I haven't seen this bottle of wine reviewed anywhere else online, so I thought I'd write a quick review of it. It's an iconic bottle with orange text and a lone star that looks like it's striaght out of a Texas western. The Lot 81 "Long Arm" Paso Robles blend sells at Trader Joes in the $7-8 range.
First, it offers a nice nose, with cranberry and peat smells. First sip offered a subtle sweetness, but develops through some straweberry flavors into a dry flavor as the wine opens up. After a few sips, what sold me on this being a worthy wine was mostly the dryness and herbal notes. It's a good valuable and, though food friendly, a great stand-alone wine.
No identification is given of what makes up the blend, but I'd guess it's mostly Grenache, with some Zin, Cab and Cab Franc thrown in as well. Overall, four stars, certainly not as generous as Volver Tempranillo or Horse Heaven Hills Cab, but at this price point, it's a very nice wine.
Presentation: ****
Nose: **
Complexity: ****
Value: ****
Overall: ****
