This was a spontaneous one.   I was invited to a small gathering of friends for the Academy Awards this past Sunday.  Writing about a wine was not on my radar.  I thought I would relax, enjoy some snacks, and some good company.    Well all of the that good stuff did take place.

I wish I could say the same about the wine.  For this special occasion, I didn’t have to look too hard to find an appropriate wine.

With that being said, it was only fitting that I acquired the 2014 Rosso from Francis Ford Coppola Winery.

The video is succinct and a welcome touch.  Yet, the wine itself felt flat.  I love red blends and the melanges take the wines-tasting experience to different heights.  It’s raised our awareness of how wine can and should taste.  They’ve been cultivated for years, but only recently have they blown up, and become one of the more sought after wines in shops.

They’re welcoming, approachable, and usually friendly.  That’s what we want in our bottles.  They’re not all cheap either.  Yet this one needed to be versus what I paid for.   At one retailer it listed for $12.  I don’t see it.  This was one that felt overpriced and not justifying what I paid for.

When looking online, you can see it listed for nearly half in some places.  That’s what makes this even more disheartening.   I felt like I got gypped to an extent.

I wanted to like this.  I want to like every wine I buy.    But I didn’t care for this at all. Petite Sirah, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Zinfandel are all great blends.  I was hoping to get the best of all worlds.  The latter is not my favorite but I’ve had a few good Zinfandels recently.   That’s not the culprit.

Cherry, Strawberry Jam, Plum, and Mocha are the flavors but I didn’t get much of anything.   The jammy element might have been there.  I’m reaching.

If I had paid $7-$8 for this I might not be as difficult.  However, I’m having a hard time finding any redeeming qualities.    This is not the worst wine I’ve ever had but it’s below mediocre.

When I come across another Coppola wine, I will definitely give it a go.  This is what makes this journey so exciting.  We’ve got so many wines to taste and an abundance of options to choose from.   When you frame it like that, the great ones will outweigh the bad.

While perusing the website, I saw so many wonderful and pleasurable getaway opportunities.   I hopefully will get the opportunity to visit the west coast soon.  And if I do, I would love to make a stop here.  Wineries are fun and their site is drawing me in.

In the meantime, I enjoyed watching the awards this past Sunday.   The hosts prepared some wonderful treats.  Popcorn was a must.  Hopefully better wines will be a part of future celebrations.

Do you see my ballot? It’s easy to spot.

The weather is improving, which means more exciting opportunities to come.

For our local winos, I found this bottle at Bo Brooks Lighthouse Liquors in Baltimore. For the rest of the world, I’ve seen Coppola wines in many stores.  If you’re unable to find them near you, their online shop has got you covered.

Best,

Ideen