Is it possible to get an exceptional
red blend wine for $5.99?
That was my question for Trader Joe’s 2013 Overlake Red Blend wine. The Overlake Red Blend is 70% Zinfandel, 20% Syrah, 5% Barberra, 3% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot. This is a light red wine, take a look at my photo below. It shows how you can see the marble on my table through the wine. To me this meant that the wine may be similar to a light Pinot Noir or a flavorless watered-down, bland red. My first challenge was the sniff, which was not an easy task.
I had kept this bottle in my wine fridge and it was chilled to 54 degrees which is too cold for most reds. I like most reds at 65 degrees, but sub-par wines usually taste better a little cold, it hides some of their flaws. When cold this wine was really tight and smelled of almost nothing. When I smell a new wine I’m always a bit careful because you never quite know what you are going to get. It could be a really nice bouquet of flowers, strawberries, diesel fuel, or worst case baby diaper.
So I let it warm up a little and then I did start getting a tart cherry aroma. My initial sips seemed a little weak in flavor but it had a strong tart cherry finish. The Zinfandel rules this wine but the others do shine through with a nice spice on the mid palate with mild tannins. There is no Sugar Monster here, and it really wasn’t fruit forward, no real complexity either. I like the fact that this red tasted better warm. The warmer it was the more the tart cherry taste shown through. The taste in this wine is like a little kid in the back of the school room raising his hand up really high, waving it with all his might, saying, “here I am, here I am”. So my recommendation is – give this little kid in the back of the room a try if you:
- love tart cherries
- like a light refreshing red wine
- acidity is your friend
- a little spice is nice
- like mild tannins
If you are looking for a big fruit forward or complex wine you may want to skip this one.
So back to my question, can you find an exceptional red blend wine for $5.99? Maybe, but I don’t think this one is it. This is a good wine and nice for the price, and if it meets your criteria it could be great for you.
I paired this with a meat and cheese tray consisting of turkey and roast beef wrapped around low-fat Swiss cheese then baked. I also had Gouda cheese, BJ’s date & almond wedge, crackers, guacamole, Trader Joe’s Italian Truffle Cheese, BJ’s Dry Cured Spanish Ham Wrapped Manchego Cheese (made from sheep’s milk and it’s delicious).
The quest goes on for an exceptional red blend.
Here’s to keeping your glass half full & staying warm in winter storms!
Cheers – Carrie
