Thank you for your sacrifice… I haven’t tasted the kangaroos in a long time but I am thoroughly impressed that you can tell what they are by blind tasting. For my low budget wines, my go to are southern Rhone, Monsant and Jumilia. I guess I really like Granache!
Great video, KB. I find lots of enjoyable sauvignon blancs from the Marlborough region of N.Z. that are under $10.. both Costco and Trader Joes always have many entry level wines, both red and white ,that are good bargains at $ 10. and under.
Your comment about a basic Chianti struck a note with me. In one of my first business trips I’m in Rome, in a very rustic family trattoria, enjoying a nice pizza and their house wine (in carafe, it was a basic but good Chianti). Maybe the best wine I had in my life from an overall enjoyment I got from it, even if objectively it was an “80something” wine.
Konstantin, a video idea for you to consider. Compare a non reserva wine with the same wine as a Riserva/Gran Reserva/Gran Selezione. Choose areas where the difference is regulated vs where it is not. Discuss if the difference is worth the price difference. Maybe 4 sets of wines.
One of my WSET instructors (who was in the MW program at the time) said that it's important to drink a large variety of wines. Same varietals from different appellations/AVAs, same varietal different methods (especially in Rosé), and wines from a large range of wineries and producers. The rationale behind it was that the average person may not want to geek out over the eucalyptus notes in a Coonawarra cab but they may want something that is easy to find in their area and inoffensive. She also said that you never know what your blind test may include, so having exposure to a large variety is helpful in that circumstance.
Why would anyone not try to taste many different wines……? Unless they don’t care and like what they like….. if you wanna know a lot, drink one wine…… ?
my first wine purchases was casillero del diablo. It set me up with a passion of wine and work. Now days i can settle with clos de apalta... you keep expanding. And for me the Casillero del diablo was the start of the journey to end up where wine is a feeling and a craveing. Somedays i want to drink Vosne others i want lambusco, but every day is a champagne day, that i can always drink not every day is Sherry day here tho xD
I might live in Oz but I've never tasted Yellowtail. Here, it's regarded as an export wine to introduce non wine drinkers to the joys of wine. For more big brand whites I'd suggest something from Pernod Ricard's Jacob's Creek range of wines.
I find judging lower cost wines by depth color to be problematic since they may have mega purple added- So while Konstantin is correct that light reds may be thinner- unexpected darkness can be a tip off.
Aha - wines I buy, rather than the ones I get bought :) . Excellent video thanks (I thought the last one would be Concha Y Toro Reserva, but Casillero del Diablo Reserva is actually cheaper! Superbo video Senor Baum!!!)
Cool video! Regarding supermarket wines, I‘d love to see you blind tasting and sharing your opinion on the entry level VDPs (Gutswein, Ortswein) in the range of 10-20 euros, since they are also very accessible and often a dooropener to the new generation of wine enjoyers. Keep up the great work!
I've had this Rioja a number of times at various functions I've attended and always enjoyed it, and I've rarely been disappointed by "value" wines from Chile, both, always a good bet for the money.
I tipically use Yellow Tail Shiraz in comparison with some french syrah in a blind tasting with my students. This is to show them how, the same variety can bring to very different results depending on the productive style. I gotta say that many students (american students) quite like the YT Shiraz.
If you just started in wine you tend to favor sweeter and higher % wines over acidic pinots from burgundy. That is why zinfandel and primotivo works so well for the majority of the population.
Great review. I’ve seen all of these wines except the white but never pulled the trigger to buy one. I will now try the Campo and Diablo. I guess my fav mass-produced wine is the Bogle Petite Syrah.
Good video. The Casillero is one of the few supermarket wines I buy. I am surprised about the Mouton. I had that before as well and dont remember it that tannic. The Yellow Tail somehow got me started to get into wine…you grow bored of it very fast and want to try better wines quickly 😎🍷🍷
I am always impressed by the skills of the wine makers for the big commercial brands. Yeah, you will never get a tremendous wine but the skill it takes to make a wine taste the same year after year even though the grapes/juice changes due to weather every season is impressive blending techniques. I prefer smaller wineries where I may adore their wine one year and not so much the next year but I can still appreciate the skills of the winemakers of the big boys.
Commercialization of wines to look, smell and taste the same year after year regardless of the vintage is called manipulation not winemaking. Some very famous wines are “manufactured” this way. No self respecting winemaker takes pride in producing a product like that. Those kinds of wines are boring, without character or personality and give little enjoyment to someone who truly understands the world of wine. I make wine, professionally, and when a customer asks me why the wines taste different from year to year I tell them I make wine not Coca Cola. I appreciate the different nuances a vintage does to my fruit and the resulting wine. It keeps my profession interesting. Without it, we would simply be a manufacturing plant.
@@kevingeeting4011 It's called respecting your clientele. Who cares if it's "manufactured" if people like it. One could just as easily argue that using the oh-so-hip indigenous yeast approach is simply not doing your job. You are abandoning responsibility for what your product will taste like. It's silly anyway because yeast is yeast and it doesn't matter if you use a purchased yeast to achieve an effect. It's precisely as "natural" as any natural wine. There's room in the world for all sorts of wine, but to say things like "no self respecting winemaker" just shows you as a pompous bore.
@@pme1691 First of all, I never said anything about using indigenous yeasts. One should use the selected yeast strain that achieves the goal one is going for in the final wine. The “manufactured” term is used in accordance with a winemaker’s goal of trying to make the wine taste the same every year. I do believe most winemakers do not want to make wines in that fashion, as they appreciate the vintage differences from year to year. Wine is a living, natural product. To manipulate it into “sameness” every year shows more pompous bore than the way I, and many of my colleagues, make it. Most of the time a great wine will make itself…..the winemaker is simply there to guide it into what it wants to become. I’m sure many people love those types of wines you are speaking of, and those wineries producing them have become quite successful but that doesn’t make them good wines…..just popular to a certain customer base. I feel sorry for those people because the world of wine is so vast and varied that it would be a shame to drink the same thing over and over. Perhaps the finest wine you have ever had in your life is on a shelf in some store or a cellar of yours or a friend’s just waiting to be discovered? That’s why I don’t agree with the mass produced “manufactured” wines. I want to drink something more interesting and with some personality.
Great vlog, thanks. I love the fact that 81 is a “good” wine. I was a B-minus student, and I was good, too! It’s a part of the scoring range not used by experts, but it should be.
Super educational. Hate them or love them, the wine industry needs these labels. Chile offers some great value options in the entry level market. Also look out for South African options.
Casilliero del Diablo has been so consistently good for years. I bought it all the time from off licenses/supermarkets in London when i was a student. I could afford it and it was everywhere.
Feel like the wine world is like the smoking world just takes time end trial and error. Spending money wasting money, investing it once you learn what’s a good product and what’s good for you right really enjoy these videos.
The problem with yellowtail is that it was designed from the ground up for the sweet toothed American market, as well as the fruit source being a high yield area (NSW riverina) using irrigated vineyards. It does precisely what it's designed to, taste like wine and be purchased by Americans.
Thanks. Although I drink quite a few high end wines on special occasions I’ve also explored the lower end over many years for serving at concerts etc and have consistently found wines from Chile seldom bad and almost always outstanding value - indeed your last one Casillero is a favourite. For whites the basic Trimbach Riesling is a delicious focused bone dry wine at an amazing price.
I felt the same about a recent bottle of casillero del Diablo I had. I wasn’t expecting much for the price but was very surprised with the balance and fruit.
You pointed me to a new Chilean wine that seems intriguing. My favorite big brand wine is not that big, Veuve Clicquot, the base champagne is still tasty to me, though the prestige labels are still darn good.
I have had old vintages of Charles Shaw Chardonnay in blind tasting. Consistently mistaken for Jura or old world Chenin Blanc due to the oxidative character of the wine. Well respected in blinds by the group for its high acidity which really helped keep these white wines intact over the long haul.
I like the big brands at slightly above base level (thinking La Crema, Joel Gott vs Barefoot, Yellowtail). Gives me something to grab at any store/grocery if I’m traveling with family Edit: Campo Viejo is a great pickup for me too, glad to see it included 🎉
Cool video concept- my favorite large brand wines: Cloudy Bay Sauv Blanc (had a 2007 last year that was an incredible bottle) and Faustino I Gran Reserva. Both a bit higher in price than the wines featured in your video, but mass produced and widely available nonehtless.
Usual fav for a weeknight non-thinking wine is anything Spanish. Borsao used to be a go-to for me. I also tend to use them in my NY Sours. I'll have to give Casillero del Diablo and other Chilean wines a go for cocktails, thanks Konstantin!
New post on your channel. I live in Sonoma County. I love this concept…I enjoy beautifully made, rather expensive wines. The key is to find nice wines at a great price range for everyone to enjoy. I have to say that Costco has a few wines that are actually quite the value. Are they great wines? No. But they are approachable, well priced wines. I actually quite enjoy some of them. To name a few…the Gigondas (if you can find it) is probably their best. Then the Friuli Pinot Grigio is quite nice. Then I like the Sonoma Chardonnay. I really love how you presented this video. There are many good drinking wines that are perfect for people new to wine but are also fine for a day you don’t want to break into the cellar. Looking forward to more of your content
I worked at Trader Joe’s for 10 years and we often had in-store employee wine tastings. Most people preferred the manufactured fruitier plonk. Good wine is an acquired taste.
@@jonathandavis9507 Yes, gotta start somewhere. TJ’s was a good spot for that because one could explore wines of the world without spending a fortune. Then if you found a wine you liked for $5.99, buy a better level of the same wine elsewhere for double or triple, and discover the quality a few extra $$ will get you.
I love Giesen. Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is my favorite style of wine and theirs is my favorite Marlborough for the price. Also their Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay is pretty nice. Such an incredible value for money in my book (costs around $10-$12 USD around here!)
Whilst none of these wines will make someone fall in love with wine, I think you made a really good point about these sorts of wines being likely most people’s first experience of wine, so it’s important that there are well made options at these affordable price points that open the door for people.
As someone that only buys moderately priced wines and by no means knowledgeable I agree the Casillero del Diablo would be my favourite too. They sell several varieties as well.
Big brand favourite….. sparkling wine… champagne…. Treno doc…. Franciacorta all makes some good stuff that we need on a sunny day after work on the way home
It is fascinating to hear your blind comparisons between these mass produced wines. I've had many of these brands over the years and they are still popular with many of my friends who are "occasional" wine-drinkers. Curious regarding your word choice as you often use "flavor" when describing the aroma/nose/scent of the wines you are sampling. As always, I love your reviews.
The Ned Pinot Grigio a great wine certainly for the price . Grant burge barossa ink shyraz another good one . Paul mas great Viognier and red blends from France
I remember drinking Barefoot Bynum Burgundy back in the eighties in San Francisco with Front Room Parisian steak and tomato pizza and being on Cloud 9. They don't make that anymore but I have fond memories of it. Because I spend most of my money on my daughter and her schooling I can't indulge in high end wines without feeling guilty so I have indulged in some of the wines that you tasted. Like you say, drinkable but unremarkable. I still drink Barefoot once in a while and Yellowtail even though the only lasting impression is one of mediocrity. I still feel thankful that we live in a world where I can taste wines from around the world with ease. It is amazing.
It might have been fun if your assistant had included a nice $30.00 bottle of Cabernet. Maybe even one you had already tasted. I love all your videos. Thanks! 😀
I like big reds from Napa valley, Alexander valley reserves like Stags Leap, Caymus, Dry Creek. I was tasting reds at Dry Creek starting. with entry level Cabs then the guy pouring let me taste a few reserves and what a difference! Some reds from S America are a great value. Can't forget mellow reds from Tuscany or champagnes from France, whites from NZ.
Jay Lee surely as f*ck wouldn't have paid for it. He thinks people mistreat him because he is Asian. I guess things are much better in North Korea and it's sibling across the border which is only what it is because of outsourcing.
So many people say "oh I'm really into wine" and then say Yellow Tail is their favourite. I don't dislike it and I'm very much a wine novice with cheap tastes, my current stock is all only 1 step up from that in the sense of being a little more interesting/challenging and
Four mass produced, industrial scale wines that I believe are excellent examples of "serious wine." Prices in New York: Kim Crawford sauvignon blanc $12.95 Bodegas Juan Gil Monastrell Jumilla $11.98 Louis Jadot Pouilly-Fuissé $25.99 Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet $10.95
I had some 2020 Mouton Cadet recently. It was my first Bordeaux. Not ideal, I know, but I'm working class and live in the middle of nowhere in British Columbia, so there isn't much choice outside of the locally-made stuff. I can relate that the tannins were quite intense, but I actually don't mind that feeling. Went very well with the steak I made.
The wines tasted are around € 7 - 9. I think. In my experience spending just a few Euro more on a bottle will find you much, much better wines. Finding an enjoyable wine at € 7 - 9 is quite an achievement. Unless you like German Riesling wines and drive to Germany for a small holiday and visit some of the wineries, like I do every year. Still lots of very nice wines under € 10 to be found there.
Interesting tasting thanks! I can get all three of the higher rated wines at the local supermarkets in Yokohama (there's also Yellowtail but yeah nah). Will give the Casillero del Diablo a crack.
Indeed here in Kenya you'll basically find only such big brands. Not even all of those mentioned ones. One of my favorites for the "daily dose" are the Fronteras from Chile. Esp. the Merlot pairs very well with pizza and pasta or some nice meat stew.
When you discuss the flavors I remember to ask you a question I always wanted to. About the artificially added flavors in wine. Are there such practices and can you find such wines on a tasting?
Here in the US, the big brand that I turn to for events is the, “Josh Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Paso Robles” which sells for anywhere between 16 -20$. I “found” this wine in an area that only had grocery store wines. I know that many wines coming from Paso are very nice so I picked up this bottle for dinner. We were very happy with it and have this on our list of wines to buy if a more premium wine is not available.
The Josh Reserve Cab. P R is a very nice wine indeed and more than a crowd pleaser even though it is not my style of wine. I don't think that it gets the respect it deserves probably because they pissed someone off. And I think that it isn't just a certain magazine that bases it's reviews upon advertising revenues. Perhaps a few wine writers and even a few MW's may be pocketing in some way. That Josh sells for just under 18.00 here in Portland, OR. at a big discount supermarket.
I’ve had Josh many times at a friend’s home and I find it unbearable recipe wine making. It doesn’t taste natural and there are better Cali wines for the money.
@@SteelyTheVan Louis Martini has both a Napa and a Sonoma Cab. Three years ago a friend opened the Napa. It was 20 years old and a stunner. No one could believe how fresh it was. It was more old world in structure but with the fruit reminiscent of California. The alcohol had been kept under 14% I believe. It was fine on its own but was better with food. Their Sonoma cab is considerably cheaper but again, in its price range, it over delivers. Prices on the Martini wines jumped by $5 to $10 last year.
The Bulk Wine producers sell wines that tend to fall apart in the glass. That’s the difference in my experience. Good artisanal wines open to reveal intriguing aroma and flavor. Spend wisely!!!
Never thought I’d say it but Trafer Joes has a Pinot Grigio delle Venezie rosé that I can pour for anyone and at the least they think it’s tasty and at the most they really like it. I am not (YET! Gonna apply next year) am MW but have my diploma so like to think my taste isn’t awful. Again, I wouldn’t be like “this is fine wine” but I also happily enjoy a glass on the picnic hikes I go on monthly.
Pasqua. They produce under many different lables all across Italy. Most are well made wines at reasonable prices, and some of the stuff they put out under the IGT classifications are quite creative.
I'm surprised that there was only one white wine in the tasting. My impression is that there is better value in low cost white wines, particularly sauvignon blanc, than a red. My favorite inexpensive white would be the Mohua Sauvignon Blanc. At 8-10 euros I recall it delivering a punchy bouquet of tropical fruits with good acidity, lovely for sitting on the terrace on summer afternoon. There must be some good, less expense Rieslings. I know I've had some delicious bottles at roughly double the cost of those in this tasting (e.g., von Winning Riesling Ruppertsberg Reiterpfad Erste Lage at 18 euros).
If I ever want to scratch my Australian Red itch, I'll grab some Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet. Not bad for the price and often obtainable around £7.50 mark (which seems close to entry level these days). For cooking, I used to often have Chapoutier Cote du Rhone (or another reasonable CdR if that wasn't about) which was cheap enough to cook with and tasty enough to drink. It's price rarely puts it in this category these days though.
I honestly think its great that SOME of yhe bigger brands are able to create some twrroir to their wine. When I was starting out. Catching terroir notes was Almost essansial:)
Dear collegue, when a wine is okay, good, acceptable okay, give it 71 points, not 81 points. Its not realistic. 71 is already basically okay. Still giving to many points for what it is and there are to few higher points left for the better, greater, super and top wines. 60 points is in fact already accepable, don't forget. a 6 out of 10 in school is already sufficient. I dont give 79 points for a quite allright wine. Really something to consider !
Personally, I'm perfectly happy with something from Yellow Tail (Riesling, Pinot Noir), Chateau St. Michelle (Riesling), and 90Plus Cellars (anything!) Your results may differ! Now, if I had the $$ for LaTache or Scharzhofburger, I'll admit that I'd drink a lot more of this! 😊
Interesting to see how low Chianti Rufina scored. When in London my go to, lazy no brainer choice was always Cote du Rhone (vilage level if available, but any village for that matter). Now, in Italy I really stuggle. I found a couple of options from Antinori, which are quite good even at the supermarket level. I also once in one of the airports somewhere I picked up one of those little 250ml bottles, just because it was Pinot Noir. It was from the mass producer Calvet, but it was surprisingly good. I didn't expect that at all.
Champagne is one of the best examples of brand… storytelling…. Big brands needs to make a wine that live up the expectations, smaller wineries have a broader range in style… some prefer an another b….. however, some wine - very big scale and lower quality is perhaps not the best representation of what wine can be….. the value chain of cheaper wines shows an interesting side of the production…..
Here in London, my fave cornershop wine is a corbiere made by Le Pressoir. They make a Fitou, Merlot, Cab sauv and other southern french grape varieties - but not a syrah it seems. Has anyone come accross these?
Oh this is easy to answer the question. Definitely the Concha y Toro, Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon. To be honest. The very good wines of Chile, even in the basic price part was making me a Cabernet Sauvignon fan. The really have good quality. Of course they produce blends as well. Bordeaux style blends. I had a blend of Mourvedre, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Petit Verdot from a volcanic soil. It was outstanding. And as well we aren't talking about 20€, 50€ or a 100€ for the bottle. I payed something between 10 and 15€ . Really good wines. I try to start my wine study. Maybe I can work as a tourist guide with my languages. I speak native german, english and spanish. Actually I live in Chile and my dream is to enter the wine business, working in there. If you need a guide for Chile feel free to contact me 😉 With the best wishes and kind regards
I would try the rioja and the diablo - yellow tail 🤢🤢 just no! Barefoot - is it squash? If you love wine, love life, you avoid brand wines!! Simples Good entertaining review 👍🏻
Thank you for your sacrifice… I haven’t tasted the kangaroos in a long time but I am thoroughly impressed that you can tell what they are by blind tasting. For my low budget wines, my go to are southern Rhone, Monsant and Jumilia. I guess I really like Granache!
Finally a review where I've tried every single one of 'em 😁
Great video, KB.
I find lots of enjoyable sauvignon blancs from the Marlborough region of N.Z. that are under $10.. both Costco and Trader Joes always have many entry level wines, both red and white ,that are good bargains at
$ 10. and under.
E. Guigal and louis jadot are two big producers that I feel deliver great quality across their products and price points.
Very different from industrial swill
@@peternixon1460
They are, but the vitriol that these producers receive from certain circles is much the same.
Your comment about a basic Chianti struck a note with me. In one of my first business trips I’m in Rome, in a very rustic family trattoria, enjoying a nice pizza and their house wine (in carafe, it was a basic but good Chianti). Maybe the best wine I had in my life from an overall enjoyment I got from it, even if objectively it was an “80something” wine.
That's because Italian wines are designed with food in mind. They are meant to be enjoyed with food.
Konstantin, a video idea for you to consider. Compare a non reserva wine with the same wine as a Riserva/Gran Reserva/Gran Selezione. Choose areas where the difference is regulated vs where it is not. Discuss if the difference is worth the price difference. Maybe 4 sets of wines.
Concha y Toro is a historic brand. They even have a cheaper brand (Fronteras), and their upper tier stuff is excellent.
One of my WSET instructors (who was in the MW program at the time) said that it's important to drink a large variety of wines. Same varietals from different appellations/AVAs, same varietal different methods (especially in Rosé), and wines from a large range of wineries and producers. The rationale behind it was that the average person may not want to geek out over the eucalyptus notes in a Coonawarra cab but they may want something that is easy to find in their area and inoffensive. She also said that you never know what your blind test may include, so having exposure to a large variety is helpful in that circumstance.
Yeah same but I'm not gay
@@Amberlynn_Reid tf
I feel like many WSET instructors are in the MW program, very few if any manage to finish it though. 2 of my instructors had been in it for man years
@@itsmederek1 one of my West instructors told me to use the intervention on MW2.
I got a huge collateral on high rise because of it
Why would anyone not try to taste many different wines……? Unless they don’t care and like what they like….. if you wanna know a lot, drink one wine…… ?
I agree that for the same money, wines from Chile usually offer the best value.
my first wine purchases was casillero del diablo. It set me up with a passion of wine and work. Now days i can settle with clos de apalta... you keep expanding. And for me the Casillero del diablo was the start of the journey to end up where wine is a feeling and a craveing. Somedays i want to drink Vosne others i want lambusco, but every day is a champagne day, that i can always drink not every day is Sherry day here tho xD
I might live in Oz but I've never tasted Yellowtail. Here, it's regarded as an export wine to introduce non wine drinkers to the joys of wine. For more big brand whites I'd suggest something from Pernod Ricard's Jacob's Creek range of wines.
Jacob's Creek makes nice wines! Love their moscatos for spicy Asian foods!
I find judging lower cost wines by depth color to be problematic since they may have mega purple added- So while Konstantin is correct that light reds may be thinner- unexpected darkness can be a tip off.
The winner - the Casillero del Diablo - is no surprise to me. They are consistently producing good wine for little money year in year out.
Like the Cab they do .
Wow spoiler alert
Aha - wines I buy, rather than the ones I get bought :) . Excellent video thanks (I thought the last one would be Concha Y Toro Reserva, but Casillero del Diablo Reserva is actually cheaper! Superbo video Senor Baum!!!)
Cool video! Regarding supermarket wines, I‘d love to see you blind tasting and sharing your opinion on the entry level VDPs (Gutswein, Ortswein) in the range of 10-20 euros, since they are also very accessible and often a dooropener to the new generation of wine enjoyers. Keep up the great work!
Campo Viejo was always a treat wine when I was broke at uni, I think it's a solid wine and used to be £5 in supermarkets quite often
I've had this Rioja a number of times at various functions I've attended and always enjoyed it, and I've rarely been disappointed by "value" wines from Chile, both, always a good bet for the money.
I tipically use Yellow Tail Shiraz in comparison with some french syrah in a blind tasting with my students. This is to show them how, the same variety can bring to very different results depending on the productive style. I gotta say that many students (american students) quite like the YT Shiraz.
"I gotta say that many students (american students) quite like the YT Shiraz.".
I'm not surprised. 😁
If you just started in wine you tend to favor sweeter and higher % wines over acidic pinots from burgundy. That is why zinfandel and primotivo works so well for the majority of the population.
Great review. I’ve seen all of these wines except the white but never pulled the trigger to buy one. I will now try the Campo and Diablo.
I guess my fav mass-produced wine is the Bogle Petite Syrah.
Good video. The Casillero is one of the few supermarket wines I buy. I am surprised about the Mouton. I had that before as well and dont remember it that tannic. The Yellow Tail somehow got me started to get into wine…you grow bored of it very fast and want to try better wines quickly 😎🍷🍷
I am always impressed by the skills of the wine makers for the big commercial brands. Yeah, you will never get a tremendous wine but the skill it takes to make a wine taste the same year after year even though the grapes/juice changes due to weather every season is impressive blending techniques. I prefer smaller wineries where I may adore their wine one year and not so much the next year but I can still appreciate the skills of the winemakers of the big boys.
You know about food chemicals and additives, do you?
Commercialization of wines to look, smell and taste the same year after year regardless of the vintage is called manipulation not winemaking. Some very famous wines are “manufactured” this way. No self respecting winemaker takes pride in producing a product like that. Those kinds of wines are boring, without character or personality and give little enjoyment to someone who truly understands the world of wine. I make wine, professionally, and when a customer asks me why the wines taste different from year to year I tell them I make wine not Coca Cola. I appreciate the different nuances a vintage does to my fruit and the resulting wine. It keeps my profession interesting. Without it, we would simply be a manufacturing plant.
@@kevingeeting4011 It's called respecting your clientele. Who cares if it's "manufactured" if people like it. One could just as easily argue that using the oh-so-hip indigenous yeast approach is simply not doing your job. You are abandoning responsibility for what your product will taste like. It's silly anyway because yeast is yeast and it doesn't matter if you use a purchased yeast to achieve an effect. It's precisely as "natural" as any natural wine. There's room in the world for all sorts of wine, but to say things like "no self respecting winemaker" just shows you as a pompous bore.
@@pme1691 First of all, I never said anything about using indigenous yeasts. One should use the selected yeast strain that achieves the goal one is going for in the final wine. The “manufactured” term is used in accordance with a winemaker’s goal of trying to make the wine taste the same every year. I do believe most winemakers do not want to make wines in that fashion, as they appreciate the vintage differences from year to year. Wine is a living, natural product. To manipulate it into “sameness” every year shows more pompous bore than the way I, and many of my colleagues, make it. Most of the time a great wine will make itself…..the winemaker is simply there to guide it into what it wants to become. I’m sure many people love those types of wines you are speaking of, and those wineries producing them have become quite successful but that doesn’t make them good wines…..just popular to a certain customer base.
I feel sorry for those people because the world of wine is so vast and varied that it would be a shame to drink the same thing over and over. Perhaps the finest wine you have ever had in your life is on a shelf in some store or a cellar of yours or a friend’s just waiting to be discovered? That’s why I don’t agree with the mass produced “manufactured” wines. I want to drink something more interesting and with some personality.
Traditionally Champagne is blended to taste the same every year.
Great vlog, thanks. I love the fact that 81 is a “good” wine. I was a B-minus student, and I was good, too! It’s a part of the scoring range not used by experts, but it should be.
Super educational. Hate them or love them, the wine industry needs these labels. Chile offers some great value options in the entry level market. Also look out for South African options.
Great video. It was interesting to watch. I am a newbie with wines, so I am trying out my 1st wines. Thanks
Casilliero del Diablo has been so consistently good for years. I bought it all the time from off licenses/supermarkets in London when i was a student. I could afford it and it was everywhere.
I'm going to show my grandmother your channel tonight. She's gunna appreciate your videos
Feel like the wine world is like the smoking world just takes time end trial and error. Spending money wasting money, investing it once you learn what’s a good product and what’s good for you right really enjoy these videos.
The problem with yellowtail is that it was designed from the ground up for the sweet toothed American market, as well as the fruit source being a high yield area (NSW riverina) using irrigated vineyards. It does precisely what it's designed to, taste like wine and be purchased by Americans.
Casillero del Diablo was my gateway into wine. First bottle I ever legally purchased!
My go to big red is Lindemann Cabernet Sauvignon. Would like a similar video but focusing on whites. Great video though.
My go-to big brand is Wyndham Bin 555 shiraz. Reliable, juicy and fruit forward. Red Knot is another wine I may get for the same reasons.
As always an interesting topic, your vlogs are encouraging to dive deeper into the wine world and learn each day something new.
another great video,thanks for doing a mass market wine tasting. my favourite big brand producers is louis jardot i love a macon village by this label
Hoya de Cadenas is my favorite cheap wine. $10 a bottle and tastes great. At $25 is Marquez de Caceres Gran Reserva, to me is really good.
Both Rioja.
thanks, great blind tasting... Nice to do something like this with friends and serve with every wine something to eat...
7:53-8:03 Check and mate! And I'm not surprised that Diablo's Cab Sauv was the winner. Amazing value. Their Sauv Blanc is also nice.
Thanks. Although I drink quite a few high end wines on special occasions I’ve also explored the lower end over many years for serving at concerts etc and have consistently found wines from Chile seldom bad and almost always outstanding value - indeed your last one Casillero is a favourite. For whites the basic Trimbach Riesling is a delicious focused bone dry wine at an amazing price.
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc is a super mass market white wine brand.
I felt the same about a recent bottle of casillero del Diablo I had. I wasn’t expecting much for the price but was very surprised with the balance and fruit.
You pointed me to a new Chilean wine that seems intriguing. My favorite big brand wine is not that big, Veuve Clicquot, the base champagne is still tasty to me, though the prestige labels are still darn good.
I have had old vintages of Charles Shaw Chardonnay in blind tasting. Consistently mistaken for Jura or old world Chenin Blanc due to the oxidative character of the wine. Well respected in blinds by the group for its high acidity which really helped keep these white wines intact over the long haul.
I like the big brands at slightly above base level (thinking La Crema, Joel Gott vs Barefoot, Yellowtail). Gives me something to grab at any store/grocery if I’m traveling with family
Edit: Campo Viejo is a great pickup for me too, glad to see it included 🎉
Cool video concept- my favorite large brand wines: Cloudy Bay Sauv Blanc (had a 2007 last year that was an incredible bottle) and Faustino I Gran Reserva. Both a bit higher in price than the wines featured in your video, but mass produced and widely available nonehtless.
For an entry-level widely available Australian Shiraz you're definitely better off buying the Penfolds.
Usual fav for a weeknight non-thinking wine is anything Spanish. Borsao used to be a go-to for me. I also tend to use them in my NY Sours. I'll have to give Casillero del Diablo and other Chilean wines a go for cocktails, thanks Konstantin!
As someone who works at a wine retailer, it is insane how much ALL these brands sell for me but they're popular for a reason.
New post on your channel. I live in Sonoma County.
I love this concept…I enjoy beautifully made, rather expensive wines. The key is to find nice wines at a great price range for everyone to enjoy.
I have to say that Costco has a few wines that are actually quite the value. Are they great wines? No. But they are approachable, well priced wines. I actually quite enjoy some of them. To name a few…the Gigondas (if you can find it) is probably their best. Then the Friuli Pinot Grigio is quite nice. Then I like the Sonoma Chardonnay.
I really love how you presented this video. There are many good drinking wines that are perfect for people new to wine but are also fine for a day you don’t want to break into the cellar.
Looking forward to more of your content
I worked at Trader Joe’s for 10 years and we often had in-store employee wine tastings. Most people preferred the manufactured fruitier plonk. Good wine is an acquired taste.
You gotta start somewhere.
@@jonathandavis9507 Yes, gotta start somewhere. TJ’s was a good spot for that because one could explore wines of the world without spending a fortune. Then if you found a wine you liked for $5.99, buy a better level of the same wine elsewhere for double or triple, and discover the quality a few extra $$ will get you.
My favorite big brand is Penfolds from Australia, they have some really tasty stuff ( both cheap & expensive ones)!
I love Giesen. Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is my favorite style of wine and theirs is my favorite Marlborough for the price. Also their Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay is pretty nice. Such an incredible value for money in my book (costs around $10-$12 USD around here!)
Love your videos and your English is so amazing. How many non native speakers say “barely”? Keep up the great work.
Barely anyone 😅
Carpineto Dogajolo is my go to cheaper food wine, available most places I've been. Second the Casillero del Diablo recommendation!
Whilst none of these wines will make someone fall in love with wine, I think you made a really good point about these sorts of wines being likely most people’s first experience of wine, so it’s important that there are well made options at these affordable price points that open the door for people.
Penfolds Koonunga is my go to supermarket wine in the UK. Few more £’s than these but I think it’s worth it.
As someone that only buys moderately priced wines and by no means knowledgeable I agree the Casillero del Diablo would be my favourite too. They sell several varieties as well.
Big brand favourite….. sparkling wine… champagne…. Treno doc…. Franciacorta all makes some good stuff that we need on a sunny day after work on the way home
The late Irish journalist George Byrne said about Black Tower: "Jesus Christ himself couldn't turn it into wine!"
He only likes it because he is German so maybe he is Jesus Christ.
Would love to see more big brand reviews...my favourite big brand is Veuve :P
It is fascinating to hear your blind comparisons between these mass produced wines. I've had many of these brands over the years and they are still popular with many of my friends who are "occasional" wine-drinkers. Curious regarding your word choice as you often use "flavor" when describing the aroma/nose/scent of the wines you are sampling. As always, I love your reviews.
The Ned Pinot Grigio a great wine certainly for the price .
Grant burge barossa ink shyraz another good one .
Paul mas great Viognier and red blends from France
Can we just walk away from Yellow Tail? I don't know any Australians that drink it.
I've had the Rioja tasted here. It isn't bad.
Catena Zapata and Penfolds, always decent. price points are bit higher, but you usually find both in most international markets.
I remember drinking Barefoot Bynum Burgundy back in the eighties in San Francisco with Front Room Parisian steak and tomato pizza and being on Cloud 9. They don't make that anymore but I have fond memories of it. Because I spend most of my money on my daughter and her schooling I can't indulge in high end wines without feeling guilty so I have indulged in some of the wines that you tasted. Like you say, drinkable but unremarkable. I still drink Barefoot once in a while and Yellowtail even though the only lasting impression is one of mediocrity. I still feel thankful that we live in a world where I can taste wines from around the world with ease. It is amazing.
It might have been fun if your assistant had included a nice $30.00 bottle of Cabernet. Maybe even one you had already tasted. I love all your videos. Thanks! 😀
I like big reds from Napa valley, Alexander valley reserves like Stags Leap, Caymus, Dry Creek. I was tasting reds at Dry Creek starting. with entry level Cabs then the guy pouring let me taste a few reserves and what a difference! Some reds from S America are a great value. Can't forget mellow reds from Tuscany or champagnes from France, whites from NZ.
Champagne can only be from France
It would have been interesting if the wines had been decanted before tasting. Also the screw cap wines would have been hidden then.
For me the best full bodied glugging wine has to be the Barefoot Merlot, well balanced and great value for money
Had Jay Lee collaborated, he would’ve thrown a grand crux in there 😅.
Awesome video Konstantin !
How different was it from the DRC taste ?
Jay Lee surely as f*ck wouldn't have paid for it. He thinks people mistreat him because he is Asian. I guess things are much better in North Korea and it's sibling across the border which is only what it is because of outsourcing.
So many people say "oh I'm really into wine" and then say Yellow Tail is their favourite. I don't dislike it and I'm very much a wine novice with cheap tastes, my current stock is all only 1 step up from that in the sense of being a little more interesting/challenging and
Very interesting. You can learn a lot by dissecting mediocre wines. Mine is Black Box Pinot.
Four mass produced, industrial scale wines that I believe are excellent examples of "serious wine." Prices in New York:
Kim Crawford sauvignon blanc $12.95
Bodegas Juan Gil Monastrell Jumilla $11.98
Louis Jadot Pouilly-Fuissé $25.99
Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet $10.95
I had some 2020 Mouton Cadet recently. It was my first Bordeaux. Not ideal, I know, but I'm working class and live in the middle of nowhere in British Columbia, so there isn't much choice outside of the locally-made stuff. I can relate that the tannins were quite intense, but I actually don't mind that feeling. Went very well with the steak I made.
The wines tasted are around € 7 - 9. I think.
In my experience spending just a few Euro more on a bottle will find you much, much better wines.
Finding an enjoyable wine at € 7 - 9 is quite an achievement.
Unless you like German Riesling wines and drive to Germany for a small holiday and visit some of the wineries, like I do every year.
Still lots of very nice wines under € 10 to be found there.
In Spain, at least, the Casillero del Diablo and the Campo Viejo would be under 5€
Entry level E. Guigal Cote du Rhone for 6-8 eur here in DK is my favorite.
Damn. £11.00 - £12.00 here (dependent on Tesco clubcard). However, one of the best wines available in supermarkets.
Interesting tasting thanks! I can get all three of the higher rated wines at the local supermarkets in Yokohama (there's also Yellowtail but yeah nah). Will give the Casillero del Diablo a crack.
Indeed here in Kenya you'll basically find only such big brands. Not even all of those mentioned ones. One of my favorites for the "daily dose" are the Fronteras from Chile. Esp. the Merlot pairs very well with pizza and pasta or some nice meat stew.
When you discuss the flavors I remember to ask you a question I always wanted to. About the artificially added flavors in wine. Are there such practices and can you find such wines on a tasting?
Côtes du Rhône Red from Guigal. Thanks for a great video.
Tastes like a poor quality Bordeaux
I like this wine called
" 7 Moons, dark side " I think is made in Chile and I think it is quite enjoyable and it costs less than 20 US dollars.
Here in the US, the big brand that I turn to for events is the, “Josh Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Paso Robles” which sells for anywhere between 16 -20$. I “found” this wine in an area that only had grocery store wines. I know that many wines coming from Paso are very nice so I picked up this bottle for dinner. We were very happy with it and have this on our list of wines to buy if a more premium wine is not available.
I too enjoy cabs from Paso, pretty much a sure thing for price and quality.
The Josh Reserve Cab. P R is a very nice wine indeed and more than a crowd pleaser even though it is not my style of wine. I don't think that it gets the respect it deserves probably because they pissed someone off. And I think that it isn't just a certain magazine that bases it's reviews upon advertising revenues. Perhaps a few wine writers and even a few MW's may be pocketing in some way. That Josh sells for just under 18.00 here in Portland, OR. at a big discount supermarket.
I’ve had Josh many times at a friend’s home and I find it unbearable recipe wine making. It doesn’t taste natural and there are better Cali wines for the money.
@@rajo741 sounds good. Do you have any good cali Cabernet that you like better at the $20 price range? I would definitely like to give them a try.
@@SteelyTheVan Louis Martini has both a Napa and a Sonoma Cab. Three years ago a friend opened the Napa. It was 20 years old and a stunner. No one could believe how fresh it was. It was more old world in structure but with the fruit reminiscent of California. The alcohol had been kept under 14% I believe. It was fine on its own but was better with food. Their Sonoma cab is considerably cheaper but again, in its price range, it over delivers. Prices on the Martini wines jumped by $5 to $10 last year.
The Bulk Wine producers sell wines that tend to fall apart in the glass.
That’s the difference in my experience. Good artisanal wines open to reveal intriguing aroma and flavor. Spend wisely!!!
Never thought I’d say it but Trafer Joes has a Pinot Grigio delle Venezie rosé that I can pour for anyone and at the least they think it’s tasty and at the most they really like it. I am not (YET! Gonna apply next year) am MW but have my diploma so like to think my taste isn’t awful. Again, I wouldn’t be like “this is fine wine” but I also happily enjoy a glass on the picnic hikes I go on monthly.
Pasqua. They produce under many different lables all across Italy. Most are well made wines at reasonable prices, and some of the stuff they put out under the IGT classifications are quite creative.
I'm surprised that there was only one white wine in the tasting. My impression is that there is better value in low cost white wines, particularly sauvignon blanc, than a red. My favorite inexpensive white would be the Mohua Sauvignon Blanc. At 8-10 euros I recall it delivering a punchy bouquet of tropical fruits with good acidity, lovely for sitting on the terrace on summer afternoon. There must be some good, less expense Rieslings. I know I've had some delicious bottles at roughly double the cost of those in this tasting (e.g., von Winning Riesling Ruppertsberg Reiterpfad Erste Lage at 18 euros).
If I ever want to scratch my Australian Red itch, I'll grab some Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet. Not bad for the price and often obtainable around £7.50 mark (which seems close to entry level these days). For cooking, I used to often have Chapoutier Cote du Rhone (or another reasonable CdR if that wasn't about) which was cheap enough to cook with and tasty enough to drink. It's price rarely puts it in this category these days though.
Hi @Konstantin, what do you think about vegan wine? Do they make sense?
I honestly think its great that SOME of yhe bigger brands are able to create some twrroir to their wine.
When I was starting out. Catching terroir notes was Almost essansial:)
Dear collegue, when a wine is okay, good, acceptable okay, give it 71 points, not 81 points. Its not realistic. 71 is already basically okay. Still giving to many points for what it is and there are to few higher points left for the better, greater, super and top wines. 60 points is in fact already accepable, don't forget. a 6 out of 10 in school is already sufficient. I dont give 79 points for a quite allright wine. Really something to consider !
Personally, I'm perfectly happy with something from Yellow Tail (Riesling, Pinot Noir), Chateau St. Michelle (Riesling), and 90Plus Cellars (anything!) Your results may differ!
Now, if I had the $$ for LaTache or Scharzhofburger, I'll admit that I'd drink a lot more of this! 😊
Interesting to see how low Chianti Rufina scored. When in London my go to, lazy no brainer choice was always Cote du Rhone (vilage level if available, but any village for that matter). Now, in Italy I really stuggle. I found a couple of options from Antinori, which are quite good even at the supermarket level. I also once in one of the airports somewhere I picked up one of those little 250ml bottles, just because it was Pinot Noir. It was from the mass producer Calvet, but it was surprisingly good. I didn't expect that at all.
Vera Nice, thank you
Champagne is one of the best examples of brand… storytelling…. Big brands needs to make a wine that live up the expectations, smaller wineries have a broader range in style… some prefer an another b….. however, some wine - very big scale and lower quality is perhaps not the best representation of what wine can be….. the value chain of cheaper wines shows an interesting side of the production…..
Here in London, my fave cornershop wine is a corbiere made by Le Pressoir. They make a Fitou, Merlot, Cab sauv and other southern french grape varieties - but not a syrah it seems. Has anyone come accross these?
Oh this is easy to answer the question. Definitely the Concha y Toro, Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon. To be honest. The very good wines of Chile, even in the basic price part was making me a Cabernet Sauvignon fan. The really have good quality. Of course they produce blends as well. Bordeaux style blends. I had a blend of Mourvedre, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Petit Verdot from a volcanic soil. It was outstanding. And as well we aren't talking about 20€, 50€ or a 100€ for the bottle. I payed something between 10 and 15€ . Really good wines. I try to start my wine study. Maybe I can work as a tourist guide with my languages. I speak native german, english and spanish. Actually I live in Chile and my dream is to enter the wine business, working in there. If you need a guide for Chile feel free to contact me 😉
With the best wishes and kind regards
We need a box wine tasting video
Wish you would include what you paid for each. You normally do. I know the link. But to hear your comments of taste VS price is a true factor.
They were all pretty cheap but I didn’t know as it was a blind tasting
what do you think about Jacob's Creek wines?
Er hat yellow tail probiert? RIP Konsti
😂
😆
I would try the rioja and the diablo - yellow tail 🤢🤢 just no! Barefoot - is it squash? If you love wine, love life, you avoid brand wines!! Simples
Good entertaining review 👍🏻