Confession: I bought this wine because it was on display near the register at K&L as I was picking up other wines and I saw that it was $8 and rated 90 points by RP. I rarely do this, but I figured, ah, what the heck. Turns out, it really is a decent wine, and a great bargain.
Color is violet (purple-red) and pretty dark. It has a pretty nice and interesting aroma of smokiness, tar, licorice, and black fruit. It doesn’t smell like your average 7-9 buck mass produced wine you find at your local Ralph’s/Von’s/etc, this smells like a serious wine. Tastes like a fresh tobacco wrapped black plum, as well as a mix of blackberries, blueberries, and cherry. That might not make you feel like running out and buying a case of the stuff, but believe me, it is better than it sounds. When you mix it all up it is quite good. There is a spiciness and acidity that builds on the pallet and it has a substantial feel to it. Not a wimpy wine by any means. The after taste is more on the smoky side with some nice black cherry and blueberry, followed by nice ripe tannins.
I would say this is a terrific bargain at $8, beyond any shadow of a doubt. Robert is a little bit high on this wine though… I don’t think it quite makes the 90 point grade… but CLOSE. I think, like me, he was initially sensationalized by how good this is for 8 bucks… and some places sold it at 7 bucks initially. Consider also that he tastes SO many wines back to back and know that he didn’t have time to calm down and think rational about it. Rika and I shared this whole bottle over the course of the night, so had plenty of time to consider our reaction. I still highly recommend buying a bottle and trying it.
Rating: 89
Price: $8 (K&L Wines)
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