Kirkland Signature - 2013 Napa Valley Meritage [California]

Ass mentioned previously, Costco is an unexpectedly good source of wine. Their house brand, Kirkland Signature, makes everything from wine to frozen shrimp to baby wipes, and as previously noted, I've had many Kirkland wines before, all with generally positive results. It's worth noting, however, the interesting way many so-called "house wines" are produced. Companies like Kirkland or Trader Joe's will buy up whole or partial crop yields from vineyards and make straight varietals or blends "on contract". Sometimes these grapes are the worst out of the whole yield, but sometimes they are quite good and can come from some pretty famed regions, such as today's, from Napa Valley (to which I will be heading, hopefully, this summer for a 3-week tour.) Generally, companies that create house labels tend not to divulge from which vineyards their grapes come; sometimes this is because it's a blend of many different grapes from multiple vineyards, and sometimes fancy vineyards don't want their names slapped on a $4.99 bottle of Merlot.

Today's "bottled poetry" is a 2013 bottle of their Napa Valley meritage. Meritage is a term used to describe American wines made in the Bordeaux style. As we know, proper terms like Bordeaux, Chianti, Chablis, Champagne, and many others are protected by origin laws (think copyright for wine), no US producer can make wine called "Bordeaux" - even if it's an exact copy. So hence the Meritage. This particular bottle is a precise blend of:

• 61% Merlot
• 17% Cabernet Sauvignon
• 8% Cabernet Franc (a personal favorite)
• 7% Malbec
• 7% Petit Verdot

It presents a nice color in the glass, and throws a bright, fresh berry nose.

The flavor is full-bodied, for sure, and delivers a slightly sweet flavor of cherry, grape skins, and some woody flavors like cedar. Nice elements of fruitiness with some tannic notes, but an overall velvety-smooth consistency. It's always nice to have a wine that doesn't give you heartburn.

I like how jammy, bright, and full-bodied it is (with a price point that can't be beat!) I think this was something like $8.99 at Costco. A nice blend, perfect for most applications, and one of those wines could can feel comfortable bringing to a party, drinking on its own (also known as "quaffing") or pairing with a variety of meals. As for pairings, I'd probably do pasta (not too heavy on the sauce), or a meat dish like a shepherd's pie or even a cheese plate (here I'm thinking a soft, triple-cream brie and some water crackers.)

Napa Valley sign photo credit of www.napavalleyhotelandsuites.com. All other photos my own.