1999 Copperidge

[hotwine]

Had dinner last night with a gang at a local country club and this stuff was served as house wine. Restaurant-only, Gallo product. Not bad. At least it tasted like a cab and wasn't a fruit bomb or over-oaked. Very soft almost Merlot entry, not much stuffing but paired well with a veal in cream sauce entree that was to die for. The Web shows it being offered at numerous eateries for about $16/btl or $6/glass. Didn't notice the alkie level but suspect 13.5-14%.

[wondersofwine]

The soft kind are appropriate for restaurants where they don't have the facilities to store and age more tannic Cabernets. Sullivan's Steak House in Raleigh carries Robert Mondavi C.S. but it is usually too young and tannic for my tastes.

[hotwine]

Copperidge CS and Merlot were served at the Houston country club at which niece's wedding reception was held on 5 Jan. Didn't get the vintage of either, but both paired very nicely with dinner of filet mignon and grilled chicken (both on each plate) for 200 guests. Father of the bride informed me that the dinner with wines ran $35 per person, including an unnamed bubbly for toasting. Not bad at all.