Metasip

A Wine, Beer, and Spirits Review Site

Inexpensive Red

Monte Ducay Reserva 2008 Red Wine

Monte Ducay Reserva 2008 Red WineThe drill goes SOMETHING like this:

  1. Go to Trader Joe’s on a random Friday.
  2. Find the wine gal (or guy).
  3. See what they have opened.
  4. Try it all.
  5. Pick the best one and buy a bottle.

Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

That’s sorta how it worked for us on a recent Friday. Maybe it was a little bit about the fact that it was FRIDAY, not another weekday, and the fact that it was lunchtime. After all, we couldn’t really drink, just sip. And we were in a little bit of a rush, so there had to be a wow factor.

This guy wowed us. To the review!

Monte Ducay Reserva 2008 Red Wine Review

Taste

Carignane (Carinena in Spanish, with apologies for failed accent marks) is dominant. My mission continues to be finding those grapes that not everybody is talking about – and start talking about them. So this one is worth talking about – mellow, but fruit-forward, too. Drinks more expensively than you’d think.

Profile

100% Carinena. 13% ABV. Bold yet mellow. Drink everyday. Really really solid.

Value

Around 8 bucks. Put a 1 in front of that number – drank like 18 bucks. Serious value.

Metasip Grade: B+

Yes, we give this a B+. Why wouldn’t we? It was the most memorable of the 4 bottles they had opened – and we would have eschewed a purchase if none of them were valuable. That, as they say, is how we roll.

BUT: how do YOU roll? Or, more accurately, what the heck do YOU think of this wine? Have you had it?

Let us know in the comments. Drink up!

 


Don Simon Seleccion Tempranillo

Don Simon Seleccion TempranilloThe bottle says – on the back – that Tempranillo is “the perfect everyday wine to drink with pizza, burgers and fried foods.”

AND, we think, if you’re shopping at Whole Foods, where we found this wine, you can do a lot worse than (if memory serves) $6 a bottle.

To the review…

Taste:

We should probably post a picture of the back of the bottle, right?

That part where they tell you what it tastes like, and then you can ask yourself whether or not it’s spot on?

Don Simon Seleccion Tempranillo Back Label

We tasted the “ripe strawberry and cherry flavors.” We also got a little peppery spice nose. And, while drinking it, we tried NOT to think “hey, this didn’t cost too much.” Because it didn’t taste like it was a six-dollar bottle.

Profile:

100% Tempranillo. As is usual with these guys, no clue what year. That’s okay – I think it’s supposed to be table wine.

Value:

Solid value – actually, if you’re heading out for a BYOB meal somewhere, this is a really good choice.

Metasip Grade: B

Now – a little something about the grading scale here. We’ll talk more about it down the road, but just because something is a “B” doesn’t make it bad. And if it’s not a “B+” that doesn’t mean it’s subpar. And so on…

Remember back in school, the typical US grading scale? 100 is not just an A, it’s an A+. 90 is an A-, 89 is a B+. I’m sure we could come up with an infographic to explain our ratings and whatnot, but we’d rather just tell you whether or not it’s worth your time (and money).

As this site evolves – and ratings evolve – we’re sure you’ll take exception to what we have to say. AND THAT’S THE POINT. Tell us what you think…or tell us about other wines, beers, and spirits you’ve tried. We’d LOVE to hear from you!