Tribunal

TJ TuesdayRed BlendRed Wines
Written By Catherine Courtney

TRIBUNAL

GRAPES:  Red Blend

VINTAGE: 2016

REGION: North Coast, California

ALCOHOL PERCENTAGE: 15.1%

PRICE: $9.99

 

TASTING NOTES: 

When I scour the shelves of Trader Joe’s for my weekly TJ Tuesday feature, there are certain criteria I look for:

  • Bottles of wine less than $10.00

  • Intriguing flavor profiles

  • Appealing / Eye-catching labels

As I was wandering up and down the aisle looking at the red wine, Tribunal caught my eye. Not only does it have a delightful label with various animals holding court, but it was described as bold, full-bodied and a third of the coast of similar wines. Um, hello. You’ve got my attention.

Tribunal was quite a complex and intense red blend. This wine is composed of Zinfandel, Syrah, Merlot, Petite Sirah, Barbera, Grenache, and Petite Verdot. Clearly the winemaker wasn’t messing around.

As I poured my first glass, I couldn’t help but notice the eye-catching garnet color and the bold aromatics that ensued. Notes of black pepper and dark fruit consumed my nose. Typically I don’t decant my TJ Tuesday wine, but given the composition and I decided I would let the glass open up before I started sipping. I did, however, take a small sip so I could do a before and after comparison.

After allowing the glass to open up 10-15 minutes, I made the following observations:

  • The wine really softened after it was opened up and swirled around the glass

  • Started off with sweet notes with a much more subdued finish

  • Great aromatics throughout; Notes of black cherry, currants, chocolate

  • Very rich, lush wine for the price point

Typically, I try these wines without any food pairings but as I had another glass, I began to think of all the dishes this would pair with. It would be perfect to have while you’re grilling, perhaps paired with your favorite hamburger or cheeseburger. This would also be a lovely accompaniment to a cheese or charcuterie board and to be quite honest, I enjoyed several glasses relaxing on the couch catching up with blog stuff. This wine is versatile and can pair with just about anything.

Verdict: Tribunal is a MUST. I’ve seen wines rotate pretty often at my local Trader Joe’s so if you are fond of this, I’d grab a couple of bottles. It’s rare that you find a bottle of wine of this caliber at such a reasonable price point. I know I’ll be stocking up!

UNTIL NEXT TIME! 

Catherine Courtney

Welcome to Blonde Voyage Nashville!

I am so excited to finally see this dream become a reality.  Between the destination restaurants, the copious amount of food photos and insanely crazy travel stories, I have decided to share my journey. 

My name is Catherine Courtney and I am a Nashville native with a penchant for culinary creativity and epic travel adventures. I'll admit... I also have a slight obsession with handbags.

Two years ago, my life changed completely.  Everything that I knew to be was completely turned upside down.  I quickly realized that time is our greatest commodity and it's not to be taken for granted. I couldn't wait for the perfect time, who knew when that would be.  I needed to take the leap and explore the world on my own.  There were so many places I wanted to go, but where would I start. 

France was always one of those places that I had romanticized.  Wandering the streets of Paris and seeing the Eiffel tower were at the top of my list. Without hesitation, I booked a two week trip to the French Rivera and Paris.  It was a journey of a lifetime.  Not only were amazing friendships cultivated, but it was on that trip that i discovered that food and travel are the embers that that keep my soul on fire. 

It wasn't until I arrived back in Nashville with my passport that I realized I had been bit. Wanderlust had completely taken over.  I already started thinking about where I wanted to go next.  It was then that I decided that it was more important to have camera full of photos and a tattered journal full of stories than anything else. My heart was overflowing.

One of my favorite quotes that resonates is from Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland:

"Actually, the best gift you could have given her was a lifetime of adventures...."

Join me as I explore near and far away places, filling my passport full of stamps and satiating my appetite with some of the most amazing cuisine the world has to offer. 

Thanks for reading! 

       

 

 

http://blondevoyagenashville.com
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