Hmm.  There was a tag under this bottle saying 90 points from someone.  I thought it was WE or WS.  I sincerely hope not.  This wine is drinkable, yeah, but not at all balanced.  Too acidic and too fruity at the same time.  I didn’t finish my glass and the rest of the bottle is in the fridge, waiting for me to learn how to cook coq au vin.

paid: $9

scored: 75

If I tasted this “d’Arry’s Original” blind I’d probably peg it as a Rhone wine.  It has a dry and earthy feel, and is light on the fruit.  The nose made me think I had stumbled upon 90+ nirvana, but I just don’t get that level of satisfaction in drinking.  Praise for this wine is that it is smooth and balanced.  But in contrast to an exceptional wine, it ends there.  The finish wallows.  There is no mellow or sublime experience with the fruit (you know, the sort of thing that makes people conjure every taste sensation they’ve had since they turned two).  d’Arry’s Original is highly rated by all the wine critics you could care for, including Parker (91) and Tanzer (90).   Catchpeter is pleased but not enough to justify a repeat performance at this price tag.

paid: $16

scored: 89