Tuesday-Night Wine

I am not sure how often people use the phrase “Tuesday-night wine,” if they do at all.  For me, it is something I picked up from my father.  Wine-drinkers may not use the phrase, but I am pretty certain many would at least understand the concept: a bottle of wine that tastes decent and is relatively cheap. 

These are single-digit deals that may not be as good as the higher-end wines you really enjoy, but they are relatively consistent bottles with little associated guilt when opening one for absolutely no reason at all—those times when your left-over stir fry and the fact that it’s Tuesday are the only things worth toasting.

I feel obliged to repeat, from weeks past, that price does not dictate quality. Even so, you might want to be careful when considering the latest “Two-Buck Chuck” type of wine. Two-Buck Chuck, aka Charles Shaw, is a line of wines available for, well, a couple of dollars.  Charles Shaw wines are typically not available in the Red River Valley; however, we do have access to a few extremely cheap wines.  These can be fun to try for the sake of drinking cheap wine (and you might find something you actually enjoy), but approach these bottles without high expectations.

I decided to sample Ravenswood “Vintner’s Blend” Zinfandel 2006 and HRM Rex Goliath Cabernet Sauvignon, aka “Giant 47 Pound Rooster.” Both are California bottles that run in the $7 price range.  Other bottles to consider are Jacob’s Creek and Smoking Loon, both of which produce good and affordable wine that I would also consider Tuesday-night wine.

The Ravenswood is not a bad wine, but it’s missing the developed mouthfeel I typically enjoy with my zins.  This wine has a rich cherry nose; the flavor is fruit-forward and sits very lightly on the tongue.  Compared to some of the higher-end zins, though, it lacks a complex depth that would nicely hold the flavors together. With the right food pairing— perhaps some zesty pasta or even a South American rib-eye steak—this bottle might perform very well. In other words, it needs a strong food compliment.  While not bad for the price, if you are looking for a bottle of wine to really stand on its own, this might not be the one.

Unlike the Ravenswood, the Rooster is not a very fruity wine at all.  It has a medium mouthfeel; the flavors stay near the tongue and leave a somewhat dry, bitter flavor that isn’t bad but isn’t great.  I was hoping these flavors would open up, and they did a little, but a little more would have been even better.  Overall, the flavors were enjoyable, and this bottle met my expectations even if it was not outstanding.

Both of these wines are very drinkable and have the potential to turn a mundane weeknight around, but if I were after something special, I would move past these in search of something fuller and a bit more developed.  But, when that Tuesday-night wine itch needs to be scratched, I wouldn’t hesitate to pick up either of these bottles again.