Bogle "Essential Red"

One of the purposes of my blog is to alert followers to wines I come across that I find to be of especially good value, in terms of price and quality, as well as exceptional wines that are worth the occasional splurge.  Most of these then will be "everyday" wines that will not break the bank, that are readily available in PA, NJ or DE, and that have been "pre-sampled" and evaluated by me so that you can be reasonably assured you will find them distinctive in some way and thoroughly enjoyable depending on your own personal taste profile.

Continuing along this vein, if you're are a fan of the big, juicy, jammy red blends of California, you'd be hard pressed to do better than the BOGLE ESSENTIAL RED, which marries together Old Vine Zinfandel, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah to create a luscious, mouth-filling blend with rich, ripe fruit (boysenberry and cherry) that is eminently quaffable, yet offers a degree of complexity of layers on the palate and a lingering finish of licorice and tobacco that elevates it above the typical mass-produced California blend at this price point ( $11-13).  Aged 18 months in American and French oak, it boasts soft and silky tannins with pleasant vanilla notes without the harsh "oakiness".  If you're looking for a wine that's approachable and a crowd-pleaser while keeping an eye on your budget, this is a great choice or, as the Wine Spectator (88 pts) opines, "a no-brainer for summer entertaining".  (I sampled the 2010 vintage, though the 2011 vintage should be in stores now. PA code is 6685.)