Chariot Gypsy - 2012 California Red Wine (United States)

For those of you clamoring for me to review a cheap, available, and solid red table wine - your day has come. Today's wine is only $4.99 at Trader Joe's.

It's what's called, uninventively, "red wine." Yes, that's what this is called. Having no idea what exactly this meant, I asked wine merchant and former vintner Charles Bissell, of Charles Fine Wines. He says that "[w]hen a label says simply 'California Red Wine,' it is most likely a blend. It may state on the back label what grape varieties are used, or it may not. This gives the winemakers a ton of leeway into what they decide to put in the bottle. It can be anything and everything.'

Great. And to my chagrin, the back label offered no hint as to the varietals contained within. However, the Internet is a magical thing, and my research has revealed that this "red wine" is comprised of  Merlot, Syrah, Zinfandel, and Petit Syrah. Sounds like a good blend, the price is right, but let's see how it stacks up to the actual taste test.

The eye is a translucent red, rather thin and clear. All that weird discoloration you see is just the glass, I assure you. The aroma is good - smells a bit sharp, with some definite cherry flavors. Let's hope those carry through to the wine, because I love ripe fruit flavors in wine.

A few careful sips, and then a gulp, confirms this is rather good.

What immediately struck me is the lack of sour, awful, overripe tastes (and accompanying heartburn feelings) that sometimes come with cheap wine. The texture is smooth with nice dark fruit and cherry tastes, as hoped. The finish has a bit of an alcohol bite, but not nearly enough to make it concerning. But on the whole, this wine is straightforward and not too complex and with a remarkable lack of nastiness or objectionable flavors.

So yes, good, cheap wine does exist. This is one of them. I'd recommend this one for an everyday drink; you could also bring this to a friend's for game night or perhaps a pizza party. It's good enough to serve without averting your eyes in shame, but cheap enough to drink in quantity. It's readily available, so grab a bottle and enjoy.