Awful taste in red wine?

[Billdean]

I started trying a few red wines and would really like to know what I am tasting that is so bad to my taste. I will start with Apothic red blend, this stuff is horrible! I don’t know what the most pronounced taste is, but I hate it! Maybe strong tannin or oak? The next pick was Sangria, all though it was better than Apothic, it still had a similar taste to it, but know where near as strong. The next was Shiraz, now this did not have the same awful taste as the other two. I like it, though it could use a little sugar. I am trying to learn how to drink or acquire a taste for dry wine. I have always been a white wine drinker. I would sure like to figure out what that taste is that is so bad tasting to me!

 

[vinny]

Hmmm. I wonder how much it comes down to personal preference. If I was gonna throw out some brands that have really failed to impress, you are well into my top 5. Naked Grape is the only one that I can think of off the top of my head that would make it into the top 3 with these 2.

Apothic Red Whiskey Aged is probably second to the worst wine I have ever had, which is right above this in recent posts. Yellow tail, I don't recall the reason, but it is a walk by for me. I won't consider a purchase at any price.

 

[vinny]

As an after thought... You have two wines that don't specify the variety. You like the Shiraz, as I do, but I wouldn't pick Yellow Tail as my choice. I often find unspecified blends 'muddy'

I broke into wine with bright dry whites. Pinot Gris, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, and I still prefer bright bold reds. Merlot is safe, Cab Sauv can be fun, Pinot noir deeper and interesting.. Chianti. Great with liver and fava beans! I also find that if I really like a wine I usually like most of the offerings from the winery. Region, variety, or technique.. I dunno!

 

[Rice_Guy]

* first you are commenting on commercial wines so I will assume they are well made/ you are not reacting to defects which home wine can have
* front note should be sweet and last fifteen seconds
* the second note should be a weak wave of acid, (on a white this will last about a minute then leave the mouth saliva in a normal condition)
* with a red this will combine with a tannin note, astringent, rough on the roof of the mouth and tongue, this can last two to five minutes. (Tannin is combining with proteins that make saliva/ normal lubrication)
* the third wave can also have a bitter note
* on a young wine and white there should be fruity aromatics. (pinch your nose before you drink to block aromatics going to the nasal cavity). A good wine has aromatics that will have code words as HINTS of plum
* balance is a key. ,,, How fast does your mouth wash clean and return to start state ,,, are sweet notes longer than normal and overpowering acid. ,,, Are the acids overpowering so you want to spit it out (like tasting raw rhubarb in the garden)
* sugar (residual sugar in wine) fixes problems, humans like sweet, and sweet magnifies fruity sensations
* oak? ,,, hints of vanilla? more tannin note? smokey note?

If you experiment with expensive wine / $200 and $500 you will find the flavors are softer and don’t jump out as much as with $25 wine. There is balance between sweet and acid and the mouth returns to a no tannin condition faster.

 

[wood1954]

If you can find it Silk and Spice red from Portugal is pretty good for an entry wine. A $15 Chianti from Italy is usually pretty good if it’s labeled DOCG. It seems like cheaper wines use additives that some people don’t like. If wine has too much tannin it will be bitter, too much acid will be sour. I’m pretty sure most European wine is free of additives .

 

[NorCal]

I would say that most the low cost, grocery store red wines will have some level of residual sugar, to satisfy the US palate. People say they want dry, but drink sweet or off dry. All those wines have enough sugar in them to fall into the off-dry category. The Sangria, probably the sweet category. There is also an additive Mega Purple that is used.