This wine initially caught my attention because of the ultra low $5.99 price tag. It also had a sticker on the bottle bearing a “#5 Top 100 Best Buys 2016” designation from Wine Enthusiast along with a copper-colored screw cap for easy-access. Lastly, I was attracted to the napping Bulldog on the label that reminded me of my alma mater's mascot (Uga VI).
Paxis Red is a blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, and Tinta Roriz. The latter is simply another name for Tempranillo, and the other two are varietals that are commonly grown in the Douro Valley of Portugal.
Touriga Nacional produces aromatic and tannic wines with high acidity alongside flavors of black fruits, raspberry, and cassis. Touriga Franca, on the other hand, imparts more delicate floral notes like violet into wine, and is a varietal that ages well in the bottle. This grape is also rich in color and structure, a trait unlike its thin-skinned Tempranillo cousin.
The wine opens with a pleasant nose of sassafras, blueberries, and cola. The appearance is a lightly translucent burgundy with a peach-colored rim. On the palate, the wine is juicy, zesty and metallic. A decent amount of acidity, masked by residual sugar, will make your mouth water. The wine is fairly simple and fruity.
I would decant this wine on account of the 2013 vintage and screw cap closure. A little bit of air will likely alleviate the reductive qualities of the wine. Sometimes, in order to expedite the process, I will pour off half a glass, screw the cap back on, then shake the wine vigorously. I usually only do this with inexpensive and relatively young wines.
Wine Enthusiast gives this wine 90 points, and I will agree that it is a good value at $5.99. If you like fruity and tart wines that aren't overly dry, then this is the juice for you.
CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 86 Points
Costco Item Number: 1135584
Purchased in Cumming, GA
Alcohol: 12.5%
Steve Porter says
Last week, we were alerted to the presence of rhe KS Ribera Del Duero. We needed to replinish the rack anyway, so Tuesday we purchased 6 bottles of the Kirkland 2011 Rivera Del Duero Grand Reserva. We polished off the first bottle tonight. what an excellent wine, regardless of the under $20 price. Our nearest Costco is an hour away, so we don't just pop over to pick up a few bottles. but we might pop back down this weekend to get 6 more before they are gone. terrific wine, great bargain.
srh says
THANK you for sharing this, Erin, as one of our local COSTCOs may still have it.
BTW, can you explain or perhaps give a link to your use of the term "reductive", which I've seen more than once -- & truly don't understand?
Thanking in advance...
Erin says
Great question SRH. This term is often used to describe a winemaking style, but when I say “reductive” I am referring to a wine that has not been exposed to much oxygen. Unlike cork closures, screw cap closures don't allow minute amounts of oxygen to seep into the wine over time. For this reason, I tend to think of these wines as “starved” for oxygen, and so I like to aerate them more. You may notice every now and then that a wine with a screw cap will have a sulfur-like smell when you first open it that eventually wears off over time. Not all wines will have this; screw cap closures are meant to preserve the fresh, vibrant, fruit qualities of a wine. Hope this helps. Thank you for reading!