Concha y Toro Frontera 2004

I'm a big believer in the theory that you don't need to spend a lot to get a good wine, so I had hopes for a new wine that we tried this past weekend. The brand name is Concha y Toro (which translated means Shell and Bull) and it hails from Chile -- where many reasonably priced, and sometimes tasty, wines can be found. This one wasn't really one of them however. It was a cabernet (85%)/merlot (15%) blend, which I often like. Blends can sometimes be interesting -- combining the best qualities of both types of grape. There is an Australian winery - Black Opal - that makes a nice cab/merlot blend... but I digress. The label on this wine described it as "ready to drink now" and "perfect to celebrate everyday victories." I think it was probably ready to drink last week, and it didn't improve in the meantime. It tasted alcoholic, but with little fruit. It certainly wasn't the worst wine I'd ever had, but I'd describe it as mediocre. It probably would make a fine base for summer sangria, but I likely won't bother getting it again to drink straight. I hate that adage that "you get what you pay for" but perhaps it was unfair of me to expect a 1.5 liter bottle of wine that cost barely over five dollars to be a standout.