2009 Casa Thaulero Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon, $7.45. LCBO#621953
This weekend I had the pleasure of officially beginning my Quest for an Affordable Bottle. Now, I’ve obviously drank cheap wine in the past, it’s just that this time I did it with purpose.
The bottle of choice was a Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon from the Casa Thaulero winery of Abruzzo, Italy. For under $8, I do feel this wine is a decent value. It is a very pleasing deep ruby red, with a simple berry-like taste, medium body and smooth finish.
I didn’t feel that the wine was full bodied or complex enough to stand up to the red meat it is suggested to be paired with. I think part of the problem is that the wine is very young, only from 2009.
I would buy this wine to drink on its own, or perhaps with some appetizers, but I like a wine to have a bit more of a backbone when paired with steak or a meaty pasta sauce.
Overall, I give this wine 7.5/10 for taste and 4/5 for value.
