Big Stuff Too!

Recently, I had the opportunity* to try wine from Wisconsin.  Now, it’s worth bearing in mind that when most people think about wine, there are certain areas that come to mind; most of France, Spain, Italy, California, Australia, New Zealand, and so on and so forth.  That being said, most individuals do not think, ‘what a splendid evening, I think I’ll crack open a nice bottle of Wisconsin White, and eat my beluga caviar’.  No, this is a beer state through and through.  Despite this, and the far northern climate, Wisconsin does indeed have a number of wineries.

Among these wineries is Botham Vineyards, who makes Big Stuff Too!  This semi-dry white is made from the Vidal blanc varietal, more famous for ice wine than dry wines.  So how does this northernly off-dry wine hold up against big competition from the New York finger lakes region?

Sight: Somewhat greenish, with a bit of light yellow.

Smell: Green apple and starfruit are surrounded by rubber and engine grease.  There’s also something that smell suspiciously like twizzlers.  Notes of white grape, peach, dragonfruit, and wrinkle of minerality.

Sip: A quick burst of pear and peach sweetness slowly shuffles into a starfruit and dragonfruit laced dry wine.  The whole thing is intertwined with something like a racquetball and rubber tires.  The whole experience gets wrapped in a green apple skin, and feels heavy in the mouth.  The lack of acid makes the wine feel flabby.

Savor: Rubber, gummy bears, and lilacs fade quickly from the palate.

Overall, this is one of the more bizarre wine experiences I’ve had.  It’s a shame since the wine seems to have a lot of potential, but the flavor is something like a tennis ball having sex with the tropical fruit section of the local supermarket.  It’s upsetting and strange, but I think Wisconsin could have some real gems with slightly different wine making technique.  Maybe borrowed from the Russians?

Price: $9.99
Barneveld, Wisconsin


http://www.bothamvineyards.com/wines.php/Big_Stuff_Too

*By opportunity, I really mean that I spent some effort to find the wine, an opener, and then had to make the best of a tumbler glass, an ice bucket, and an iPhone, so pardon the slightly rough nature of some of the photography