Review: Sky Dog Red

Ah, what might have been.

As I mentioned earlier, I was in a grocery store this weekend when I saw Oliver's Sky Dog Wine on sale for $5. Having heard these discussed in the media and amongst friends, I decided to take advantage of this low price to see what King of Indiana Wineries is up to now. For the first time in over two years, an Indiana wine truly disappointed me.

Sky Dog is supposed to be Oliver's attempt to create a low-priced entry-level wine for the 21 to 35 year old demographic.

The article also claims that younger wine drinkers are increasingly sophisticated and seeking wine adventures. I agree, but Sky Dog is not the wine to provide either.

Most of us remember our first taste of wine, and the memory often is not a pleasant one. Odds are the bottle was an inexpensive white (or, less likely, a red), probably drank at a wedding with a free wine bar. The "pucker effect" was instantanous, as the basalmic bitterness overwhelmed every nuance those grapes probably never had to begin with. If you were like me, you struggled through it anyway, because you were younger and poorer, and it was free. However, the odds were good you avoided wine for quite some time after.

There is not much to be said for this wine. It is a blend of Merlot and Zinfandel, with a touch of Concord. It is bitter and sharp, with no undertones except the Concord finish that wants to get out but is prevented from doing so by the overwhelming acidity of the initial taste. The website speaks of its "soft acidity" but there is nothing soft about this wine. The taste does not improve with a slight chill and it becomes even sharper the second day. The taste reminds me of Mad Dog 20/20. I want to make clear how sad typing that last sentence made me.

Oliver is the leader in sales in Indiana for three reasons. One, it's head start as Indiana's first winery gives it experience and wisdom. Two, the labels and marketing of the bottles are first rate. Finally, it appeals to the masses and connoisseurs alike with a wide variety of wines. At every station along the sweetness continuum, Oliver has a wine, and most of them are at least above average.

I want to be clear: Sky Dog winery is a noble experiment. However, is it necessary? IU students already make a regular pilgrimage to Oliver's once they reach legal drinking age. When I was in law school, Oliver had its fair share of devotees. It still does among my age bracket and colleagues. There are plenty of wines on their list, both sweet and dry, to appeal to the taste of younger drinkers. I agree, price may be a problem, particulary among drier wines. But what happens when that dry wine your brand puts out as "entry-level" is exactly the type of wine that often turns people away from not only dry wines but wine period?

I find it telling that the name Oliver appears nowhere on the bottle. Speaking of the bottle, the mascot is the best part of the wine, but I must confess it reminds me when the tobacco companies were sued for enticing children to smoke via their cute mascots.

On the bright side, Oliver takes delight in winning over critics, and never resting on their laurels. This is why it is now Indiana's only regional winery. Will it improve Sky Dog as well? Let's hope, or we may chalk this one up to good intentions gone awry.