Trick or Treat?

I attended a great BBQ over the weekend at the behest of Jay Hack, who outdid himself as evidenced by the raw tonnage of turkeys that met their demise in his deep fat frying tank. While there was an abundance of wines poured during the day, the resounding impression I was left w/ was one of…WTF is ‘The Treat’ and why did I put that cement mixer in my palate?

I'm not an uber negative guy, so let me preface w/ a couple positives:Big fan of the Cabot Syrah- great couple, inventive site selection (where the hell is Humbolt county anyway?) & distinctive juice. If Jim Gallagher wasn't pouring, most would believe the '95 Bedell to be a decent, plateau’d classified growth. His shtick for brown bagging Long Island wine is up (a la Jaouen's 'blind wine' being a Musar 9 times out of 10). The Jadot Moulin a Vent was another pleasant surprise (until hearing about the pricetag), which of course came from Leo alongside his '06 Sassicaia (which was a burly bitch of a Sass, very backward, tannic & powerful).

That said, the Treat deserves a bitch slap. First off, the wine is called Treat. Huge pet peeve. Anyone have any words that they loathe just for the sound of them? Nooks and crannies always pissed me off, something phonetically about it just grated on my eardrums. Treat is no better- what a friggin’ crappy word…and for consistency sake, what a friggin’ crappy wine. Wine caricatures happen; at least w/ Scholium there is a Star Trek-like vision and passion for obliterating enological boundaries w/ a bazooka, but the Treat ain’t no Scholium, nor is the Scholium much of a treat to the palate (god I hate the word treat). The treat tasted as if it were the fragmentary parts of a Turley Petite Sirah, bisected by a lumber fist & messily pieced together to make a deadline. While it isn’t quite as offensive as Heidi Barrett's Amuse Douche (I REALLY hate that wine), it’s almost as insipid. Is it really a cabernet? I mean sometimes varietal recognition doesn’t matter I guess, but come on! Wine product…this coming from a guy that likes acid and likes well-made ‘spoof.’

Now that I’ve got that pejorative saliva pumped from my glands, it is time to finally catch you all up w/ my recent trek to Paso Robles for the Hospice du Rhone. I’ll post my impressions in installments, with the first being a focus on South African Syrah. I hope you enjoy!