2010 Trader Joe’s Vinas Chilenas Merlot Reserva, Chile

Color – Dark purple with a violet rim

Nose – Blackberry, dark cherry, green bell pepper

Taste – Having tried the Vinas Chilenas Cabernet Sauvignon and being pleasantly surprised at how a 4 dollar bottle of Cab could possibly be quaffable, I was not surprised that the Merlot passed my test as well. I will admit that this is a little less to my liking than the Cab was. First off the wine has two big flavors that come through on every sip: black cherry jam and green bell pepper. These two flavors vie for dominance through the attack, mid-palate and the finish so there isn’t a whole lot going on in the forefront of this wine. There are some subtle flavors and textures under the surface but you might struggle to find them. The first is a decent amount of chocolate and tobacco in the mid-palate and some nice oaky smoke on the finish. There is also a decent amount of heat that runs through the mid-palate, finish, and aftertaste. This taste much better right at room temperature or slightly warmer, at cooler temperatures the green bell pepper becomes nearly overbearing. The mouthfeel is fairly smooth with near invisible tannins but just the right alcohol. The wine is medium bodied with a medium finish.

Overall, this is an OK QPR. I can’t honestly say this is any better than its price tag of 4 dollars. Sure the other 4 dollar bottles are wines you are going to dump down the drain whereas this one you will actually drink, but it really isn’t worth it. I would say save up 2 more bucks and pick up the Trentatre 33 or Alexander & Fitch Cabernet Sauvignon or if you are desperate get the Vinas Chilenas Cabernet instead.

2010 Trader Joe's Vinas Chilenas Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva, Chile

Color - Dark red bordering on purple

Nose - Red currant, raspberry

Taste - This was a huge surprise to me when I took the first sip. I really wasn't expecting a whole lot since the bottle was less than 5 dollars. But was I ever wrong. Cherry and a little plum come right through as far as the flavors go and right on the finish I detect a hint of black pepper. This is particularly light in my mouth and very smooth. There are hints of tannins and the finish is medium with a clean almost vanilla-like aftertaste. There is a slight heat from the alcohol though it's minimal. The flavor is pretty basic Cabernet, nothing fancy though if paired with a creamy cheese or cheese based pasta sauce there are slight herbaceous notes (possible green bell peppers). Not much depth to this wine, there are aren't any major faults to it either.

Overall, this wine has one of the best Quality-to-Price Ratios I've come across. It has the basic Cabernet characteristics though they are on the light side. What makes it so great is that it tastes pretty darn good all by itself. Sure when it's paired a few more "tiny" flavors come through, but mostly this wine is a pretty good "stand-alone" wine. Don't expect to be overwhelmed, but do expect your mouth and your wallet to be happy. Pick this up on your next trip to Trader Joes.