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Wines
of the Week: Best Buy Blends
If
you're always seeking out value when you shop for wine, then
often times, you can get more bang for your buck choosing blends
over varietal wines. Whether you enjoy white, rosé, fruity
or bold, our tasting panel has a wine for you. Cheers!
Click
on labels to enlarge |
Pine
Ridge 2017 White Blend
Winery:
Pine Ridge
Grape(s): 80%
Chenin Blanc & 20% Vioginer
Region: California
Year:
2017
Special Designation: n/a
Farming Certification:
n/a
Price: 10-15
Review:
One is greeted by aromas of grapefruits, peaches, and
apricots, along with accents of honeysuckle on the nose.
Flavors of ruby grapefruit, melon, and peach envelop the
palate, moving into expressions of white flowers and thyme.
There's nice fruit here that's lifted by a fresh acidity
and solid complexity for its price point. Well worth checking
out.
Rating: 89 |
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Charles
Smith 2017 "Charles & Charles" Rosé
Winery:
Charles Smith
Grape(s): 67%
Syrah, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Grenache, 7% Mourvedre,
& 3% Other
Region: Washington,
USA
Year:
2017
Special Designation: n/a
Farming Certification:
n/a
Price: 10-15
Review:
Aromatics of strawberry and tropical fruit mingle with
suggestions of fresh herbs on the nose. Lively flavors
of pomegranates, strawberries, and mangoes meld among
hints of spring flowers and herbs on the palate. A refreshing
acidity and good body make this a ideal choice for rosé
fans at Thanksgiving.
Rating: 89 |
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Z.
Alexander Brown 2016 Red Blend
Winery:
Z. Alexander Brown
Grape(s): Zinfandel,
Syrah, Petite Sirah
Region: North
Coast, California
Year:
2016
Special Designation: n/a
Farming Certification:
n/a
Price: 15-20
Review:
Bringing together aromas of blueberries, black cherries,
and boysenberries with suggestions of clove and dark chocolate,
the nose is rather inviting. Lush on the palate, flavors
blueberry, dark cherry, and blackberry come together among
hints of chocolate and toffee. Nice fruit and supple tannins
make this a very sippable red.
Rating: 89 |
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Clos
de Los Siete 2014 Red Wine
Winery:
Clos de Los Siete
Grape(s): 54%
Malbec, 18% Cabernet, 13% Syrah, 4% Cabernet Franc &
4% Petit Verdot
Region: Argentina
Year:
2014
Special Designation: n/a
Farming Certification:
n/a
Price: 15-20
Review:
Dark fruit aromas of blueberries, blackberries, and plums
meld with hints of pepper and cocoa on the nose. Blackberry,
plum, and black cherry flavors are framed by highlights
of peppercorns and baker's chocolate on the palate. Nice
structure and complexity for the price point make this
a bottle old-world fans ought to try.
Rating: 90 |
By
Jason Barlow
Photo
by nan palmero on Foter.com / CC BY
Other
Related Links:
96
— 100 |
Spectacular |
92
— 95 |
Outstanding |
89
— 91 |
Great |
85
— 88 |
Good |
81
— 84 |
Solid |
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*Wines
rated with a "+" need
a bit more time to reach peak quality
but will
do so over the coming years
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