I suppose it was bound to happen. That partytrain known as wine sales had to arrive in Generica, stopping at the Sam’s Club station. Like the last guy at a party to realize his fly is open, Sam Walton’s masterminding crew has released its own private wine retail label.
I should’ve expected it… I should’ve sensed it in the air. But the moment the press release entered my inbox offering up a sample of this new Spanish red blend, I HAD to try it. If only to write this post and make fun of Walmart and Sam’s Club (where I admittedly shop for cheap paper products). They’re such easy targets.
But… but… in a disappointing turn of the corkscrew, the wine doesn’t suck.
Sam’s chose the right winemaking partner: Bodegas Torres, a huge, deeply-rooted, family-owned winery in Spain. They make Infinite, an 85 percent tempranillo/15 percent cabernet sauvignon for them. It’s a full-bodied, beefy red — earthy, smoky and dark with green tobacco, black cherry, blackberries and vanilla spices. Fairly smooth tannins rounded out the sip. It wasn’t loved by all who tasted it (not knowing its origins), but those who like bold reds enjoyed it.I thought it was okay for $8.
Should you wish to walk on the Sam’s Spanish wild side, Infinite is available at 400 Sam’s locations throughout the country at around $8 per bottle. But one thing I found strange about the arrangement… Sam’s Club isn’t mentioned anywhere on the label. Fear of the stigma? Hmm…
