I am really, earnestly trying to teach myself to like pinot noir. Sometimes, I find bottles that really inspire me; other times, ones I like; and then there are the times that I stumble upon something that I really, really dislike.

I opened one such bottle last night— the 2011 Rascal from Oregon’s Willamette Valley. To be fair, I have not yet found a taste for Oregon pinots, and I said as much to the wine clerk, usually because I find them jammy, overripe, and lacking in acidity. But, in the spirit of trying something new, I decided to go for it, and $24 later opened a bottle of… grape juice. Thin, almost watery, fruit-punchy on the palate, and somehow possessing a whopping 13% alcohol, this wine left me wanting. Anything else, really.

0 out of 5 stars (low score due to price/quality ratio; would maybe rate a tad higher if I hadn’t shelled out $25 + tax)