Okay what is up with S. African red wine? that is getting ridiculous. Either they have a whopping Brettanomyces problem ( a yeast contaminant that makes wine unpleasant with flavors/aromas likened to, wet animals, barnyard odors, band-aids and host of other yucky things no one wants to smell, or they have a terroir that is nasty–either way……………..

Several years ago I had an Excelsior Cabernet Sauvignon which I loved and bought several bottles. The following year I bought more of the new vintage and noti9ced that nasty band-aid aroma which carried through to the palate. Subsequent years additionally gave off the same offensive nose and flavor and having tried several other S. African reds, it seems to be more and more common.

I stopped buying South African red wine until I found that Petit Pinotage which I bought in the quest of checking of another varietal in pursuit of the centi-varietal club.

It is a

lighter hued pruple wine with pink rim and some nice black cherry and raspberry aromas. A good start but next the first taste was like gargling with a mouthful of liquid which had been soaked in band-aids. How do I know that? Okay you got me; I have never tried band-aid laced tonic but that is what it would taste like!

I breathed the wine hoping it would vanish but it did not. It is still ucky and in fact, I am planning to take it back and get my $11 returned.

Someone tell me whether you have had similar experience with S. African red wines. I am about through trying them. Don’t raise a glass unless you are some kind of weirdo taking a dare to drink to an adhesive, bandage cocktail. Gross!

Original post by PB