The Wine Idiot Reviews: La Granja 360 Verdejo Viura, 2015 ($4.99)

This bottle intrigued me because it's made up of two wines I've never heard of (70% verdejo and 30% viura), and it has a whimsical label. In fact, I'm going to be honest, the neat painted peacock graphic is what compelled me to pick it up, but it was the bolded question on the back--ARE YOU READY FOR THE WINE FUN?--that convinced me to purchase.

Because yes. I am always ready for the wine fun.

So was this fun as it purported to be? Eh. It was a $5 white wine. I tasted ripe pear and peach, but it wasn't overly sweet--in fact, it was crisper than I anticipated. There were fruit flavors but not a lot of fruit sweetness. But other than that...meh. It was just kind of boring. Nothing horrified me, but I wrote in my notes that "I think I would prefer something slightly dryer, but it's nice to sip on while I'm making dinner."

The next day, I tried a pinot gris that made me feel less generous to this bottle in retrospect. It was just so much better, with distinct flavors that I really enjoyed (AND it got me much drunker).

My verdict? I would spend a dollar or two more and get something actually tasty instead of this forgettable bottle. It wasn't as much fun as it promised.

I know, these are the worst photos I've ever posted. Yes, I took them directly under a lamp so they're stupid yellow. It gets dark really early this time of year--too early to start drinking wine without "having a problem," you know?

What the bottle says: OK so this label is like a short story that incorporates the description of the wine and ends with ARE YOU READY FOR THE WINE FUN? Only the description is included here: "It was bright, even golden, and brought delicate floral and citrus aromas of lemon and stone fruits..."

What the Wine Idiot says: Well here's the thing. This wine was so inoffensive that I can't say that description is full of lies. So...sure. Why not. But I am NOT saying "boy howdy were there some great lemon and stone fruit flavors in there!"

ABV: 12%

Who's responsible for this? "Distributed by Axial Vinos, S.L. Zaragoza - Spain, Bottled by R.E. 4062/SG-01, Imported by Evaki Inc., San Luis Obispo, CA"

Do I need a corkscrew? Nope.

What do smarter people say about it? Having a hard time finding reviews for the 2015 vintage. Clever Girl Reviews really liked the 2013 vintage, and Cheap Wine Finder had good things to say about the 2014. I can't imagine the 2015 is so drastically different...I'm probably being particularly hard on it. Whatever, I'm sorry. I wasn't impressed.

Should I bring it to a friend's house? I don't think so. I just think you can do better, is all. Because I have faith in you.