Retail Blueberry Wine...VILE!!

[vinny]

I just tasted my triple berry, It is about 16 months, now. I was doing some simple syrup additions, and I can be really hard on my wines. I was wondering what I could do to make it a little nicer. The tart bite still powers out the back sweetening, and any sweeter and I won't like it. Well, I picked up a blueberry wine the other day when I got the Haskap. I figured I'll use that to top up my triple berry and give it some more time. I cracked the top, poured a couple fingers and had a smell. Nothing. A little sip. Bleghhh. It tastes like sweet water with a weak berry presence, no acidity and then on the back center of the tongue this bitter tainted BLEGH. It's the worst wine I have ever tasted. The after taste is akin to the small mason jars that I have tried to save for topping up. Wet cardboard, slight metallic twinge... Likely oxidation, but I have never experienced anything so weak, insipid, and then coming in late with an extra burst of unpleasant.

Is this the worst wine I have ever tasted or is it more likely that its a ruined wine. It's not turned, I can say that much.. But if someone made this intentionally I am REALLY good at this hobby.

My initial reaction is to take the bottle back and ask the store owner.. Would you knowingly sell this?

 

[vinny]

I stuck my head in the glass and I knew the smell, but I couldn't identify it. Thinking, sniffing, stewing. Port? 20 minutes later I took a sniff of the cooking sherry that has been open in the cabinet for at least 6-8 months. Bingo. The same bottom end smell, but the blueberry has almost nothing else to hide it.

Anyone have any descriptors that might help me? I can't pass up an opportunity to learn about what seems to be an epic commercial failure.

 

[BigDaveK]

Bummer.
All fruit or grape based?

And I wonder how long it's been on the shelf. I've read even artificial light can affect a wine in a clear bottle.

Heck with the store - contact the winery. Their reaction will tell you a lot.

 

[vinny]

Bummer.
All fruit or grape based?

And I wonder how long it's been on the shelf. I've read even artificial light can affect a wine in a clear bottle.

Heck with the store - contact the winery. Their reaction will tell you a lot.

If there were grapes in it, it would have some flavor!

Pretty sure this was the big jump for me. I was really interested in the Haskap and feel that was pushing $20 and this one was over. The Haskap was well worth it, but I am feeling my principals rearing their ugly heads. I drink good wines in the $10 and make them for pennies.

I might just reach out and see. I checked the bottle. The name brand is SHADY... batch #03... Did they know? DUHHH, DUHHH, DUHHHHH. (Ominous background music)

 

[Rice_Guy]

Blueberry flavor is hard to maintain, it quickly loses it’s identifiable aroma and turns into mud.
Sherry note suggests that your manufacturer produced oxidized wine and/ or there was a slow oxygen leak on the cork/ and it is old (was there a code date?)

Haskap, ,,, I planted some last year and am curious what this berry can produce, I have only seen two home made haskap through state fair

 

[BigDaveK]

@vinny I was curious. Shady Wine is local (to you) in High Plains, Alberta.
Maybe pay them a visit.....(More ominous background music.)

 

[vinny]

@vinny I was curious. Shady Wine is local (to you) in High Plains, Alberta.
Maybe pay them a visit.....(More ominous background music.)

A 6 hour drive to say you suck is a little much for me. I'll see what the store says. It has been a good learning experience, if nothing else.

 

[BigDaveK]

A 6 hour drive to say you suck is a little much for me. I'll see what the store says. It has been a good learning experience, if nothing else.

Yikes, my bad! My knowledge of Canadian geography is obviously lacking.

(But then, with the earlier arrow on the map and now 6 hours from High Plains my unexpected dinner invite is a little easier! )

 

[BarrelMonkey]

I'm with @Rice_Guy and @BigDaveK, it seems like this is a bad bottle that may have been in the store for way too long. I also note your description of wet cardboard; that sounds (smells?) like cork taint to me. So bad cork, leading to TCA and oxidixed (sherry) aromas and flavors.

At least you tasted it before adding to your wine!

 

[vinny]

At least you tasted it before adding to your wine!

Honestly, it's a learning lesson there, too. If it was a Shiraz, I probably wouldn't have been interested enough to taste it. I did it with my Pinot noir. 10 AM. I can wait, I just dumped it in. Luckily with great results. Anything EVER going into my wine is going to get a taste test.

Except K-meta. That tastes terrible!

 

[vinny]

Yikes, my bad! My knowledge of Canadian geography is obviously lacking.

(But then, with the earlier arrow on the map and now 6 hours from High Plains my unexpected dinner invite is a little easier! )

Well... Six hours round trip, but I can understand the thought process. Alberta is 661,000 sq km, Ohio is 44,000. everything must be a quick jaunt!

 

[joeswine]

Just a couple of thoughts, adding tannins will help . Extras will improve the over all taste , glycerin ( food grade will build body .
I’ll be making blueberry wine for the first time myself this season , preparing it for the Hammonton Festival.