Aiolas

Aiolas

GRAPES: Not Specified

VINTAGE: 2018

REGION: Dao, Portugal

ALCOHOL PERCENTAGE: 13%

PRICE: $5.99

I don’t know about you all, but I live for fall. There’s something so fantastic about a crisp fall morning. As soon as the temperature drops, I trade in my fall essentials for the cozier options in my closet including, fleeces, sweatshirts, and sweaters. If you aren’t familiar with Nashville, we get exactly 11.6 days like this every year, so I am enjoying it while I can.

I’ve already made my first pot of chili for the season, so I felt it was necessary to taste a new bottle of red wine from Trader Joe’s. This week’s bottle is one that I’m sure you all have spotted on the shelves at your local Trader Joe’s as it’s been around for quite some time. In fact, I bought this bottle when we were under quarantine/house arrest and forgot I had it. In the spirit of fall-cleaning, I thought it was the perfect time to open this bottle and have a glass.

Let’s see how Aiolas tastes, shall we?

TASTING NOTES:

• Natural cork

• Bright, ruby red color

• Medium body; dry finish

• Medium-heavy tannins

• Notes of red fruit, specifically cherry and strawberry

• Earthy finish with hints of spice throughout

Verdict:

Subconsciously, there’s a reason that I waited months to open this bottle. I was not terribly impressed. It lacked real depth and finished very dry, which is something that I don’t usually like. As the wine opened up, it became a bit more enjoyable, but at the $5.99 price point, I’d say pass on this bottle as there are many others at Trader Joe’s that are much better.

Until Next Time!