How do I go about choosing wines to review…? Thumbing through Wine Spectator or Wine Enthusiast usually presents a number of possibilities… Then again, I can always count on my good friend Ethan, the wine guru at the Devon State Store, to come up with a few suggestions that will pique my interest. Sometimes, however, it’s just plain luck. I was browsing the shelves in my favorite State Store recently when two particular vintages caught my eye.
And both, coincidentally, are red wine blends. This means that instead of being produced from a single grape – such as pinot noir or cabernet sauvignon – a red blend is made from several different grape varieties.
Despite the fact that many people consider blended wines to be inferior to single grape varietals, some of the world’s greatest wines just happen to be blends – like red Bordeaux, for example, a blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and cabernet France, including petit verdot, malbec, or carmenere. In fact, red blend wines are now the second most popular red wine in the United States after cabernet sauvignon.
My first recommendation, which hails from Portugal, is the 2020 Vinha da Coutada Velha. This is an intriguing blend of aragonez (a Portuguese name for tempranillo), tincadeira, syrah, and cabernet sauvignon, combining native grapes with international varieties. The pleasing result is a marvelously spicy mix of red and dark fruit flavors backed by an intriguing earthiness. The Wine Enthusiast bestowed 92 points, noting its smooth & powerful finish and potential longevity, while the Washington Post called it a “great value.” And priced at a mere $9.99 at your local State Store, it is a bargain indeed.
My second recommendation is the Lavau 2020 Koudiat Red Blend from France’s Côte du Rhône. A blend of 70% grenache and 30% syrah, this is a plump and juicy wine – produced in the old Rhône style – awash with dark fruit flavors and hints of white pepper. It is, as one wine writer so aptly noted, the perfect match for a good grilled steak. Much more than that, however… If you happen to be a red wine lover, this is the perfect wine for casual, everyday quaffing. Possessing a dark intense color, great aromas, and beautiful tannins, it goes down smooth and easy. Wine writer James Suckling bestowed 92 big points and suggested that it be enjoyed in a large wine glass in order to properly enjoy all of its significant benefits. And one of those significant benefits is most assuredly the price… $10.99 at your local PA State Store.
Cheers!
Be Safe & Stay Well
TAD
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