Coming in at the #3 spot is a 2014 California Merlot. It's a dark Merlot, rich and lush, with elements of black cherry. It's everything that guy in Sideways hates about Merlot - drinkable, accessible, and lush on the palate. At $15 a bottle, this week's number three steal is 2014 Goldschmidt Chelsea Merlot.
Coming in at #2 is a red blend. This 2014 wine is smooth, with hints of berries and chocolate along with a touch of spice. It's a silky blend of Mourvedre, Syrah, and (one of my faves) Grenache, and its name suits it to perfection. My second recommendation, at a decent price of $11 per bottle, is 2014 Cline Cashmere, also out of California.
My #1 pick for this week is a wine that is made from grapes I've never heard of before, not that it's a real surprise because I don't know diddly-squat about wine and/or grapes, but it seems no one else at the tasting had heard of them, either. Valdiguie grapes are large berries, and this particular grape was originally mistakenly identified as Gamay Noir, common to France's Beaujolais region. Valdiguie is an older grape variety and completely uncommon to Monterey County, California. A fan of Beaujolais, I'm not at all surprised that this wine is my #1 pick for the week, and, at about $10 per bottle, it's worth the risk if you're searching for a drinkable, versatile red wine for any occasion. Also a Californian 2014, Wine of the Week: J. Lohr Estates Wildflower Monterey Valdiguie.
