Happy 4th of July and Happy Wine Thursday! 

 This is the day when as a nation,

we collectively bow down to the almighty Weber,

the American god of controlled fire.

So for Wine Thursday!,

our weekly good-wine-at-a-good-price-that’s-easy-to-find recommendation,

we’re going with a big red

that will go well with grilled red meat. 

Francis Coppola 2016 Claret  

 Claret is an old British term for a Bordeaux-style blend

i.e. a red blend with Cabernet Sauvignon as the primary ingredient.

Coppola’s version is true to form…nearly 3/4 Cabernet,

augmented by Petite Sirah and Petit Verdot 

(BTW, that spelling is correct,

“Sirah” and “Petit” as opposed to “Syrah” and “Petite”. 

Spelling bees seldom if ever use wine terms.  That would be cruel.)  

With its sturdy constitution,

Coppola Claret will hold up

to whatever red meat you throw on the “que”

be it steaks, ribs or burgers. 

You might be asking, why the netting? 

Spanish winemakers used to put netting on their bottles

to deter theft and counterfeiting. 

The folks at Coppola say they add gold netting

“to signify outstanding quality”.   

It does meet the Pat The Wine Guy criteria. 

It’s a good buy and it’s available most everywhere.   

You can find Coppola Claret at Costco for $13.89. 

Safeway sells it for $15.77.  The price at Whole Foods is $16.99. 

Fred Meyer has it for $17.49. 

It’s $17.99 at both Bale’s Thriftway and QFC. 

New Seasons has it for $18.99. 

 Since the 4th of July is the unofficial launch of grilling season,

this would be a good one to remember

throughout the summer.   

Happy Independence Day!