*** I received this wine as a sample. ***

By Wednesday evening of last week, it felt like things had descended into pure craziness.  I was still taking cabs to work because the combination of my hip pain and the crutches left me unmetro-worthy.  The problem, though, is that increased security around DC because of the Boston Bombings meant a number of road closures and significantly increased traffic.  The traffic was like rubbing salt my the wound, literally, as it was something I usually avoided by taking public transportation.  My travel times just became so unpredictable that I felt like I spent the week running late to meetings.

Thankfully, I was still only working half a day last Wednesday.  Th day was an intense one, as my organization was holding a Board meeting that required me to have a laser-like focus on work.  It wasn’t until sometime after lunch, when I received a text message from Hubby saying, “You may not want to open any strange letters,” that I realized ricin-laced letters were sent to the President and to Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker.  I vividly remember the anthrax-laced letters following on the heels of September 11, so this felt like déjà vu.  On top of it, up until 6 months ago, I was a Senate employee, and while I didn’t work for Senator Wicker, the poisoned letters hit close to home.  As you can imagine, I checked in with a number of Senate friends, whom were all fine, but the whole incident made me all the more thankful that I was working a shorter day.

After the Board meeting ended, I went home to elevate leg, put ice on my hip, and catch up on the latest news.  By the time Hubby came home, I decided I couldn’t take it anymore, so I poured myself a glass of wine and decided to continue working my way through Season 4 of Mad Men in order to distract me from the horrors of the week.

The 2010 Silver Buckle Cellars Red Wine (winery) is a blend of 45% Syrah, 34% Merlot, and 21% Malbec grapes and it is made in the Central Coast of California.  The wine had a deep ruby color.  On the nose, there were ripe blueberries mixed with hints of dark chocolate shavings and nutmeg.  In the mouth, there were juicy blueberries and dark chocolate mixed with cinnamon and nutmeg.  The wine had medium tannins, medium acidity, and a medium-to-full body.

Is this worth a glass after work? Definitely!  If you see this wine in the store, grab it; you won’t be disappointed.  At an SRP of $20, this wine is a very drinkable everyday wine.  When I opened up the wine cabinet on that Wednesday night, I knew the minute I saw the bottle that it was the perfect wine for the evening.  Nothing screams All-American strength like Silver Buckle’s cowboy-themed label, and that was exactly what I was looking for, I just was surprised to find it in my wine.

I actually ended up having a couple of glasses of the Silver Buckle Cellars Red that evening, both with dinner and afterwards.  It paired well with the beef stir-fry and homemade Sriracha sauce that Hubby made for dinner, and it continued to be enjoyable on its own as I watched TV.   Admittedly, I think the SRP might be a little high considering it’s a pretty straightforward, everyday red wine.  However, sometimes those are the hardest times of wines to find, so you shouldn’t be too hesitant to grab a bottle even you normally keep your everyday wines below the $20 mark.

Question of the day: What is tends to be price limit for an everyday bottle wine? 

Suggested Retail Price: $20
Received as a sample.
Overall: 3.5 Corks