Saturday, August 25, 2012

Baguala Malbec 2008 Review and other thoughts

I would trade a case of this for 1/2 a bottle of Apple Cider Vinegar.


Had a few moments and have been meaning to update ye old blog and finally got the inspiration to get back on that horse after experiencing what could quite possibly be the worst red wine I've ever had.

Back story, I always hear people pitching Malbec but I have yet to have one that knocked my socks off. Heck, I have yet to have one I actually enjoyed. At this point I am not sure there is an actual quality Malbec that exists. I have tried some of the better Malbec brands and still come away thinking it was nothing to write home about or even considering buying a bottle. I would rather buy a bottle of 2 buck chuck and know it will at least be drinkable for the price then roll the dice on any Malbec...especially after purchasing a bottle of 2008 Baguala Malbec.

Now at $5 bucks it wasn't like I was throwing down a lot of dough but sometimes the sub $5 wine can find the occasional drinkable gem. Unfortunately, the 2008 Baguala Malbec was not one of them. It had a nose like wet grass and cat pee.....if the grass was wet from nothing but cat pee and stored in a small igloo cooler and set inside the attic of a house in Vegas and left to ferment.

Call me a masochist for even carrying on past the nose but I hate to see a bottle go to waste. Initial drink was like an antiseptic bomb, if pressed I would say it tastes a bit like blood, rubbing alcohol, and wheat grass. Remember the episode of Man vs Wild where Bear Grylls  gets water by cutting open the stomach of a dead camel, removing the hay from it's stomach, and squeezing out the water to drink? That certainly the impression I got. At this point the Baguala made the Benefactor Cellars wine look Silver Oak.

I even let it sit for a couple of hours hoping that maybe it would open up and somehow turn into something magical to no avail. Using the 2 Buck Chuck scale this one was not even close. I would not take a case of this wine if someone paid me. Whats sad is I had a glass of Tobin James merlot the other day that was fantastic across the board. I am sure a bottle of that could be found in the $10 to $15 range. And it was not even close. My Disgust and search for a drinkable Malbec continues. Much like the Yeti or the Loch Ness Monster, Im not actually sure one exists.

Big Time Thumbs Down. Who knows though....maybe it would pair well to cleanse the palette for those participating in the Taco Bell taste test?


6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow...you might actually want to drink some cat piss because your description of this cheap wine is so far off that I think you need your taste buds overhauled.

Unknown said...

For you cat piss drinkers out there I apologize....I meant no disrespect comparing your drink of choice to the Baguala Malbec.

Anonymous said...

Regarding your "whine" review: By even mentioning 2 Buck Chuck you sort of let people know where you live when it comes to wines. My guess is your "better Malbec brands" probably set you back a good $5.49. Maybe even (gasp) $5.99. Also, your use of "rubbing alcohol" as a comparison implies that you know what it tastes like and have been drinking the stuff, which actually goes a long way to explain the contents of your review. Seriously though, If your description of Baguala is indeed accurate, there is a good possibility that you got a bad bottle. Take it back to the store next time. But actually, after reading your review again, I think you should just stick with "2 Buck Chuck" and put the money you save in your son's college fund.

Anonymous said...

I will gladly take you up on the apple cider vinegar/Baguala Malbec trade. I would even give you the full bottle of apple cider vinegar.

Unknown said...

To my anonymous friends.....thanks for commenting. I could speculate that perhaps the bottle I bought was indeed bad. Makes a ton of sense but when your bottle of wine is sub 5 bucks the bad bottle vs bad wine line is mighty thin. I do want to ask....please recommend a Malbec that you enjoy and be specific. I would love to try it.

That said- no one has yet to counter and offer any good reviews of the baguala malbec. There are tons of blogger reviewing sub $10 dollar wines- why are there no glowing baguala Reviews? Yes I compare it to 2 buck chuck because if a Sub $10 is not clearly better than 2 Buck Chuck I feel cheated. Call me a cheap bastard...Im Ok with it-but seems to me your criticism does not have as much to do with the quality of baguala malbec as it does me not using officially sanctioned wine snob terminology. Which is a fair statement and assessment.

Anonymous said...

I suggest opening a bottle of this, pour a glass, let it set for an hour, slice a couple pieces of extra sharp cheddar (aged 2 years), and then enjoy the combination of wine and cheese.