Hob Nob Glob

Eating at a Ruby Tuesdays last Tuesday night, I was just grateful it wasn't an Applebees, whose fare I find inedible.  The limited wine list had a Rodney Strong Cabernet, and I really wanted to try it, by one of my senior colleagues wanted a Pinot Noir, and the only Pinot they had was a Hob Nob Pinot Noir, 2009.  This sells for $8 to $12 a bottle retail, and is worth about 1/2 that compared to what I could find at a Trader Joes or Total Wine, but ok...  I settled for ordering a bottle of the Hob Nob for $19.  "Drinkable" was the best way to describe it.  Nothing to write home about.  Nothing to advertise about it.  It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either.

I've had house table wines in Brasseries adjacent French train stations that were better, for 3 euros a cafe.  I can't really recommend it, but if you are stuck with a limited wine list at a popular American Chain restaurant, you too can settle for a Hob Nob if you have to.  I'm not being a snob, but I know what I like in a (supposedly) inexpensive wine, and Hob Nob barely avoids disappointing the drinker.  At least it didn't try to brag about having 'cherry cola & black pepper' notes, when it was more like watered down Chinon that was striving to cause a head-ache later, as it was laden with heavy sulfites.