So long story short, I bought a bottle of this online for a coworker and grabbed a second one for myself. She mentioned loving Baco Noir, and I figured I'd try it before giving her this in case it was terrible (she had the varietal, but not from this producer). I popped this open, poured a glass with the intent of just testing it, putting it away and analyzing it later. After the first sip I felt compelled to write.The nose is big – you don't need to swirl and the glass stinks – but in a strange, funky, earthy, sort of way – this almost smells like pure sassafras.
Weird – this is why you should try offbeat varietals – this is unlike just about any wine I've had. Funky, earthy, strawberry, raspberry, root beer, cola, fresh basil, even some mint with some tomacco (that's a tobacco/tomato hybrid). There's a hell of a lot going on here.
The finish fades rapidly with some cinnamon notes sticking around.
How is this? It's weird and fascinating. From an academic standpoint, this is phenomenal. From a “delicious” standpoint, I don't know. I do know that for a wine that's eight bones a bottle that this is once, twice, three times a bargain.
Wine: 9
Value: Shockingly great value - absolutely yes.
I enjoyed this review tremendously; I’m familiar with the label and believe that the vineyard does not get enough of the accolades it deserves. I’ve found consistently that Bully Hill works a kind of alchemical magic with French-American Hybrid varietals, especially Baco Noir, Marechol Foch, and Seyval Blanc. But in fact, I’d bet its loyalty to the hybrid is the primary reason Bully Hill is not better known outside of New York State. Their Baco Noir is one of my favorite wines; FYI, they also offer a solidly delicious line of traditional vinifera varietals, among them two excellent Reislings (one traditional and one dryer) and a fantastic Cabernet Franc.
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