Reluctant Wine Co. - 2013 "The Convoy" red table wine (California)

Usually, if I'm planning a special dinner, I'll figure out what I'm cooking and then buy an appropriate wine. On the other hand, sometimes I come across a wine that looks really tasty, and I try to build a dinner around it. Today's wine is one such construction - it's comes to me from Reluctant Wine Co. in Arroyo Grande, CA. It's called "The Convoy."

It's a red table wine, which as you may recall from previous posts, basically means any blend of red wine. Single-source wines, that's any wine made 100% from a single kind of grape, would say that on the label. Usually they are called such by their names (ex. you could say you are looking for a "Merlot" which suggests you are looking for a 100% Merlot bottle.) But if it's a blend, according to regulations, you've got to put "red wine" or "table wine" (that naming convention varies depending on country.)

What we've got here today is a mish-mash of the following:

• 40% Cabernet Sauvignon
• 25% Syrah
• 20% Tempranillo
• 10% Grenache
• 5% Petit Syrah

Everything but the kitchen sink, pretty much. The blend sounds good already, as I'm rather fond of the conventional pairing of Syrah / Grenache. Tempranillo is also nice and bright. I'm surprised they didn't throw in any Cinsaut or Carignan since both traditionally "soften" red wine.

Pours nicely, with a low-profile aroma at first that opens up over time. It's got some alcohol aromas, mixed with bright red fruit (think cherries.) Pretty pleasant if you ask me. As you can see, it candles a solid bright red. 

Remarkably smooth, the jammy flavors come out well. I like the bright fruit flavors, they're nice and strong with no acidic or tannic tastes at all, which is probably a function of the precise blend. The wine finishes nicely with a slight alcohol sting at the end, but nothing objectionable at all. 

In terms of pairing, I whipped up some roasted butterflied pork chops with a rosemary garlic chili rub and lemon papardelle pasta (anointed with cracked black pepper and pork drippings, of course!) It was a nice pairing, the fruitiness of the wine picking up the herb flavors of the rub.

The Convoy ended up being warm, velvety, and very fresh and tasty with no objectionable tastes, and I'll definitely seek it out in the future. I bought it at (where else) Trader Joe's for $11.99, but I do not believe it's a Trader Joe's exclusive house blend.