The Maison Barboulot Cabernet Syrah 2020 is a $5.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive wine in places where Trader Joe’s can sell wine. In New York, grocery stores can only sell beer, so this Red blend is $9.99 in New York. In Germany, the Maison Barboulot Cabernet Syrah 2020 is 9 Euros which equals about $10 or $11.
This wine is a 50-50 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah sourced from vineyards near the BlackMountains and the Mediterranean Sea in the Languedoc growing region of southeastern France. This brand also offers a Marsanne-Viognier blend sourced from grapes farmed in the same area.
The Red wine and the White wine share the same label; the only change is the grapes. The label is in the style of a vintage French village wine, except the French writing seems to be written by a High School student taking first-year French. Some of the wording translates to “I like White wine” and “you should see my Chateau is very handsome.”
It is not what you would expect on a French wine bottle, I figured it was a label designed for the American market, but it is the same label in Germany. The label also indicates that it is a red table wine which would be the lowest classification in France, but it is a Pays d’Oc IGP wine.
Pays d’Oc means the grapes are grown in the Languedoc, and IGP indicates that the grapes have characteristics of the region, but the wine did not meet all the AOC standards. IGP wines are typical with value-priced wines and can be excellent wines.
The Maison Barboulot Cabernet Syrah 2020 was aged in large oak barrels. Oak barrels come in all sizes; if the winemaker wants more contact with the wood, they will use a smaller barrel and a larger barrel for less contact with the wood. Most young (this is a 2020 vintage) inexpensive wines do well with less intense oak influence. The oak can be incorporated into the wine sooner and be ready for sale in a shorter time.
Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah is not a typical blend in France; Merlot is usually used instead of Syrah. The Maison Barboulot Cabernet Syrah 2020 has a familiar but different flavor profile. Both Merlot and Syrah will soften the harder edges of Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot has blackberry and black cherry flavors, while Syrah is more blueberry and can have more spice. The alcohol content is 13.5%.
The Maison Barboulot Cabernet Syrah 2020 Tasting Notes
The color is a rich raspberry red with a clear halo. The nose is ripe berries, red and black, black pepper, exotic spice, light herbs, and vanilla. The Maison Barboulot Cabernet Syrah 2020 is smooth with ripe fruit and a nice dose of spice.
This Red blend tastes like ripe blackberry, a hint of mocha, sweet blueberry, and a dash of black pepper. The mid-palate adds exotic spices, raspberry, tart cranberry, and faint vanilla. The tannins are sweet, and the acidity matches the body of the wine.
The Summary
- Question: When is a $5.99 wine actually a ten or eleven dollar wine? Answer: When you buy it at Trader Joe’s.
- The Maison Barboulot Cabernet Syrah 2020 is a well-made tasty Red Blend at a bargain price.
Just discovered your site and your podcast. Love it! My go to wine site is Reverse Wine Snob, and I’ve enjoyed several wines he has recommended. We tried the Paso Dragon, really enjoyed it and have since bought several bottles, so I enjoyed listening to your segment on that wine. I just bought the Maison Barboulot Can Syrah and was amazed. WHAT a value. $5.99, are you kidding me! Wow! Anyway, while researching the Cab/Syrah I found your site and I’m just sittin’ here enjoyin’ listening to you talk about good cheap wine. I was gonna start my own wine blog and call it Cheap Wine Snob, but I thought that was too close to Jon’s and now I’ve discovered you’ve got the patent on the word cheap, so…I’m just going to keep being a cheap reverse wine snob who enjoys good cheap wine and recommends it to friends. Again, live you site and you podcast! Cheers!
Back when we started the website Cheap Wine was ranked 3rd for Google Search terms about wine. By naming our website after a popular web search we had a built-in audience. The hardest thing for a new website is having potential followers find your website. If you start a site doing a little research to come up with a strong name will save you a great deal of time. Thanks for the words of encouragement!
Agree this is a very nice red for the price. Another good TJ find!
The comment about the quality of French language on the label is wrong though – the text is from an old French nursery rhyme and is correct.