2007 Perrin & Fils Cotes du Rhone Reserve

Available at Costco for $7.49, this was rated 87-89 by Parker and 87 by Wine Spectator.  A typical Southern Rhone blend, this wine is composed of 60% Grenache, giving the wine sweetness and fruit, 20% Syrah, adding depth of color and spice, and 10% each of Mourvedre and Cinsault, which (ideally) provide structure and complexity.  This wine displays a deep red opaque color which belies its lightness in the mouth.  On the nose I get strawberry, cherry and alcohol.  The strawberry and other dark red fruits, as well as tobacco, are apparent in the mouth, but the finish is rather bitter and short (unfortunately, the bitterness lingers).  This is a fairly simple wine, but at 8 bucks, it may be worth a try.  And you can leave the corkscrew in the drawer...this one has a screwcap.

Update:  After having been opened for a day (vacuum pumped overnight) the bitterness seems to have dissipated, leaving a simple, but tasty wine.  Perhaps, given its youth, I should have decanted the wine on Day 1.  At $7.49, I'll probably try this again and decant for a couple hours before drinking.   Stay tuned!