Rene Barbier Catalunya

Kristina Says: This $10 1.5 liter bottle of blended red wine was dubbed "Catalunya", a blend of Merlot and Tempranillo - a wine type I'd never heard of.  According to Wikipedia, Tempranillo gets its name from the diminutive form of the Spanish word "temprano" meaning "early."  I would not drink this wine early, though it did taste rather "fresh."  Initially purchased to make some wine-braised pork chops, it made a fine second wine after the first bottle of more drinkable wine was consumed.  I rate it the equal of Yellowtail or that wine with the penguin on the bottle, but detract one point for lack of cute animal on the label (a table and chair on the beach?  not cute).

John (guest wine critic #1 says): My first choice at the store (Chimney Rock Cabernet Sauvignon) had no price tag, and I thought we might get a sneaky bargain due to an unknowledgeable store. However a price check showed that it was 7.5 times the price of the wine we ended up with.  The phrase I would use to describe Rene Barbier's Catalunya is "Quantity over Quality."  However, we had no problems finishing off the whole bottle. This wine was not suck.

Mom (guest wine critic #2 says): While this wine claims to hail from ancient terroir, the taste could best be described as "young and raw" thus making the label's claim that it "would go well with pizza" completely apt.  Truly it is a combination of the old world and the new.  If you are looking  for a fresh young wine with robust tannins to accompany your Pizza Hut personal pan pizza, this wine's for you.