WTN: In the name of science - Clos de los Siete

Clos de los Siete by Michel Rolland 2007 - made, perhaps, on earth; from, perhaps, grapes - but I'm not so sure; Mondoza must be the appellation (from the Laboratorio-vineyard).

This was hyped terribly when it arrived here. I don't remember tasting it then - I passed because it seemed stylistically far from what I like. Now that Alko reduced its price quite significantly, I decided in the name of science to try this much hyped wine.

And I don't see what the fuss is about. It smells of over-ripe fruit and new oak; thick, clunky, sweet with an unpleasant bitter streak (presumably from the oak). The actual fruit doesn't seem to carry any structure to it; what tannins there are, are oak-flavoured and unpleasantly soft. The acidity is incredibly low.

It is no surprise to me from what I read that I didn't like it. What I am surprised about is why this particular wine is the one that was so hyped? This wine has dozens of clones on the shelves - albeit with different labels - so why did only this one get the hype?

money talks?

I posted my little complaint here:
http://www.vinography.com/archives/2010 ... _wine.html

Sometimes I wonder why I even bother...

Oswaldo, I thought your response was very well written. There are quite a few wines out there for the same price, kicking CdlS a...! I cannot stand this "international" style of wine.

It doesn't matter what I think, or what you think, or what anyone thinks. Michel Rolland makes wines that sell. And while I'd rather not deal with this end of the market at all, I must if I want to make a living. And if the choice is Michael and David Phillips (of "Lust" Zinfandel fame) or Helen Turley (What's the difference between God and Helen Turley? God knows he's not Helen Turley) or Michel Rolland ("You must micro-oxygenate"), I'm going with M. Rolland. So sue me.

Thanks, Bob, and I didn't even get into agriculture, yeasts, SO2, etc. Dave, you whore! If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem.

I think if you are going to buy a generic "internationally styled" wine you could do a lot worse for the money.

I think if you are going to buy a generic "internationally styled" wine you could do a lot worse for the money.

But isn't that a very very big "if". Basically a cocktail party hypothetical. Like "if you were going to jump off a skyscraper, would you do it from the north or the south side..."

...Like "if you were going to jump off a skyscraper, would you do it from the north or the south side..."

I think that would depend on whether you're in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere.

It doesn't matter what I think, or what you think, or what anyone thinks. Michel Rolland makes wines that sell. And while I'd rather not deal with this end of the market at all, I must if I want to make a living. And if the choice is Michael and David Phillips (of "Lust" Zinfandel fame) or Helen Turley (What's the difference between God and Helen Turley? God knows he's not Helen Turley) or Michel Rolland ("You must micro-oxygenate"), I'm going with M. Rolland. So sue me.

God...Gag me. The Phillips wines are truly my epitomes of awfulness. Every single one of the them.

Oswaldo:

What are your thoughts on the one gentleman's response to your comment vis a vis climate conditions?

...Like "if you were going to jump off a skyscraper, would you do it from the north or the south side..."

I think that would depend on whether you're in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere.

Living in the southern, I can vouch for the fact that the question is academic!

But isn't that a very very big "if"

I like to keep some wine around that my wife can open when I'm not home without fear of consuming something I have plans for. A few times I've bought Clos de los Siete for this purpose. Her non-wine-geek friends have always seemed to like this wine, as have my in-laws. It's a bit generic but goes down pretty easy.

I don't open it myself, but when I join in I'm perfectly happy given that it's $15.

I don't open it myself, but when I join in I'm perfectly happy given that it's $15.

Fair enough. I was being a bit cheeky there.

But I like the Oupia wines for the same purpose (or Southern France in general). Enough fruit for anyone (at least anyone I know) and less than $15. Plus I can actually drink/enjoy/love them. But at this point we're just splitting hairs.

My wife has a strict "No Languedoc" policy. We overdid it with them a few years back and she's still recovering.

A wine store in Raleigh is reporting that 2007 Clos de Siete Red Blend is #2 or their 5 best sellers this week.