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09 Oct For Wine Thursday!, the red blend is your friend – Dunham Cellars Three Legged Red
“But it said it was a cabernet!”
I listened patiently while a friend of mine complained
about an awful bottle of wine she had recently endured…
not enjoyed but endured.
The culprit…an $8.99 bottle of cabernet sauvignon.
My friend thought…logically…that since it was labeled cabernet sauvignon,
it should have been at least decent.
It wasn’t.
That’s a perfect lead-in to today’s tip.
If you’re navigating those potentially choppy waters in the sub-$10 per bottle range,
you’re generally better off staying away from “pure” varietals
such as cabernet, pinot noir, syrah, etc.
At less than ten bucks, you’re likely to get a weak representation of said pure varietal.
Simple economics tells us the wineries aren’t going to waste
their best juice in a discount bottle.
Again, generally speaking,
you have a better chance getting a palatable low-end bottle
when you opt for a red blend.
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It’s Wine Thursday!
our weekly good-wine-at-a-good-price
that-you-can-find recommendation
and we’re going with a red blend
that does run more than $10
but we think it’s worth a few extra bucks.
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Dunham Cellars Three Legged Red
Every year, the folks at Dunham
(located in an old airplane hangar in Walla Walla)
produce their version of the classic Washington red blend: cabernet, syrah & merlot.
Depending on where you shop, you’ll find either the ’16 or the ’17.
Both delivered what you’ve come to expect from a mid-range CSM blend,
i.e., ripe fruit flavors with a hint of vanilla.
It’s not terribly complex but it is a very enjoyable, everyday red.
We found Dunham’s Three Legged Red at Safeway for $17.21,
at Fred Meyer for $18.99,
both QFC and New Seasons sell it for $19.99
and it’s at Market of Choice for $21.99.