SuppliedBlack Cellar Malbec Merlot
Liquor Depot – $9.99
Originally intending to make a batch of sangria, I bought Black Cellar Malbec Merlot on a whim, appreciating its stark, mature label and $9.99 price tag. Of course laziness took over and the idea of sangria was scrapped in favour of drinking the wine as intended: straight out of the bottle as a fast way to pre-drink and do my eyeliner at the same time.
As promised, the wine offers both “depth and intensity,” but not exactly in the pleasant form that the label seems to imply—more in a vicious assault on your taste buds sort of way. When you unscrew the cap, you will notice immediately on the nose the sharp smell of berries, cherry, and—what’s that? Hardwood shellac, perhaps? The bottle guarantees notes of plum, liquorice, and cherry and, as you first sip the wine, all three become distinctly noticeable, which begs the question: who decided these things should be paired together? The wine is dry with low acidity, however prepare yourself for the taste to be somewhat burned into the back of your throat for a while after each sip. On the bright side: this burning will go away the more wine you drink, so don’t give up just yet! Take comfort in the gorgeous ruby color of the wine, but tread lightly: if you spill it, you’ll end up with a permanent reminder of why bottom-shelf Merlot is a bad idea.
Perhaps the most delightful thing about Black Cellar Merlot is the little story on the label, describing how the winemaker went through 13 different blends before settling on this one. Clearly they never heard the old adage: if at first you don’t succeed, winemaking is not for you.
