the first time i heard of this wine was about a year ago, i was going to the store to purchase some whisky for a party (yes, a wino partakes of other substances occasionally) and i stumbled upon a little tasting. there were only a few wines, most of them your typical shopping mart quencher, but this struck me as being interesting, and the label was memorable. so after spotting it again this week, i picked up a bottle to swirl.

this wine is a varietal smorgasbord, with ten, count ‘em, grapes listed on the label (petite syrah, syrah, petite verdot, carignan, sangiovese, barbera, zinfandel, tannat, malbec, grenache – just for the record.) i don’t know what’s more interesting, the fact that so many grapes that went into this blend without it tasting like absolute crap, or the fact that for the most part these are uncommon grapes in u.s. wine.

the big house red also holds the dubious distinction of owning the most difficult website i’ve ever tried to navigate, not a a problem if there isn’t really anything in particular that you want to know, but a hassle if you are looking for any specific information, which may say a bit about the wine itself.

the nose is quite earthy, with a good dose of spice. when i first opened it up i even noticed a hint of leafiness. it’s a surprisingly light wine, nice acidity to it, a rather non-distinct “berry” jam that describes almost any california wine you’ll meet. the finish was pretty short, and reminded me of a glass of juice with its quick burst of fruity acid. i admittedly don’t have the greatest palate, but i really had a hard time pinpointing anything really specific about it (other than that generic “mixed berry” label you sometimes.)

the one thing i can say with absolute glenn beck conviction about this wine is that it’s easy to drink. it’s juicy, it’s well balanced, and it’s red. but i think that also happens to be it’s downfall too, because it really doesn’t have a whole lot to say. it’s just a little to straightforward and juice like, which may not be a bad thing.

i’m gonna give this an 84 because although it’s a well made wine, i just don’t find the depth that i personally would like to see. i do think that that it’s an easy pair for any meal that isn’t looking for anything special to accompany. so give it a try and let me know what you think.