Outside of the listed drinking window and I am trying to plow thru a glut of drink now wines in my cellar that I have identified. Past it’s prime, whatever that was. Drank one glass and then poured the rest out as it sat on my punter for 4 days. Was thinking I would use it for cooking but never got to it.
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What a surprise. An elegant blend of Merlot and Cab Sauv that is at its prime, yet still has another few years left. I decanted for an hour prior to the pairing with roast lamb. Seemed like the rigght amount of oxidation. I'm not reticent about assigning a relatively high score to an inexpensive wine. Seems like an interesting $25 bottle for less than $10.
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Interesting nose of dark fruit, graphite, and cedar which follows through with a balance of fruit, minerals, juicy acidity and fine tannins. After drinking so much new world red, this is a nice food friendly change. Also an excellent wine for the $7.00 cost!
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This is a very fruit forward and ripe wine but with some structure and old world notes of graphite and earth. The palate has a very juicy character to it that makes me suspect that it is somehow manipulated, but there is no doubt that this is an enjoyable drink, especially for the $7 (Trader Joes).
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This is a very basic Bordeaux. Better than you would expect from the price of $8. Well made, Old World style with a hint of earthiness. It improves immensley with at least two hours to breathe before drinking. A good wine for casual dining.
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Nice QPR here, and interesting too. Let open first... Plum and cedar on the nose, with cedar dominating for now. Bright cherry/cranberry fruit with good acidity and balanced but strong drying tannins. Nice length. This will be interesting to keep an eye on over the next several years. Nothing to lose for the price.
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Wine Enthusiast gave this wine 91 points and selected it as their number 1 value wine of 2013. I didn't try it but its $6.99 at Trader Joes. the 87 points given by Cellar Tracker is more realistic IMHO.
Very nice value for the $8 price tag. Nice combination of "Old World" teroir driven, earthy non fruit aromas and flavors with some bright, expressive fruitiness. The first impression both on the nose and palate is some graphite influenced cherry and cranberry. The color is very dark in the center and quite magenta on the rim. Roses and cherry nose. Not exactly complex, but the fresh, juicy, quick hitting cherry fruit has lots of support with flinty, shale earth flavors. Plenty of youngish, enhancing tannins. Probably some medium heavy toast oak. Cherry, blueberry and charcoal on the finish.
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Great value here. This is a slightly fruit forward but balanced old-world Bordeaux blend. Sure, there's no "wow" factor, but this is surprisingly sophisticated and enjoyable.
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4/3/2021 - vitroman wrote: 81 Points
Outside of the listed drinking window and I am trying to plow thru a glut of drink now wines in my cellar that I have identified. Past it’s prime, whatever that was. Drank one glass and then poured the rest out as it sat on my punter for 4 days. Was thinking I would use it for cooking but never got to it.
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3/27/2021 - vitroman wrote: 84 Points
Past it’s drinking window and very unremarkable. Not much going on, poor finish. If you have any of this, use it now.
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8/4/2016 - zut alors! Likes this wine: 89 Points
What a surprise. An elegant blend of Merlot and Cab Sauv that is at its prime, yet still has another few years left. I decanted for an hour prior to the pairing with roast lamb. Seemed like the rigght amount of oxidation. I'm not reticent about assigning a relatively high score to an inexpensive wine. Seems like an interesting $25 bottle for less than $10.
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7/31/2016 - tomlbs Likes this wine: 87 Points
Interesting nose of dark fruit, graphite, and cedar which follows through with a balance of fruit, minerals, juicy acidity and fine tannins. After drinking so much new world red, this is a nice food friendly change. Also an excellent wine for the $7.00 cost!
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4/21/2014 - Chris Reppert Likes this wine: 87 Points
Nose
Big ripe fruits, currant predominately, black cherry, some mocha and toast/smoke
Palate
Very tight and structured on palate, earthy minerality, some hot menthol on mid palate, showing youth and some promise.
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4/13/2014 - PIntag wrote: 88 Points
This is a very fruit forward and ripe wine but with some structure and old world notes of graphite and earth. The palate has a very juicy character to it that makes me suspect that it is somehow manipulated, but there is no doubt that this is an enjoyable drink, especially for the $7 (Trader Joes).
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2/8/2014 - epiphany wrote: 85 Points
No need to rush out and purchase, it is just ok.
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1/1/2014 - cjsadler wrote:
Fairly closed at this point. Going to age and see if it lives up to the WE #1 value pick ranking.
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12/20/2013 - RealeWine Likes this wine: 85 Points
This is a very basic Bordeaux. Better than you would expect from the price of $8. Well made, Old World style with a hint of earthiness. It improves immensley with at least two hours to breathe before drinking. A good wine for casual dining.
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11/9/2013 - SCMeyer Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nice QPR here, and interesting too. Let open first... Plum and cedar on the nose, with cedar dominating for now. Bright cherry/cranberry fruit with good acidity and balanced but strong drying tannins. Nice length. This will be interesting to keep an eye on over the next several years. Nothing to lose for the price.
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10/31/2013 - luigigomboli wrote:
Wine Enthusiast gave this wine 91 points and selected it as their number 1 value wine of 2013. I didn't try it but its $6.99 at Trader Joes. the 87 points given by Cellar Tracker is more realistic IMHO.
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10/24/2013 - PIntag wrote: 86 Points
A good but uninspiring $7 bottle of Bordeaux.
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10/20/2013 - Mike Kopanski wrote: 86 Points
Very nice value for the $8 price tag. Nice combination of "Old World" teroir driven, earthy non fruit aromas and flavors with some bright, expressive fruitiness. The first impression both on the nose and palate is some graphite influenced cherry and cranberry. The color is very dark in the center and quite magenta on the rim. Roses and cherry nose. Not exactly complex, but the fresh, juicy, quick hitting cherry fruit has lots of support with flinty, shale earth flavors. Plenty of youngish, enhancing tannins. Probably some medium heavy toast oak. Cherry, blueberry and charcoal on the finish.
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9/22/2013 - PIntag wrote: 88 Points
Great value here. This is a slightly fruit forward but balanced old-world Bordeaux blend. Sure, there's no "wow" factor, but this is surprisingly sophisticated and enjoyable.
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