Daddy Winebucks

When the Race for 57 began, I promised that if I had a wine that was truly poor, one that even in my creative genius I could not stretch out into a hit, then the streak would be over, once again preserving Joe DiMaggio’s magic at 56.  Thus I’m sorry (and somewhat relieved frankly) to have finally met my match.

Now you may say that I bowed to the pressure of some readers who were incredulous that there were so many singles in the mix, those who felt I was just keeping the streak alive so 14 loyal people could continue to read about the wines that I found in TJ’s.  But the truth is I battled valiantly and just came up short.

Now I know how A-Rod feels in the Bronx.  Guy can hit, .325, 45HR, 132RBI but without the ring, he’s nothing but Madonna’s dirty laundry.

While I’m sad the streak is over, I’m happy that the wine that ended the streak was one of Trader Joe’s own.  The 2007 Captain’s Catch.  By this I mean I’m glad it wasn’t a real winery, who’s latest vintage stank.  I’m not big on railing against those who try to earn a living in the winemaking biz.  It’s hard way to make a living and I truly believe that no one is out there intentionally making a bad wine just to make a buck.  But I can throw a bit of scorn on a company like the Joe, who presumably because they felt, why let Frazia make all the noise piggybacking on us?  We’ll make our own wine and take more of the profits.

It’s not so much that this particular wine was the worst thing I ever tasted (though it deserves a spot in my Hall of Shame) it’s the fact that they’re selling it at $5.99.  Again, this tells me that one of the things their internal research group told the powers that be is that at a $5.99 price point, with the TJ’s label on it, we’ll sell well.  And maybe they are.

But for $2.00 more you can buy some seriously good South American and Spanish juice that will completely satisfy.  Would this wine have made the cut at $2.99?  My honest assessment is no, it wouldn’t.

And so baseball and wine loving fans alike, the streak ends at a measly 21 wines.  A noble effort to be sure, one that might get my contact renewed, but still well short of the record.

On a positive note, talk is still churning regarding a four person, 64 wine bracket to coincide with the NCAA College Basketball tourney.  Stay tuned for details, though with February just around the corner, I suspect we have to start it soon.

But next up, my awards season blog of blogs!