Avia

[girlperson1]

Anyone know anything about this wine?

Avia Cabernet Sauvignon

Winery: Avia
Style: Red Wine
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Other California

Goes for $2.99/bottle at Total Wine in NJ. Merchant tasting notes are:

A full flavored dry red wine. Loaded with intense chocolate, black cherry, and herbs. Serve at room temperature. excellent with meat or pasta

[girlperson1]

hmmmmmmmm....although the website for Total Wine in NJ says the wine is from the region of "other California", I'm researching the wine on the Internet and find it comes from Slovenia with good reviews.

[Thomas]

Well, you've lost me. Can you clarify?

[girlperson1]

What have I lost you on? The merchant's website listed Avia as being from "other California" but I believe it comes from Slovenia.

I'm wondering if anyone has had this wine and what they think of it.

[Drew]

Found this review on the web on a '90 vintage:


Avia Cabernet Sauvignon (Product of Slovenia / Primorski Region), 1990
Laureate Imports
Date Purchased: 6/95
Dates Consumed: 6/9/95
Price: $4 at local wine store
Alcohol 12.0%
BW: Reddish brown, rather pale for a cab. Aroma - hint of barnyard. Is this what is meant by "earthy"? Flavor - at first, it seems objectionally sour. Then, later, it still does. Not a hint of oak or complexity. It's drinkable. C-
SD: A light vinegar cab. Surprisingly sour for such a weak taste. Drinkable -- I would want this wine when I was sitting wet and alone in the gutter, feeling sorry for myself and so full of pity that I wanted to get drunk, but not particularly enjoy myself in the process. Not gagworthy. D+

Drew

[girlperson1]

DREW....

ROFLMAO!!!!!!!

(Rolling On the Floor Laughing My Ass Off)

That's funny!!

Marika

[Thomas]

OK. I unnerstannow. It was billed as a California wine, it turned out to be a wine from Slovenia, you posted the question on the Northwest wine forum.

Phew! This site is becoming hard to navigate...

[girlperson1]

Bingo!!

[zenda2]

FWIW, it's Slovenia now but this wine (imported thru New Orleans, and at least there) it used to be marketed as 'Hungarian' wine. My ex wife was from New Orleans and proud of her Hungarian heritage, so we bought a bottle of Avia cabernet ~ 10-12 years ago. It wasn't very good, but on behalf of Hungarians everywhere, we sprinkled a little more sweet paprika on everything and pretended that it was.

Hey, Hungary gave us the Gabor sisters, and in a roundabout way, my beloved ex, so I'll give 'em 10 or 15 more years to get their wineries in line. I expect that since the fall of the Iron Curtain/Balkan wars the wines of Eastern Europe will improve in quality as the producers (without govt. direction) can now grow better grapes, and strive for quality instead of quantity. The same formula we've seen work in various other areas around the globe.

[Thomas]

Thanks for bringing that up, zenda. I thought I had had this wine under the Hungarian banner--and hated it too. But I was a child then...

I have a sister-in-law who came to the U.S. with her family during the air lifts from Hungary in the fifties. Even she hated the wine.

[This message has been edited by foodie (edited 05-27-2003).]