At one end of the spectrum you have Screaming Eagle, at the other, Gallo and ‘2 Buck Chuck’. It is the middle ground that opens up the Pandora’s box of American wine, and while there is plenty of £20 wine, think Seghesio and Ridge as examples of excellent products, the sub £12 wine price point is as tricky as Penn and Teller. And it shouldn’t be.Exchange rates are a pain in the ass. Take the pound/Euro exchange rate as an example. A year ago, there was €1.45 to the pound, which translated into a €4 bottle of wine costing £7.99 on the shop shelf. Now, that same four Euro bottle costs a pound more by the time it is bought by the British consumer. And things are just as problematic with Australia and New Zealand.
So this is why I started looking to America. With the dollar only losing out in the “least valuable currency in the universe” title to Zimbabwe, I figured that American wines should be offering the value that European wines can’t. Would a Californian Chardonnay be able to stack up against the best Bugundy can offer, pound for pound? Similarly, would Kiwi Sauvignons, Aussie Shiraz and French Cabernet be be beaten by the rebellious colonials in the land of the Stars and Stipes?
So, in the spirit of the late Don LaFontaine, I commenced on my quest
“In a World where the American economy is on it’s knees, one man (me) aims to find a range of inexpensive wine that beats the best of Europe and the Commonwealth – for under Twelve Pounds”
I started with Bogle.
Would the 2006 Bogle Chenin Blanc match up to the best from South Africa? It has nice round aromas, a bit of peach and a little petrol strangely. The palate is soft, with just a touch of sweetness and some spice on the hot, bitter finish. It’s not bad. 7.5/10 (£9.00)
Onto Chardonnay from the 2006 vintage. It was an oak fest. Loads of melon, pineapple skin and so so so so so so much oak. I’d have had less oak in my mouth if I went up and licked a tree. It is gutsy, buttery, creamy, vanilla-y – everything you want if you are an oak fiend, but nothing you want if you like wine. 6/10 (£10.00)
And then it got worse. The 2006 Bogle Viognier was terrible. Pear and peach on the nose, with Floral Gum sweets and a bit of cheese. This was ok. Then you put it in your mouth and all it gave you was overcooked Brussels Sprouts blended with vodka. It was horrible. 5/10 and that is being generous. I also noted on the Bogle Website, that the only one of these wines that didn’t win an award of some description, was the Viognier, which begs the question, ‘should they bother?’ (£10)
The 2006 Bogle Petite Sirah however was good. A bit of confected stink on the nose, but mixed with blueberries. The palate is chocoate, tobacco and a nice spice and under ripe bramble. There is a bit of heat on the finish, but it is dark and brooding with some liquorice. 8/10 (£11.00)
Finally was the Bogle Old Vine Zinfandel, 2006. It had sweet cherry on the nose, a but of candy necklaces too. The palate was strawberry, a bit of spice but was impressive for having structure, though light. It was nice on the finish too, a little hot alcohol, but a nice Zin. 8.5/10 (£11.00)
I like these reds, and the Chenin, but really the Viognier and the Chardonnay bugger the whole thing up. I’m glad they produce a Petite Sirah as it gives them a point of difference, and their Zin shows a very restrained, not overly sweet style, that I like very much. The Chenin Blanc is alright, but South Africa would kick it’s ass every time. The one field that these wines could have beaten the nations with prosperous currency, Bogle lets the USA down so badly by making a typically overoaked Chardonnay and a Viognier that can only be described as cabbage water.
If you produce, sell or simply know of a range of American wines from one producer that is really, really good, please email me at thetastingnote@gmail.com
Bogle Website
Don LaFontaine Website
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