Synopsis, Our Opinion: Another disappointing grocery store wine.
Producer/Winery: Simi Winery; Geyserville, California.
Grape Variety: Merlot blend – 87% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Malbec.
Geographic Appellation,, Region, Country: Sonoma County; North Coast, California.
Vintage: 2016
Price: $10.99 (with a 30% mixed 6-pack discount)
Purchased From: Ralph’s Grocery Store; Agoura Hills, California.
Paired With: Chicken BBQ on rolls and peanut slaw.
Tasting:
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Note: This year while in California we are reviewing a substantial number of wines sold in grocery stores. This review is one of them. To see all of our grocery store wine reviews look under the keyword “Grocery Store Wines”.
Opened one hour before drinking. Just clear, dark ruby color with a lighter purple rim. Plum and other dark fruit aromas with whiffs of astringency. A little rough, dusty and raspy mouthfeel, medium body and an 80-grit texture. Sultry over-ripe plum and blackberry flavors that had a bitterness that lasted right from the wine touching the tongue through the aftertaste. Flabby acidity, very soft tannins that just show their head in the short dusty fruit finish that ended with a sharp taste. Let’s start with how this compares with the Predator Zinfandel we just had…it’s not as sweet, but is no more like a Merlot than the Predator was like a Zinfandel. In spite of its rough texture the wine was drinkable with food; however it was not up to the quality of most grocery store Merlot we have recently reviewed. Even at $10.99 we called it another disappointing grocery store wine.
Photo from Simi Winery.
Alcohol Content: 13.5%
Closure: Reconstructed cork.
UPC Code: 0 88415 78701 3
Imported by: Not applicable.