Weekly Winedown #15 Bioletti’s Block Merlot

Welcome to the Weekly Winedown. Each week I selflessly drink wine for you and offer a review.
Please don’t expect anything professional, I consume a lot of wine but I’m no pro.

The only real ‘rule’ I’m putting in place is that the wine is to be under £8 a bottle. #keepitclassy.

It’s STILL the school holidays!
They’re really dragging it out aren’t they?

I am just the WORST parent during the holidays – to be honest they may find me questionable most of the time.
I wholeheartedly blame my inability to drive, the thought of getting them both on the bus gives me shivers.

This week Aoife went to school holiday club twice.
I felt both guilt and relief

Guilt that she’d feel I was palming her off, I wasn’t – it was her idea.
Relief that she wouldn’t be climbing the walls and she’d get to see her friends without doing the whole ‘playdate’ thing. #slackparenting

All she had ever heard about holiday club was wonderful, amazing things – bouncy castles, playing in the park, fun times.
Unfortunately it pissed down the two days she was there.
They stayed inside, coloured in and watched films.
She could have done that here for free.

She enjoyed it though.

The rest of the week mostly involved a lengthy dentist trip.
Seth shouting at the rain to stop.
The rain not stopping.
Playing out in it anyway.

Seriously, I need to learn how to drive.
They must be SO bored of me, I certainly am.

You probably are too.
Tough.

Let’s hit the wine, the pain will subside.

This week is a bit risky.
For reasons unknown, I was feeling a bit ballsy when I completed my online shop. I decided to step completely outside my comfort zone and chose a wine from USA.

WHY??

Well largely because it was £5.99 instead of £11.99 is why.

So let’s say ‘Howdy’ to Bioletti’s Block Merlot.
French or South American Merlot is normally quite a ‘full’ wine.

Previous experience has told me that’s not usually the case with American Merlot or American wine in general.
It’s usually a bit sweeter.
I don’t know what possessed me.
I think I bought it hoping that the fact it’s meant to be nearly £12 a bottle implied a better taste….

The label
Nice and simple in black, white and red-my palette of choice.
It offers the maker, the name and vineyards with birds in flight.
It is entirely unoffensive.
Unless you’re a farmer (which I am not) and the birds have trashed your crops (which they have not).
So yes, it’s harmless enough and even the mixed fonts don’t bother me as much as previous labels have.

The blurb...
“Rich scarlet in colour, this Merlot is full of juicy plum and jammy red fruit flavours, with subtle notes of vanilla on the finish and spicy undertones. A perfect accompaniment to a hearty beef Wellington or lamb casserole.”

‘Plum’, ‘vanilla’, ‘spicy’.
It’s definitely saying all the right words but is it like that weird guy on MySpace?
You know, the one who likes all the same bands as you and all the same films then turns out to be some weirdo just looking to marry you, get a visa and fleece you for all your money?

Oh I miss you MySpace, I might log back into my old account and see how it’s doing!

Back to wine!

The aroma is blackberries and…
I can’t get the and, it’s a really familiar smell. I want to say aniseed but it isn’t.
It’s a good smell.
A positive start!

And so to taste…
Well blow me away and call me Dave.
It’s good. Not just good.
Really actually rather very good!
I’m not so much getting plums but definite blackberry or maybe blackcurrant.
The vanilla is absolutely there with a spicy after thought.

It’s not too sweet at all, if a taste could be sophisticated then this taste is.
It’s a soft wine, not a bitter edge in sight (taste).
This expensive wine is good wine!
I’d buy it in bulk for sure.
But only at 50% off, I’m not minted.

I’m not going to declare myself a fan of American wine now but I am going to acknowledge it’s the best thing they’ve done, certainly in the last couple of years. And I’m not talking wine – youknowwhati’msayingright!?