October is always sort of a beer based month for October here at First Pour Wine, but with pumpkin beer season winding down, it’s back to wine for November.  Lets talk October standouts first though. 

Wine

Dishonorable Mention: Well, fortunately this month, we don’t have one!  So on to the picks!

3. 2010 Vistamar Sepia Reserva Carmenère – By a long stretch, 2010 Vistamar Sepia Reserva Carmenère is the best carmenère that we’ve tried for the site.  Wandering from delightfully herbal it turns slightly spicy before finishing in a burst of red fruit.  While it needs a little time to breathe after opening, it’s certainly worth a try.

2. 2010 Cellar No. 8 Cabernet Sauvignon – 2010 Cellar No.8 Cabernet Sauvignon perfectly fits the mould for an easy drinking, new world, cab sauv.  Plenty of body, lots of fruit, and just enough smoke and oak to keep it interesting has this affordable Napa wine sitting pretty among the wines tried in October.

1. 2010 Grove Winery Merlot – A true surprise from North Carolina’s Haw River AVA, 2010 Grove Winery Merlot manages to pack a lot of old world terroir driven flavors into a lean, plummy merlot.  Old school purists will love this focus on the soil, and fans of brighter merlot will love the sleekness.