I purchased this wine yesterday at Trader Joe's. I can't, for the moment, remember why. I've never heard of it. The bottle is attractive, I guess, but not overly compelling. And the label on the back tells a story that almost, but not quite, completely fails to be interesting. It's all about some guy named Alexander who settled a valley with some other guy named Captain Fitch on what, then, was the northern frontier of Mexico. These two heroic pioneers of early California helped settle the Napa valley. And today, we honor them with a $5.99 Merlot and an indistinct black label.
The wine itself is quite tart and very, very dry. To me it resembles a Syrah, but Joy disagrees. It did nothing for me when we first opened it, but I like it more and more with every sip. It has a pleasant, spicy bouquet and warms me up quite nicely on the way down. It's the sort of wine I'd drink in front of a fire on a cold, winter night.
Fortunately, it's a cold winter night right now.
My rating: 4.5 out of 5
Trader Joes, $5.99
The wine itself is quite tart and very, very dry. To me it resembles a Syrah, but Joy disagrees. It did nothing for me when we first opened it, but I like it more and more with every sip. It has a pleasant, spicy bouquet and warms me up quite nicely on the way down. It's the sort of wine I'd drink in front of a fire on a cold, winter night.
Fortunately, it's a cold winter night right now.
My rating: 4.5 out of 5
Trader Joes, $5.99
Thank you for posting the info. I just rec'd a bottle for a gift and now have an idea of what to expect.
ReplyDeleteUh oh...I hope you read my follow-up post to this wine as well! http://www.wineforthecheap.com/2009/02/re-alexander-fitch-merlot-2006.html
ReplyDeleteI just opened this bottle a few days ago...I had received at a Party back in April 2009.
ReplyDeleteVery Pleasantly surprised... After letting it decant for a while ... I found that it is a Great Wine...and for someone like myself who is not all too fond of Merlots It was very agreeable and all who had some enjoyed very much..
Def above Average.... and obviously a Great Price. Goig to Trader Joes right now see if I can find anymore :)
if anyone could answer... how would you know what is a good wine? i like the bitterness of wines, is that bad? i always hear the smoother the better the wine.
ReplyDeleteIf you like it, it's a good wine. Don't ever let anybody tell you something isn't good if you like it. There are certain things people look for in wine... smell, acidity, body... and those who drink a lot of wine can pick out nuances in each of these... but seriously... if you like it, it's good. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteI received a bottle of the Merlot a few months ago as a gift...I decided to take it along to a relatives on Thanksgiving...we opened it, and was pleasantly surprised...very mild with a great taste...glad to know Trader Joe's sells it, as I didnt know where it was purchased, so Trader Joe's here I come...Dayton Ohio
ReplyDelete