What is Dirt Cheap Wine?

Since 2007, DCW has been providing you with reviews of wines that are $5 or less per bottle and easily found at your local grocery, drugstore or wine store.

Reviews- Simple, straightforward and written while tasting.

Now onto the wine!


Monday, March 14, 2011

$3 Crane Lake
2009 Pinot Grigio
California
Henry's Market

I'm just gonna lay it out for you- avoid this one at all costs. I usually enjoy Crane Lake, so I was stoked to try this one. It smelled kind of "off" but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. The first sip went from good to bad in about two seconds. For a moment, there was a nice fruitiness but then it was quickly followed by a strong, rancid honey flavor. I tried a few more sips to see if it would iron itself out, but no luck. I let it chill overnight and the next evening, I poured it through a wine aerator... still no luck. That horrible rancid honey taste was overbearing and it was just way to sweet for a Pinot Grigio. As a last ditch effort I chopped up some strawberries and let them soak in the glass for a while which made the wine taste like a bottle of Frutezia.

I give this wine 1 out of 5 stars.

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