Oh no, didn’t we just play the non-vintage game with Three Wishes?  Well, that was Cabernet Sauvignon, perhaps the Merlot will be better.  Softer, and more supple, with a nice round fruit flavors and a hint if oak.  Perhaps this will just set me up for disappointment, or maybe it won’t?

Sight:  A moderate, but watery red.  Not quite as deep as Merlot normally is.

Smell:  The first thought was orange oil, followed by green pepper, and then rhubarb, plum, and coffee.

Sip:   It’s a bitter green sort of taste.  There isn’t much in sweetness, but a sort of bitter aromatic herbal liquor flavor.  Similar more to Campari than wine, but there are hints of cranberries and unripe raspberries.  Very young, light, and green, few tannins. [A.B.V. 13%]

Savor:  Slightly unripe plum, but fairly quick to vanish.

Overall, it’s better than the Cabernet Sauvignon.  Then again, prunes with gasoline isn’t exactly the hardest flavor to improve on.  As such, drinkers interested in price more than flavor are welcome try it, especially given it’s the opposite of Two-Buck-Chuck Merlot.  Of the under $5 Merlots, the best bet is to drink the Charles Shaw Cabernet.  It’s a better experience for a couple dimes more.

Price:  $3.49
California
[Whole Foods Exclusive]