What a dog, literally. Their Chardonnay, frankly, got much higher marks. This wine might be best suited to give to someone you really don’t like very much, unless they are dog lovers, and maybe not even then. I’m not sure I’d even want to cook with it. For the price, look elsewhere.
The wine has a clear, bright ruby-violet color with some light to moderate structure to the wine. While there are some faint berry notes to this wine, the remainder of you nose is going to take in a rather disagreeable (unless you are a dog lover) smell of wet dog/wet wool and maybe just a hint of earthy/moldy too. These are not very good combinations for a wine. Its dog problem doesn’t seem to follow through to the taste buds, but it’s also got a fairly aggressive astringency (dryness) and a hefty kick of tannins at the end that throws this wine out of balance. Its medium finish won’t help either as all of that bad taste just lingers, for too long. Time might help the tannins in this wine, but won’t help anything else.
Grade: D- Price: $9
Wine Reviewed:
Cycles Gladiator
2005
Cabernet Sauvignon
California
Alcohol: 13.5% by Volume.
Cycles Gladiator
I haven't tried this 2005 Cabernet but, from your description it sounds as though the wine may have been corked. Are you familiar with TCA? The wet dog, moldy, lack of fruit that you describe makes me think you had a wine that had some flaws beyond your dislike of it.
More than just moldy problem I think
I've been using an aroma wheel to help define the wines I've been drinking, and I'll have to check but I think the wine had a screw top cap, which should preclude this problem. The wet dog is part of a chemical/sulfur component of the wheel. So, no, it's just a lousy wine.
I am sure it was corked, at
I am sure it was corked, at least beginning to oxidize. I have had 2 bottles of this wine that were oxidized. However the one good one I had was an incredible find at an amazing price! Surely one of the best buys of the year. Our local wine shop was happy to accept the corked bottles and give me an exchange.
Cycles Gladiator
I just had a glass of this at a restaurant, and it was pretty good. C+/B- range, so I'll have to agree with the above that Bob got a corked bottle.