Roustabout Meritage 2023

A simple, tasty red blend for people who hate picking wine.

I was recently standing in the wine aisle of my local Trader Joe’s grabbing entirely too many bottles for studying (no, really; such is the life of someone tackling WSET) and couldn’t help but over hear the conversation of a group of women much younger than myself.

“What about THIS bottle? It’s so pretty!” as they held up a wine I knew was a pretty bottle, but definitely didn’t taste “pretty” - especially for “sipping on the beach” and “I’m not even sure I like wine”. I thought about butting into their conversation to make some suggestions on less pretty bottles, but ones that would taste far prettier.

But alas. Introvert who had already used up her social steam that week and needed to get home to write 400 flash cards.

But if I had butted into their conversation, I’d have handed them this awfully plain looking bottle which frankly tastes way better than it looks. Now, I’m kind of full of regrets. Next time?

Anyways. Let’s get into this bottle.

First, a quick decoder ring. “Meritage” (rhymes with “heritage,” not “garage) is basically the American way of saying “Bordeaux blend.” It means a red wine made from a mix of classic grapes instead of just one, in this case Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, and Merlot.

Stick your nose in the glass and you’ll get dark fruit that leans jammy, a little cola, a hint of tobacco, and something like the smell of a well-worn leather jacket. It’s cozy, not fussy.

On the palate, it’s smooth and unbothered. Cherry and red berries lead, with soft tannins (that’s the drying, gripping sensation some reds give your mouth) that never turn aggressive. There’s a touch of spice and a whisper of chocolate on the finish. Nothing here is trying to impress a critic. It’s trying to get along with your Tuesday - or just be something you can easily sip while watching sunset over the beach.

This is a wine that proves you don’t need a big budget or a bigger vocabulary to drink something genuinely satisfying.

Who’s going to love this: anyone who wants a reliable, crowd-pleasing red without ceremony. People hosting a casual dinner. People who just want a glass while making pasta. Who won’t: if you’re chasing complexity, single-vineyard specificity, or something that changes in the glass over an hour, this isn’t your wine. It is what it is, confidently. Beautifully. Prettily?

Serve it slightly below room temperature, around 60 to 65 degrees. No decanting required, though 10 minutes of air won’t hurt. Food-wise, it’s built for burgers, roast chicken, or anything with melted cheese involved.

So next time you’re standing in the aisle, overthinking it: grab the not-so pretty very plain bottle. Some decisions really are that simple.