Barefoot Merlot.: Proof that You Don't Have to Spend Big Bucks for Nice Red Wine

It's time for the holidays and that means lots of dinners and parties. Lots of dinners and parties can also mean lots of food and wine. Although my husband and I aren't planning on doing a lot of partying this holiday season, we do enjoy drinking wine... especially if it tastes good and doesn't cost an arm and a leg. My husband and I are big fans of budget wines. It seems like every week, we shop our local vendors for flavorful wines for under five bucks. Luckily, since we live on a military installation, this task isn't too tough for us. We have lots of quality choices available to us priced at $4.95 or less with no tax.

Recently, while shopping at our local Class VI store, we discovered Barefoot Cellars out of Napa, California. Barefoot wines are consistently high quality, but they don't sport a high price tag. Tonight, over a pizza dinner, my husband and I opened a bottle of 2003 Barefoot Merlot. We have enjoyed this wine on several different occasions, but tonight we decided to pay special attention to what we were drinking for the purpose of this review.

Accolades

According to the shiny gold sticker on the bottle, the 2003 Barefoot Merlot has won a Best Buy award from the Beverage Testing Institute out of Chicago. Founded in 1981, The Beverage Testing Institute runs a Web site that offers impartial reviews of wines for consumers.

The Pour

The 2003 Barefoot Merlot pours out rich and deep red, with no bubbles forming at the top of the pour. When I swirl it around in my glass, I see legs forming on the side of the glass.

The Nose

This wine's bouquet presents with the aroma of blackberries and a slightly peppery aroma. I can also detect the slightest hint of chocolate.

The Taste

According to the bottle, I'm supposed to taste boysenberry and chocolate with hints of anise and subtle tannins. When I taste this wine, the most predominant flavor is berries, with a hint of floral and oaky notes. I also detected some tannins in the finish. My husband came to a similar conclusion, though he also tasted vanilla and oak. This wine is simple, but very tasty, especially for the price. The wine is medium bodied with a silky finish. Alcoholic content is 13.5% by volume.

Where To Buy It

Barefoot Merlot is widely available. My husband and I usually buy it at our local Class VI store, but I've also seen it at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods Markets, and other local supermarkets. Barefoot Merlot is available in both 750mL and 1.5L sizes. If you're throwing a party and will be including wine on the menu, you'd do well to stock up on this widely available wine at its economical price.

Overall Impressions

I've had better wines than Barefoot Merlot, but many of them were priced more expensively. I'm impressed by this wine because it tastes a lot more expensive than it is. With its delightful berry flavor, peppery aroma, and deep, pleasing color, Barefoot Merlot is a very drinkable everyday wine. At less than $5 a bottle, you really can't miss with Barefoot Merlot. It goes great with spicy foods, hearty meat dishes, tomato based pasta dishes, sharp cheeses, and desserts. Or, you can drink this wine by itself. For less than $5 a bottle, you can afford to enjoy this wine whenever the mood strikes, as long as you enjoy it responsibly.