Buying wine doesn’t have to be a confusing experience. You can find great, inexpensive, everyday wines anywhere. This post is the first in a series designed to help those of you new to wine (and even experienced oenophiles) learn which wines you like and which ones you don’t. I’m calling it Random Wine of the Week, because I will (and hopefully you will too) select, drink, and review a random wine every week.

What I mean by random is that I will visit my local wine merchant (supermarket, liquor store, wine boutique, etc…) and select a wine based on factors that have nothing to do with the wine itself. For example, this week I have chosen a pink wine starting with the letter M. Next week, I’ll choose a bubbly starting with the letter S. The following week, maybe I’ll try a red wine with a tree on the label.  And so on. I’ll keep the price range on all of these wines to less than $15.

Then entire point of this activity is to experiment and taste new wines. I would highly recommend that you start your own wine journal to capture the information from the label and your opinions of the wine.

So go on, invite some friends over, pick out some random wines, and enjoy!

Random Criteria: Pink wine starting with the letter M

Wine: 2008 Mulderbosch Rosé

Origin: South Africa, Western Cape

Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon

Notes: Good little rosé. The nose (scent) of the wine smells like a bunch of freshly cut strawberries. The wine itself is very well balanced. I found the bite of acidity refreshing, especially with the spicy pad thai I was eating for dinner. I would classify this wine as slightly dry, with very little sweetness to it at all. It would easily please fans of dry rosés, as well as those who like their wine a little sweeter. Overall, I am adding this wine to my list of wines that I would buy again.

What are your opinions of the wine?

Cheers,
-Jon