Welcome to the FIRST EDITION of Wine and Lavender’s new segment, Wine of the Week!! I am so excited to get this segment started and hope you are, too!

Let me preface by saying that I did do some research on the proper techniques used to test wines, however, most of the articles lost my attention within the first paragraph. While I respect wine enthusiasts and others who are professionally inclined to test wine in such ways, I have to say this: I’m a Mom of three who barely has time to blow dry her hair. I love wine, but I can’t get all analytical on it (most of my analytical skills are reserved for Mom-guilt).

These reviews are geared towards the Moms who love wine because it tastes good and relieves stress. It’s for the Moms who lack the wine-tasting vernacular and just want to know if it’s worth the money, how it tastes, and if they’re likely to have a hangover. Now that we got that over with, on to the testing!

This week starts off with Hubby’s Picks. I sent him to HEB last week for food and wine, and this is what he brought home for us. (That’s right- Me and YOU!!) I love that man. Anyways…

In this 1st edition of Wine and Lavender’s Wine of the Week, we will explore:

Red Rock Reserve Merlot 2014

HEB Price: $10.52

Sight: Medium red, light bodied?

Smell: Not strong, but I can smell an alcohol “Twang” (Does that make sense? It’s the first word that came to mind) and/or strong fumes. My husband likened the smell to a “good smelling permanent marker”. Yes, ladies… these are the types of wine reviews you’ll be getting here. LOL

Taste/First Impression: Very light and smooth. My first thought was, “Wow- this is smooth… and soft.” Which now has me thinking that
I’ve been drinking too much because I don’t usually use the same words to describe wines as wine connoisseurs would. These were indeed the words written on the back of the bottle. So I guess I’m getting good at this, no? I promise you, my friends, I didn’t look before I answered that first question.

After Taste: Smooth. I can see what they mean my “velvety”. Some of my faves are normally bitter on the end, but I’m definitely liking this new smoothness… No more “weird eye twitch” after the first sip.

The Experience: Drink this one slow, ladies. After the first glass, I was already in “Mommy’s in a good mood” mode. Two glasses is plenty.

The Next Day: After two generous glasses, I was ready for some Game of Thrones and a long rest. The next day, I felt somewhat dehydrated (which I thought was strange after only having had two glasses), but I was ok. No serious headaches, dizziness or nausea.

The Label: “Bold flavors of blackberry and raspberry complement the supple tannins in our Merlot, creating a well-rounded wine with a smooth, velvety finish.” I couldn’t agree more. This is a pretty accurate depiction of this wine.

Repeat? : Would I buy this wine again? Absolutely. For those of you who love “strong wine”, this wine might be too light, but it was definitely good enough for me. I would suggest having this wine on a hot summer day because it’s so light.

Rating: So to the issue of rating this wine… This is somewhat difficult because we’re starting off on such a good foot! I really liked this wine. I guess I was expecting to buy a cheap wine and have it tasting like mud, but that wasn’t the case. I’d rate this bottle a “3” because it was so smooth, had a “velvety” finish and well, I’ve had much worse. It’s definitely above “drinkable” status, but not quite a 5.

Looking for some more recommendations? Check out my other wine reviews here (there are a few good ones in there!).

Have you ever tried this wine? What were your thoughts? Have a suggestion for a wine that you’d like me to review? Let me know in the comments.

Pam

Pamela is a Freelance Writer, Blogger, WAHM of 3, and Veteran Military Wife living in Southwest Texas. Raised in the Northeast and having lived a few years in the Pacific Northwest, she likes to write about mom life, parenting, frugal living, experiences, and WINE. (Lots of wine!) When she’s not busy chasing toddlers around, you can find her on the blog or on social media. Check her out on Instagram: instagram.com/wineandlavender