2016 Challis Lane Red Wine Blend

Bodega: Challis Lane
Goods: Red Blend
Locale: Napa/Manteca, CA
Booze Factor: 13.5%
Fare: $9.95
Whereabouts: BevMo and Elsewhere
Yea or Nay:

Scoop: First off, apologies for having an image of their Cab but I could not find one for the Red Blend. This is my first one cork rating and I’m shocked to see how many people gave this wine such good ratings online. I bought it on a 5-cent sale at Bevo so it was actually less than $5 but I’m sorry to say it’s barely worth that.

I have not tried their other wines and have a Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc to still taste, but if I had to guess, I’d say Challis Lane is going after Two-Buck Chuck drinkers. I think they are putting a little sweet reserve in their wine like Bronco Wines does with Two-Buck Chuck to make it more appealing to non-wine drinkers.

The bottle claims its “full-bodied” but it's far from that. It’s got good color and very fruity, but the sweetness overpowers anything. I could not even guess what varietals are in the wine but I’d say perhaps Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and maybe something else. It was really too hard to tell.

If you are a new wine drinker and want something light and fruity, this is your wine. If you like a big, bold red blend, buy something else.

Until next time…