Concha Y Toro Frontera Cabernet/Merlot

Do you know how I know we've been away too long? My brother sent me another guest review. He just gets all twitchy when he doesn't get his fix of Wine for the Cheap and has to fill the gap himself. But that's just fine, since his reviews are funny as Hell. Stay tuned later this week for his "overpriced white suit" review. It's hysterical.

As for me and Joy, we are back. This week we packed up and moved to a new home and, as a result, had little computer access. We have been checking e-mail and playing around on Facebook, but to sit down and savor a cheap-ass wine while writing poopy jokes? Well, that just takes a bit more of a commitment. So the blog has been idle all week. I did start a review of Middle Sister "Rebel Red" awhile back, but I had too much on my mind and had to scrap it. I'll try again soon with that one.

Tonight I'm reviewing Concha Y Toro's Frontera Cabernet/Merlot, a wine which me and Joy had the pleasure of sampling, in bulk, on Friday. All day we'd been moving; I'd met the movers around 8 am and by afternoon we were getting unpacked and arranging our furniture in our new home. We now live on the outer edge of Washington DC's vast suburbs in a planned community called South Riding. It is characteristic of the new face of Northern Virginia; the sort of place that turned Virginia into a blue state. It's diverse, well-educated, and upper middle class. It's severely oriented towards families. And the traffic sucks.

It's also a place so excited by the 4th of July that they have to celebrate it on July 3rd. So, around about six o'clock we headed down to see our new town get down. I love the 4th of July because it's always slightly embarrassing. I'm not sure if our international readers can relate, but anybody who has ever been to a 4th of July celebration in the States knows what I'm talking about. Uncle Sam on stilts. American flag t-shirts. Fat old men singing the female vocals from Love Shack. Proud to be an American by Lee Greenwood then blasting over the loud-speaker as the fireworks begin. It's a holiday I've always felt to be slightly corny until this year, when I suddenly realized how awesome South Riding, Virginia, and by extension America really are. I mean, seriously, I'm a bookstore manager by day, but I own an awesome new home by night. Life is good.

And the South Riding 3rd of July celebration had wine! Unfortunately, I had no money. But I did have a credit card! But the food stands didn't take credit cards. But the drink stands did! Yay! God damnit I would've killed for some kettle corn. Concha Y Toro Frontera Cabernet-Merlot! Who needs kettle corn? Me. Or funnel cake. Drink and forget! Wow! Those red, white and blue light sabers were awesome. Somebody get me a light saber! I swear to God I think I demanded, quite loudly, that Joy go kick the crap out of some guy wearing a Sidney Crosby jersey. And why I never managed to score some kettle corn is a mystery, since I damned near prostituted myself to get some.

Anyway, the wine was good, too. Fruity and very smooth, with a hint of chocolate. Yeah, I was paying attention. It pairs quite nicely with Blue Moon lager, but I only say that because I was drinking Blue Moon lager as well. I'll bet it also pairs spectacularly with kettle corn, but I guess now I'll never know. I loved this wine but I was loving, frankly, everything, so take this review for what it is.

7 out of 10.

Saw it on-line for $5.99, but it was sold out. Check around.