Thirsty Thursday is the quest to drink good, cheap wine that is $15.00 and under. Want some more recommendations? Check out the past cheap wine posts on Thirsty Thursday.
Buttered popcorn.
Yep, of all the smells one can get from a wine, I smelled buttered popcorn. But it was a good buttered popcorn.
Before you start thinking, “That must have been her fourth glass to smell buttered popcorn!”, hear me out.
The buttered popcorn wine is the 2009 Vina Robles Red 4 is from Paso Robles, California. (Yep, two weeks in a row I’ve done Paso Wine Reviews.)
This wine is a GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre) blend. GSMs are pretty common in California and especially in the Central Coast. Part of the reason is due to the area’s ability to grow great Syrah grapes and part of it is these three grapes go really well together to produce great red blend wines.
What makes this GSM a little different is the higher concentration of Petite Sirah (42%). It has a darker, more garnet ink color and flavor than traditional GSMs.
While this wine looks menacing in the glass, the aromas of dried berries, mocha, and buttered popcorn move to a dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full bodied wine that exhibits juicy ripe fruit, hints of oak and spice and finishes with earthy supple tannins.
Partially due to the overall flavors and partially due to the high alcohol content, which is 14.9%, this is a wine meant for food – like grilled steak. (Don’t drink this on an empty stomach or you may literally be under the table before food is served.)
I loved this wine. It was a bit of fluke that I picked it up – but the overall structure, flavors, and alcohol content made me yearn for another trip to Paso Robles soon. You could taste the hot afternoons, the dusty air, and the beauty of a vacation.
Hmm…may need to look at a Southwest Airline Flight soon.
Don’t forget to use the 2012 Thirsty Thursday Wine List when creating your wine shopping list.
Note: This wine should be available at most liquor outlets. Please be responsible when you drink wine – and never drive drunk…seriously, that is just stupid in this day in age.
