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Charles Shaw (2 Buck Chuck) Merlot 2009

Hello Everyone;

As you all know I love a good red.

Merlot is considered one of the standards when it comes to red wine. But to be honest I was becoming a little burned out on Merlots. As a result I have not been buying them. But as I said a reader and friend bought me two red and this was one of them and boy I’m glad she did.

The 2 Buck Chuck Merlot 2009 is a reminder of all of the reasons Merlots are a staple in red wine world.   Charles Shaw’s Merlot does not try to be anything other than a Merlot.

From the moment I opened this bottle and took my first sip I was reminded of all of the reasons that I use to love Merlots. This Merlot’s complexity is subtle yet consistent, the berry and cherry flavors are a perfect marriage, and I found it hard to resist once it was open.

No it is true, just look closely at my picture…yes that is right! I barely managed to get a picture before the bottle was completely empty. (Don’t worry I did not drink it all in the same day).

This wine paired nicely with rice and sautéed vegetables. Yet this wine would complement any meat dish and would be awesome with salmon.

Cheers,

Are you a Merlot drinker? What is your favorite food to pair with Merlot?

Trader Joe’s Wine Monte Ducay Reserva

I thought I would give some more details to my Wine Moments with Delaina video. This month we  featured Monte Ducay Reserva 2005 from Carinena, Espana.

The wine is on the dry side with a nicely complex flavor. The color is a rich ruby red and with a little air the drinker could get lost in the bottle. Seriously… this is a serious red wine from Spain. I would definitely buy it again.

Trader Joes offers this beauty for $5.99 in Tucson and it was worth every cent.

If you want to try this wine I would suggest paring it Manchego cheese (also from Spain), which conveniently Trader Joe’s sells (I am sure that Kris will feature it at some point). As for a main dish suggestion,  this wine would of course pair nicely with a vegetarian, seafood, or meat laden paella.

As this is my first posted wine review, from my new series Wine Moments With Delaina there are some things you should know about your reviewer before you put to much stock in to my wine taste.

1. I can drink red wine with anything- even eggs (although that does not happen very often — and never for breakfast).

2. I am for the most part a red wine fan.

3. As summer nears I am sure I will feature a white wine that has been lightly chilled, but in general,  I like to drink my wine on the “warmer” side.   I feel like the flavors of wine are smother and more evident when the wine is warmer. When I am in a restaurant that serves a cold or “chilled” wine, especially a white wine, I don’t feel as if I get the full flavor of the wine until the end of the glass, when it has had a chance to warm up a bit.

So now that you know my tastes I hope that my opinions, as they come, will help pair you with some great wines that in my opinion are rich treasures at Trader Joes.

Just in case you forgot to click on the weekly video, here again is my first video in the Wine Moments With Delaina series.

Cheers!