Rosemount Cabernet Merlot: I'll pass, thanks.
Written: May 31 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Um, ah... gimme a minute here... oh, yeah: nice finish for about 2 seconds.
Cons: Tasteless and dry to the point of astringency
The Bottom Line: Flat, tasteless, bitter, astringent. No discernable fruits and a nice spicy finish which instantly degrades into a basically unpleasant experience. There are a lot of much better choices out there.
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| QuietI's Full Review: Rosemount Cabernet Merlot South Eastern Australia ... |
In my quest to make the world (or, at least, the dinner table) safe for those of us who drink inexpensive wines, I'm always ready to scoop up a few bottles of the latest bargain that Trader Joe's sends my way. This Rosemount blend falls into that category, setting me back just $5.99. For six bucks, I figure it's worth it to find out whether the stuff is drinkable or not. Heck, my current favorite (Parducci Petite Sirah) is only a buck more a bottle. Unfortunately, the Rosemount fell far short of what Parducci manages to accomplish.
As you might well expect, inexpensive bottle wines are not very complex. In fact they are completely simple and accessible, with slightly more true wine characteristics than you'll find in box wines, which to me are like grape juice for grown ups, or spiked cranberry-raspberry juice for the really flavorful ones. This particular blend shares this characteristic of other inexpensive wines, lacking any depth or interesting tastes or textures. What condemns it for me is its predominant taste, or lack thereof. I like fruit, and don't mind a bit of tannins, and really appreciate a spicy warm finish. This wine missed on all accounts. Here are the details:
In the glass: A pleasant enough medium red color, with fairly heavy viscosity. Legs to spare.
Nose: A faint fruit scent, which goes immediately to a back-of-throat tannic bitterness. In short, ick.
Taste: Like the nose, there is a hint of fruit but it never comes out enough to actually identify any one in particular. You get an impression of tartness and not much else.
Finish: At first, nicely warm and spicy, in fact this is the best part of the experience of this particular blend. Unfortunately it fades all too quickly to bitter and unpleasant astringency. Any wine that makes me pucker is right out.
Pairs well with: It might be OK with some good fatty cheeses, but it was horrid with chocolate. It did not fare well next to my simple grilled chicken, either.
For another opinion from an equally inexperienced palate, my husband detested this so much he didn't even finish the glass.
Recommended:
No
Year: 1999
Winery Name: Rosemount
Varietal: Red Blend
Designation: Cabernet-Merlot
Country: Australia
State or Region: South Eastern
Price: 6.00
Wine Rating Scale: Don't bother
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Epinions.com ID:
QuietI
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Member: Joan Hedman
Location: Chandler, AZ
Reviews written: 89
Trusted by: 70 members
About Me:
Busy. Life. You know.
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