Life Force Marionberry Mead - Marrionberry Honey Wine

Well Ladies and Gentlemen, it was bound to happen. It was inevitable that I would have purchased a bottle of wine that was not to my liking, despite what happened when I first tasted it, and no, right now, I will not be giving this wine a second chance. There are many good things about this wine, but for my taste, the "bad" far outweighs the good.

Chateau Lorane is a beautiful winery that is 22 miles south of Eugene on Lake Louise. When I first travelled there this past Labor Day weekend, I was taken aback by its location. It was a little bit difficult to find, but the tasting room is located on a beautiful cliff that is covered by trees with views of the Lake. I have this very vivid picture of the scene in my head as I write this, and perhaps there will be pictures added after another scheduled trip there.

This Marionberry Mead is not what I recall it being from my tasting it about a month ago. Let me clarify something - I tend to like wines that might be on the sweeter side, even some of the late harvest wines are very much to my liking, but this did not live up to what I thought. If you take a sip of this wine, after lightly chilling it, you get an explosion of fruit - citrus, grape, it is all there, and very full, which can be a good thing. However, once swallowed, the distaste sets in. The honey in this wine is overbearing and leaves an aftertaste that makes me shudder. A good thing is that the aftertaste is not very long lasting, but for me, it was not pleasant. I see myself neither enjoying the remainder of my glass, nor finishing the bottle.

Because I work with students, you can never end on a bad note, and there are some great things about this wine (just not the taste). I LOVE the nose on this wine. I love the grape aroma that is present. It is a a sweeter grape, and if you are not a big fan of sweet wines, it could be a bit overbearing, but I like it a lot. I believe the nose has a hint of honey in it, but not too much. I also love the color of this wine. It has this beautiful clear red hue to it. I like the way the wine coats the glass when swirled - very clean and clear, with the runs being even all around the glass.

So there you have it. My first review of a wine that I am not a fan of, but it still has some redeeming qualities. I would be interested in the thoughts of someone who loves this wine and encourage you to try it for yourself.