3 Sixty Cellars Oro Red Wine Blend

*Bottle #44: 3 Sixty Cellars Oro Columbia Valley Red Wine Blend

*Price: $30+? 

*Running Tab: $530

Sometimes free is better simply because it is free. 

There's a partner that will go unnamed of 3 Sixty Cellars, a Tri-Cities, Washington bed n' breakfast and now winery. Seemingly unwed and flirtatious was this co-owner of his overnight wine escapade who gave me this bottle of Oro, a red blend from 3 Sixty Cellars after I attempted to avoid him during a tasting. I did a little research and found out the guy's not only been married for a while but he owns the business with his wife. He's the second creep I've ran into on this wine blog who either hit on me or a friend over wine.

Needless to say, this fermented juice stuff can bring out the good, the bad and the unnecessarily randy side of people... Lushes.

Coming around full circle: free, in this case, did not taste or smell any better simply because it was free. In fact, this situation may have made the wine worse. With the Oro, Spanish for "gold," there was no masking what it really was. A dog dressed in gold is still a dog, even if it's free or well-trained.

The bed and breakfast itself is said to be stunning, sitting on a hill overlooking the Columbia River and a 360 degree turn of the Tri-Cities. All in a name.

40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 30% Syrah, the Oro is a product of Victor Cruz, the winemaker for the neighboring Canon del Sol Winery. Victor, I hope you are not reading this...

Earthy with simple cherries and plums on the nose, the aroma opened up with white pepper and dumped out asparagus, something petrol and a distinctly medicinal note. There was a moment when I smelled borderline wet wool substances in the glass to the point where I got a new glass because I thought that could have been the problem. I was wrong.

The palate lacked in matter except for tannins. Those were there more than anything else. Astringent with weak fruit composition, I was able to pull a little bit of red berries out but even then I was digging. The texture was odd but that could have been me still picturing the wool-like aroma on my tongue. Hollow, flabby and disappointing for free. 

The Oro was a simple-minded, lackluster and structureless blend that almost shamed the three varietals used in the wine that grow so well in Washington state. 

Score: 2.