Browsing trader Joe's wine aisle last Sunday afternoon in Arrowhead, I spotted this yellow paper wrapped Spanish Red: 2005 Monte Ducay Cariñena Reserva (Spain, Aragón, Cariñena) for a whole $6. There were 2 bottles left on the shelf, in a space that used to hold at least 2 cases, so I grabbed both. I was not disappointed.Very drinkable. Expand your horizons beyond Merlot and Cabernet, and try some Cariñena. It's good stuff. Others agree (links here, here, and here). And now, I have another bottle to enjoy, or take to friends this weekend!
I have a 2005 bottle--is it still good?
ReplyDeletewell, it depends on many variables. How & where was it stored? Did it get hot and cold? Was it stored in the sun light? Was it in a rack horizontally, or standing up vertically? It Might be good... it might have turned.
ReplyDeleteBest thing to do it open it cautiously. If the cork falls apart, it's bad. If the cork comes out nicely, and the bottle doesn't have an unpleasant odor, it's probably fine. Taste a little, and see. If it's not, there's the sink (or you can cook with red-wine-vinegar). Trader Joe's still sells it for $5 a bottle here in California.
I just opened a 2005 last night - it was very good. It's been stored horizontally in a wine fridge since purchase several years ago. The cork held together (though I was afraid it was about to come apart). There was no sign of turning, vinegar, or alcohol in the taste - very smooth and well bodied. Wish I had bought another one of these way back when.
ReplyDeleteI took a bottle of Monty Ducay on the train, from the downtown Chicago Trader Joes just north of the river, to NW Indiana, and gave it to my parents when I visited there 2 years ago, and they Loved it. I think I've probably had 6 or 7 bottles of Monte Ducay life-time now, and not one of them has been bad. The Spanish can make excellent wines.
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