The 2010 Comique Révolution Blanc is a Trader Joe’s ($4.99) exclusive sourced from grapes grown in California’s Central Coast. Produced by the Central Coast Wine Warehouse, they produce several dozen wine labels, along with custom wines (and a steady stream of Trader Joe’s wines) and they own some of the best vineyards in the Central Coast AVA. The Comique Revolution Blanc has 2 front labels, along with tasting notes, but does not mention the grapes used in the blend. I guess at $4.99, you don’t need to know whats in it, you just cross your fingers and hope its good. (An update: this is a blend of Roussanne, Viognier, Grenache Blanc and Marsanne, a little taste of the south of France)The alcohol content is a fairly stiff for a white wine, 14.5%.
The color is an extremely pale wheat yellow with an almost clear halo. The nose is very pretty, honeysuckle, pineapple, melon and peach. This wine starts off soft and smooth and then takes a little rougher turn. Pear and pink grapefruit hits first, then a slap of minerality, orange zest and then a bit of dreamsicle. A Comique Revolution Blanc is an interesting $4.99 wine, there are flavors and textures you don’t find in this price range. The finish is fairly full and lasts a pretty long time.
When I purchased this bottle I figured I would be writing a review about how they spent most of the $4.99 on the packaging and not on what is in the bottle, well that was until I gave the blend a taste. Is it a great wine? No, but is it worth drinking? Yup. It has an interesting and unexpected mix of flavors, though with the relatively high alcohol content, I expected the wine to be more full bodied. But then again, at $4.99, don’t complain, drink up.
Try it with roasted winter vegetables. Despite the overload of alcohol on the nose, it works with root veggies.
Try letting it warm to room or cellar temperature. It is one of the better $5 bottles.