This is a little $6 sleeper hanging out in the cheap seats (the aisles of wine, not the wooden boxes). We've written before about the hidden wines you can find slated in between stacks of Meiomi Pinot and Kirkland Malbec.
While this bottle did pull down a 90 point score from Wine Enthusiast, it's not a 90 point wine in our opinion. But it's not too shabby either. And it's $5.99, making it the perfect every day table wine.
Likely mostly Merlot in makeup, Blaye is a great sub region of Bordeaux that often delivers a nice bang for the buck from our experience. Costco's 4 pack "Grand Vins de Bordeaux" sets typically feature a bottle or two from Blaye.
The wine is a medium ruby in the glass, subtle aromas of dark fruit, earth; some nice acidity right off the bat that got even better after a little air. Flavors of blackberry, blueberry and plum; finish is a little quick which is the only negative in our tasting notes.
Pair with a variety of food. Approach with low expectations as you would with any bottle priced at $5.99 and you will pleasantly surprised. An 87 pointer and a good little Costco find.
CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 87 points
Costco item number: 1803456
Purchased at Costco in: Atlanta, GA (Dallas, GA)
Alc. 13.5%
Ron says
I was expecting a 'hint of melon'😃
Lynn P says
Not a bad little wine. I tasted a smoky overtone that I didn't love, but found that 45 min. in the decanter helped tremendously.
Henry says
Nice that the alcohol content is lower as well, as seems to be the case with most French wines. Sometimes I get a bit exasperated with those 15% California reds.
Maria Jette says
@Henry, I got a kick out of your observation, as I had just been thinking, “Another 13.5% from France…gah. Will we ever get French wines back to the 12.5% range?”
The Euro ABVs have been escalating for 15 years at least (just off the top of my head). Climate change is having a GIGANTIC impact on wines everywhere, and it’s the ABV thing that was the first tip-off. Back in Days of Yore, the 12% area was pretty typical for European wines— now it feels pretty rare to find a basic table wine under 14%. It’s especially depressing to think of what the blazing hot summers are doing to Riesling— in historically cooler climates like Germany and Austria.
I’m TOTALLY with you on the 15% CA reds. 20+ years ago, I briefly subscribed to Ridge’s “Z List” (the most basic one)— really a $$$ stretch for me, but I’d discovered the glory of zinfandel and Ridge’s royal status with the grape, and was thinking it would be my annual splurge. Bottles 1 & 2: great. Thrilling.
Then came #3 (York): Burning agony! Can’t taste it through the burn! And I finally looked at the ABV, and I believe it was 15.8%. I hadn’t even known such a thing existed! That was the end of my ZList subscription—and started me on looking at ABVs for the rest of my wine-buying life.
In those days, I weighed about 110#. Today, I’m stuck around 125#, but am still lacking the avoirdupois to consume more than a single glass of 15.8% wine and not feel pretty much drunk! Even 14.5% is too high for me, so the inflation of ABV has really affected my wine exploration. Infuriating for many reasons— from the longtime “style” favored by Northern CA producers to the scariness of the climate influence, and what feels to me like a lack of outrage from wine lovers.
Alas!
Henry says
@Maria Jette, great information, thank you! I did not realize that French reds used to check in around 12.5% ABV but what you report makes sense.
I suppose I now follow the habit of my 95 year "young" mother who always asks me what the "alcohol content" of any wine I am pouring for her. Once I asked why she always asks this question, to which she replied "I can drink more the lower the alcohol" before it goes to her head! 🙂
We recently enjoyed a nice rosé from Italy. I spun the bottle around to note the ABV - 11%. I said to my wife - "looks like we can drink more"! 😉 And it was very good indeed!
Cheers!
Joe Roberts says
Interesting discussion Maria Jette. I too was a ziniot back in the day and particularly loved those Upper Sonoma and Dry Creek ones. They were mostly 12 1/2 % abv those days----try to find one today ! All's I taste in those 15 % bombs is the alcohol.