Recently, I had the opportunity* to try wine from Wisconsin. Now, it’s worth bearing in mind that when most people think about wine, there are certain areas that come to mind; most of France, Spain, Italy, California, Australia, New Zealand, and so on and so forth. That being said, most individuals do not think, ‘what a splendid evening, I think I’ll crack open a nice bottle of Wisconsin White, and eat my beluga caviar’. No, this is a beer state through and through. Despite this, and the far northern climate, Wisconsin does indeed have a number of wineries.
Among these wineries is Botham Vineyards, who makes Big Stuff Too! This semi-dry white is made from the Vidal blanc varietal, more famous for ice wine than dry wines. So how does this northernly off-dry wine hold up against big competition from the New York finger lakes region?
Sight: Somewhat greenish, with a bit of light yellow.
Smell: Green apple and starfruit are surrounded by rubber and engine grease. There’s also something that smell suspiciously like twizzlers. Notes of white grape, peach, dragonfruit, and wrinkle of minerality.
Sip: A quick burst of pear and peach sweetness slowly shuffles into a starfruit and dragonfruit laced dry wine. The whole thing is intertwined with something like a racquetball and rubber tires. The whole experience gets wrapped in a green apple skin, and feels heavy in the mouth. The lack of acid makes the wine feel flabby.
Savor: Rubber, gummy bears, and lilacs fade quickly from the palate.
Overall, this is one of the more bizarre wine experiences I’ve had. It’s a shame since the wine seems to have a lot of potential, but the flavor is something like a tennis ball having sex with the tropical fruit section of the local supermarket. It’s upsetting and strange, but I think Wisconsin could have some real gems with slightly different wine making technique. Maybe borrowed from the Russians?
Price: $9.99
Barneveld, Wisconsin
http://www.bothamvineyards.com/wines.php/Big_Stuff_Too