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The Violet House Monterey Red Blend 2019 is a $7.99 ALDI wine made by a family-owned winery in Monterey that makes most of the Monterey AVA wines for ALDI and Trader Joe’s. We reviewed the 2017 vintage of the blend exactly two years ago, and that version sold for $8.99 and featured a spooky/odd illustration of furry antler people on the label.
The label of the Violet House Monterey Red Blend 2019 is not weird, but it is a well-designed Mexican Day of the Dead-style skull. They do not list the grapes used in the blend, and the back label describes the blend as unusual. The Monterey County AVA encompasses vineyards that produce a wide variety of grapes with varied climate conditions. From coastal to inland, warm weather to cool, and high altitude to valley conditions.
The winery that produced this Red blend does an excellent job at making value-priced wines with packaging that is a cut above the competition. The 2019 vintage date indicates the Violet House Monterey Red Blend 2019 is a drink-it-now-wine, ready to go when purchased. And possibly with ten months to a year of some oak aging.
Without technical notes or any details concerning this wine, we will have to learn everything we need to know from the tasting portion. The alcohol content is 13.5%.
The Violet House Monterey Red Blend 2019 Tasting Notes
The color is a very dark crimson red with black highlights. The nose is intense ripe blackberry, spice, light herbs, black pepper, mushroom, cherry, and olives. They do not specify the grape blend, the nose is no help, and I do not know the grapes used. The Violet House Monterey Red Blend 2019 is a well-rounded, smooth blend with a grape flavor that I cannot put my finger on.
It tastes like black cherry, cola, plum, and soft spice. The mid-palate adds a slap of sharp spice, a slight vegetal flavor, caramel, and blueberry. This is a tasty Red blend, smooth and rich, with a bit of personality.
The Summary
- The Violet House Monterey Red Blend 2019 seems to be released just before Halloween each year with a new and interesting label each vintage.
- I often jokingly say I have never had a bad skeleton or skull wine, and it is no longer a joke, it is true.
- I will repeat what I wrote about the 2017 vintage. Buy it for the label, drink it for the goodness in the bottle.
