I found Big House Red wine one desperate night at my local "European-Style Supermarket," lingering on the bottom shelf amongst the other "cheapie" wine options ($10.99 IS reasonable, but not exactly cheap on this girl's grad school budget).
I'm not gonna lie- I bought it because of the pretty picture. And the price. But mostly the pretty picture. It's a table red, a line I rarely cross even with my cheap wines-- Trader Joe's Sangiovese? Sure, I'll give it a go. Whole Foods' 365 Pinot Grigio? Wouldn't go there again, but I was a willing victim. But... the picture.
When I got my expensive cheap wine home and twisted off the cap (I stopped being a cork snob quite a while ago, after too many good twist-off experiences), I was very pleased. The wine had some fruitiness, some complexity, and a smoky yet smooth finish.
When I ventured online to investigate my good fortune, I found this description on the website: "It starts with a nose full of blackberries and raspberries, with hints of leather and spices. The palate is clean, exhibiting flavors of cranberries, roses and a touch of rhubarb. This finish lingers, with flavors of vanilla and a touch of dark cherries in the finish."
Leather? Spices? Vanilla? Berries and cherries? Roses? Rhubarb? No wonder I lusted after another bottle! Considering my love of Malbecs, I swoon at the mention of "leather" or "tobacco." (It's internal Beatles pandemonium at the mention of both, but I'll take one or the other.)
Go get a bottle of this red. It's so worth it. And if you don't have a "European-Style Supermarket," you can get it here.
