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. 

Herdade Dos Grous 2006 Tinto/Red Wine

*Bottle #43: Herdade Dos Grous Vinho Regional Alentejo 2006 Tinto/Red Wine

*Price: $18

*Running Tab: $530

Possibly the coolest element of the Herdade Dos Grous Red Wine was the label's Webpage. Not a complete 180 from last week's criticism but Herdade Dos Grous has various translation options (Dutch, please?), a silhouette of their elusive grouse (two, to be exact) and a Google map of their exact location, (latitude, longitude and something else?). How hip.

Claiming "great wine" as their duty, the site showcases photos of the Dos Grous estate vineyards and stunning manor by the unnamed river in Albernoa (research says the Guardiana River) but all at a quick glance with no description other than the title.  All we get on the winery itself is a brief mission statement and the rest is left to the taster's discretion. Aw, objectivity. 

There's a little bit of subjectivity. Well, the facts.

The Alentejo region of Portugal is not only one of the oldest regions in the nation but one of the oldest left on the planet. Along with being the largest region, Alentejo is said to be particularly tailored for "typical wine" production of exceptionally high quality. 

The Tinto - Red Wine blend from Herdade Dos Grous harbors a few varietals that were unchartered territories for me, not to mention my only grasp of Portugal is 1) Port and 2) Touriga Nacional (the main variety used in Port). 

So with 15% Syrah being the only familiar part, here's the remaining role call:

- 35% Aragones: The Portuguese version of Tempranillo. Deep purple, full-bodied berries and tobacco.

- 30% Alicante Bouschet: Blending grape used for its polyphenols (color and tannins).

- 20% Touriga Nacional: Lotsa tannins, juicy dark fruit and considering to be Portugal's finest. The grape of Port.

And in the end, the only thing that matters is how it smells and tastes to me. Case and point.

Smells like... Dark and jammy, full of spice and plum notes, dried fig after awhile and a really nice hint of cloves. I decided this: if the color purple had a smell (not the Oprah-funded musical), this would be it. Luscious and with a mysterious tone I couldn't pull out until after some time... It was floral - violets! Delightfully fresh-room scented, like clothes under the effect of a dryer sheet. 

Tastes like... Fruit! Dark and jammy, acidic with some subtle tannins that come back to bite you post-swallow and just enough heat. Complex and multifaceted but approachable and easily enjoyable. Kind of the real meal deal, man. 

Downside: Dies after just a few hours of oxidation. If you're going to drink this puppy, drink it in one sitting because it does not taste good after a few hours of uncorking, let alone the next day. 

Drinking a bottle in one sitting is no problem for two-three people, let alone me solo. 

Score: 8.

Chelan Estate 2004 Reserve Red Wine

*Bottle #42: Chelan Estate 2004 Reserve Red Wine Stillwater Creek Vineyard

*Price: $30

*Running Tab: $512 (Free for me, again...)

I complain a lot. I'm aware of that. But I do have some signature pet peeves that I fuss over more than most things. For those who know me, I swear this becomes endearing after many years of tuning me out...

A classic no-nonsense vex of mine is bad business Web pages. If you have enough money to run a sufficient business and launch a Web site, you should have the sense or means to find someone with the sense to create a page that looks decent. I have a very difficult time taking businesses serious whom own poorly designed sites. I know this is faintly over-scrupulous, but come on! How hard?!

Case and point: this week's winery. Raved and acclaimed to be one of the best wineries in the Lake Chelan Valley (which is inches away from becoming an appellation in the state of Washington), the Chelan Estate Winery has their Web site on the City of Commerce page. Come on!

The Stillwater Creek Vineyard 2004 Reserve Red Wine from Chelan Estate is a perfect example as to why the winery should better portray itself. A classic blend of the five Bordeaux varietals that is completely taken advantage of under false pretenses of crappy marketing. 

Everybody and their mother sources fruit from Stillwater Creek Vineyard in Washington - it's a model representation of the state's terrior, high in basalt (bless that Mount St. Helens) and sloping at one of the steepest sites in the greater Columbia Valley. Why wouldn't Chelan Estate do a red wine blend of the varietals that grow the strongest in the state at one of its most successful vineyards? That being said, everybody and their mom produces this five-graped booze juice. 

But what distinguishes the Chelan Estate version? The Web site would never tell you... So I f'ing will. The free wine I should be getting for my duties...

The winery, owned by two married couples who decided to go into business over love of wine, is tucked just behind the rocky shores of Lake Chelan and claims its fame from a Chardonnay-Viognier blend as well as a Pinot Noir. I think this Reserve Red Wine is probably the safest bet considering I have the firm belief vintners should stop trying to grow Pinot out here...

This is a patience wine. One that you can't just dive your nose into, it's going to take some time for these waters to warm up and jumping in prematurely will cause shrinkage. :) 

Once the aromas release, dark, subtle fruits come out with some cherry in the back after a deep inhale of the juice. Definite oak is present but more than anything, it smells like cream soda. It's the cola/vanilla/soda pop combo that also gives off a licorice/anise quality. 

Sweet on the nose but soft and dry on the palate. More acids than tannins - think tip of the tongue rather than sides of the tongue dehydration.  More fruit than those cool spices found on the nose. But it was not a disappointment - this reserve wine drinks a bit more like a table wine, as far as the label hierarchy goes, but drinks nicely. 

After my lecture on how to run your business efficiently because I totally have the qualifications... I hope we have all learned something here today: Never listen to Erin.

Score: 5.5.

Gnarly Head 2006 Old Vine Zin

*Bottle #41: Gnarly Head Vintage 2006 Old Vine Zin, Lodi Zinfandel 

*Price: $11

*Running Tab: $512

First intentions are the most pure intentions. I think I made that up. Not at all always true, but in the case of this particular blog, it might be so. 

I started writing a bottle a week in order to find the best wine I could get for the best price point. However, my perception of "best" has changed in the past 42 weeks (really!), my no-frills side of wine has skewed somewhat and you should see what I order when I go out. I am not a cheap date if I am drinking wine. Sorry, boys.

In search of my original principles, I'm going to drive that point for not only myself but encourage you to do so as well for the next few weeks. Hey, we're all broke here, we're spending our last dime on gifts for friends and family, the least I can do is help you to do it in stained-tooth style and maybe with a wine slur if you're lucky/consume enough. 

Perfect example. California back-to-basics extraordinaire Gnarly Head Wines. Zinfandel vines in the state of California are some of the oldest growing wine grape trunks in the nation and the varietal is often considered to be American (vitis lubrusca as opposed to vitis vinefera, the European wine grape genus). Bush-approval seal, please. 

Not to rain on California's parade, the Zinfandel varietal actually originally dug its roots into the soils of Croatia. Think that steamy doctor from ER... The grape is also the genetic equivalent of the Italian Primitivo varietal. How unAmerican. 

Zinfandel's flavors and aromas vary due to its location more so than many varieties I'm familiar with as it can take on more jammy, raspberry tones in cooler climates vs. blackberries, black currants and pepper in warmer areas. In Gnarly Head's case, with their warm days/cool nights, they claim the fame of this easy-peasy, accessible and comprehendible grape.

Sourcing from vineyards up and down the Central Coast, Gnarly Head uses grapes from vines ranging in ages 35 to 80 that produce small in size and small amounts of robustly flavored grapes. Allowing the wear and tear of time to kick in, the vines twist, sprout and knot into "umbrellas - truly gnarly heads" of the vines.

And that a story make. 

The nose on the Gnarly Head Zin gives off a hint of alcohol (14.5%), grape juice, licorice and plums. After some time, pepper comes out as well as notes of cola. Sweet, simple and grapey. 

Sweet, simple and grapey on the palate as well. Think Britney Spears, "I'm not a girl, not yet a woman" era. And just like Ms. Spears, this wine will always stay a girl. Juicy, tiny pricks of acidity on the tip of the tongue with plum on the mid-palate and a spicy, fruit-forward finish. 

Plain and uncomplicated, just like how I used to like them... And that an $11 wine make.

Score: 5.5.