| If you like big silky juicy fruit …AND.. a dose of drying tannins, this wine is for you. Bordeaux blends from Paso Robles can be very satisfying – with a rich, full or silky mouthfeel balanced with tannins that range from dusty-fine to firm and drying. That’s a nice combo, a pleasure to find a wine with both. Quite often you have to settle for one, or the other. Here’s my “Grab it Now” TJ’s Bargain wine pick #4: |
 WINE PICK #4: Roustabout Meritage 2018, Paso Robles My Purchase Price: $7.99 – Trader Joe’s |
The Wine 📌 Fruity and Silky; Juicy yet Structured The Roustabout Meritage* looks awfully pretty in the glass. The color was striking, like a shimmering ruby gemstone. Its aromas wereluscious blue-fruited with violets and cherry, later adding some tobacco smoke as it warmed. It’s the lush ripe fruit and weighty, satiny mouthfeel from entry to mid-palate that’s the real pleasure! It carried flavors of cherry-raspberry compote, fresh yummy boysenberry juice and then an echo of stewed plums, thanks to the warmth of that Paso sun. Give it a Moment – on my first pour, its juicy flavors and satiny weight gave way to some tight tannins on the finish and the fruit fell off. I like fruit to linger longer. But just give this wine a moment to open up. By my second, and better still my third pour, the wine had softened and that lovely fruit lasted into the finish. OVERALL this wine is big on flavor, has a gorgeous silky feel and is very nice for the price. PAIRING: The satiny fruit would be an ideal match with long-cooked silky, beefy short ribs, osso buco with canellini beans, or boeuf bourguignon and polenta. The feel of tannins not your game? Easy – Enjoy with a juicy ribeye, a thick fatty pork chop, cream-based pasta (with pork cheek or bacon!) or salty French fries. The fatty, creamy, or salty bites will soften any remaining tannins and you’ll enjoy the fruit on each subsequent sip. ** Just $7.99 at Trader Joe’s!Roustabout Meritage 2018, Paso Robles is a Meritage* Bordeaux Blend: 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Malbec, 12% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot NOTE: For curiosity, I poured a separate glass, this time aerating it. I don’t recommend. I’m not a “wine aerator” myself, but I was curious how the tannins might respond, as air can relax a tight wine (softening tannins and opening flavors). But my aerated glass lost much of the beautiful fruit, while earthy, smokier notes took over. Aerating was too aggressive. |
Crushing on.....
silky pasta -- strong coffee and bright wines -- a world map -- and a good dance beat 
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