Name: Oak Vineyards Merlot
Type: Red
Grape: Merlot
Origin: U.S. – California
Year: 2005
Producer: Oak Vineyards
Price: $4.00

I was able to pick up some wines in the “super cheap” class at a new liquor store in Nashua, NH. I got these (potential) beauties for 3 for $12. The store itself is very impressive. It’s in the Trader Joe’s plaza across from the Pheasant Lane mall in Nashua and I think it’s simply called The Liquor Shop. The atmosphere is absolutely pristine, everything in its place and displayed appealingly. The wine selection is middling, not huge, but the beer selection is out of this world. Check it out if you’re in the neighborhood. This merlot has an aroma of unripe grapes and a deep red color. The flavor is smooth and slightly sweet but unremarkable in every other regard. Some of that unripe aroma makes it into the flavor and the finish is short. It’s not great but for four bucks it doesn’t turn my stomach either. It also gets a couple extra credit points for having a real cork, a classy touch especially in this price range.