While it doesn’t happen often, I occasionally am attracted to a bottle purely because of its label.  A couple of weeks ago, my mind must have been particularly “fun label” focused because I actually grabbed two wines because of their label (hanging my head in shame).  With the 2005 Red Bicyclette Merlot, Hubby actually cracked a joke saying that he could have picked it out and he hasn’t taken my wine classes.  Still, there is something to be said for marketing.  The bottle looks fun and fresh, so it grabbed my attention…the big question was whether the taste would hold up.

Even knowing that it’s a mass produced wine, I was hopeful, but the first night of drinking the 2005 Red Bicyclette Merlot was somewhat disappointing.  By the second night, the wine had definitely improved, but I still didn’t love it.

The RB Merlot is 100% Merlot grapes and has a nice, deep ruby color.  The wine has a strong plum aroma with hints of vanilla.  When you sip it, the wine feels a little thick in your mouth, which when combined with the blackberry and cherry flavors, creates a very fruity, “jammy” taste. 

Is this worth a glass after work? Eh…if you have a bottle on hand, drink it, but I wouldn’t go searching it out either.  Even at $9 a bottle, you can find more enjoyable Merlots.  It shouldn’t be hard to find a bottle, though, if you want to taste it.  If that’s the case, definitely let the wine breathe before drinking it.  You can probably pair it with something like meatloaf or stew.

Overall: 2 corks