Big Bold and Barrel Blended? Yes, Sir (or Ma’am)! Check out my review of this interesting blend of more grapes than I care to acknowledge!
The Barrel Blend Review Highlights
- Complex for this price point without a doubt!
- Dark fruits dominate the aromas, but further tasting reveal vegetables and spices that bring delight!
- Subtle tannins, acidity, and sufficient alcohol provide good mouth feel
The Barrel Blend Review Details
OK – this wine is very interesting. To call it a blend might be undercutting the sheer magnitude of what’s going on in this bottle and glass. My first impression was….hmmm…it’s pretty good for the price…fruit forward with enough structure and acidity to make this pleasant to drink on it’s own, or to pair with red meats or even Italian fare.
Then, I had to fluff my artificial Christmas tree. If you are an artificial Christmas tree owner, you know that no matter what you do, without a doubt you must spend silly amounts of time “fluffing” your Christmas tree. One might say that I’ve become quite the fluffer (get your head out of the gutter!). In any case, I spent a solid 60 minutes fluffing – at which point I looked around, and despite nobody being around, exclaimed out loud, “Where’s my wine?”. Nobody answered, but after a few minutes I was able to re-discover my wine glass and enjoy again.
At this point, the fruit stayed consistent….ripened blueberries and black currant, tickling the front of my nose. However, I was surprised by the secondary and tertiary notes that hit my nose, and eventually my palate. Mushroom and green pepper, matched with white pepper and baking spices from the oak made me smile. A deep savory smoky bacon fat flavor developed on the mid-palate. Thus, I looked at the wine in the glass again, searching for the answers to why I missed this the first time.
My mind churned as I stared at the deep purple color in the glass….and it was as if everything instantly started to make sense, as if I was Neo in the Matrix. Flavors, colors, and scents all started to come together. Further, Smoky bacon told me Syrah. Deep deep purple with strong fruit flavors told me Petite Sirah. The tannins can only come from a Cab. Merlot and Syrah help provide the acidity. Mind blown!
The Acquisition Backstory
Apologies – this time I don’t have much of a story. I saw this at Costco, and it spoke to me. Interestingly, it didn’t speak to me in a strong way..but rather in a way of…hmmm….Napa, blend. Thus, I think I should try this. I did, and I am not disappointed in any way!
Food Pairings for the 2018 Barrel Blend?
The somewhat low alcohol level (14.8%) bodes well for food pairing. You can definitely pair this with red meat, as the tannins can cut the high fat levels. However, the acidity would do well against tomato based sauces, making Italian food a wonderful pairing.
Other Reviews
Please don’t take my word for it! Check out these reputable reviewers!
Want to try The Barrel Blend Yourself?
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Other Costco Wines I’ve Reviewed
I love Costco, and I bet you do too! Here are some other reviews I’ve done on Costco wines.
