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I’m all about getting good value for your wine buying dollar. These wines each retail for about $15, and for that price range, they’re not bad.  Plus, they will pair well with simple dishes, so you can spend more time appreciating the wine and less time cooking. If you enjoy them outside in the sun with some good friends, it could be a real festival.

Festival ’34 2006 Merlot / Central Coast

Blending fruit grown in Monterey County, Santa Barbara, as well as Paso Robles, this wine highlights the renowned growing regions of the Central Coast. Aged in French and American Oak for one year, the wine draws drinkers in with a rich, jammy nose of blackberry, black cherry, and burnt sweet spice. Its velvety, leathery mouthfeel carries layers of dark fruit, cocoa, and earth tones across the palate. Fire up the grill, throw on some hamburgers, and open a bottle or two.

Score: 88