Price: $6.99 @ Trader Joe’s
What They Said:
Per the winery “Explosive dark cherry and blackberry aroma. Complimented with blueberry, clover and dark chocolate with a hint a cedar. Medium body with balanced acidity and a long delicate finish.”
What I Think:
I snagged this one a short while ago on a run to TJ’s. The prominent placing got me to give it a whirl. Didn’t track when/what I opened this with but have many notes. The first day on the nose this wine seemed big, with loads of fruit and perhaps a hint of mint. It seemed as if something slightly great might be lurking. In the mouth the wine was heavy, guessing the alcohol (14,5% think that is middle-ish, no?) may be the same. In the mouth, the fruit seemed fat and not much changed through the palate until some tannins appeared at the very end.
The second day the nose seemed “hotter” and the fruit “purpler. Now I find myself wondering what the mix (42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Syrah, 19% Petite Sirah, 5 % Grenache and 3% Cabernet Franc) may be. Given that knowledge the purple makes sense but the small amount of Grenache that I would usually attribute hotness to seems off.
Here nor there, this wine is slightly not bad. It is big but definitely manufactured. If you like bang for your buck this is your wine. As for me, at this price point, I’ll be sticking to the Casillero del Diablo Carmenere.
Rating: Skip It
I picked this wine up in San Diego last week and have been back twice to buy more. It is a big wine, not typical for this price – unbelivable for $6.99. Best value in Trader Joes right now in my opinion.
Hey JonesIn, perhaps I’ll give it another go. Just hard to pass on the Carmenere at that price. Thanks for the comment…Let me know what others you like.
You know what I picked up in Trader Joes Napa of all places (don’t ask why) last year but have never seen in San Diego was Chateau Chevalier – wine was awesome, although a bit more pricey at $20. Have you seen this wine where you are?
Have not, though the majority of my time is not spent focusing on those top shelves . I’ll take a close look next time I go out though and if I find it I’ll grab a bottle…
Hye JonesIn grabbed another bottle of this Red X today. Three different TJ’s and no Chateau Chevalier yet…
It might be a lost cause. I looked for it in several TJ’s since and have never seen it – although I did get the guy at the La Jolla TJs to verify that they did have it a one point. I really want to find it because I’m curious as to if I would like it as much as I orginally did. In the meantime, still loving my Red X – bought another couple of bottles today to get me through the week.