2020 One-Shot, Dry Creek Valley, Grenache

What a cute label. I like the idea of a limited edition wine, especially from a company I trust to be nut-free. Very comforting and exciting at the same time! Being a Grenache, this tasted like a typical cheap red wine to me. It was smooth with a light cherry vibe. Not too strong in any sense of the word, which is just fine. 

I did pair this with the Sheet Pan Beef Tenderloin with Mushrooms and Brussels Sprouts as recommended, and it was good, but not amazing. The horsey sauce was the best part! 

Overall
Cost: 5/10 [18$]
Taste: 6/10

2020 Secret Identity Rosé

Ah, you know it, you love it, Secret Identity Rosé! I love the bottle design and shape, and I love the company that produces this wine. I don't love the wine itself (sadly) but I don't hate it either. It's very sour for a rosé! And acidic, too, which is what I don't love. I think it's better warm than cold, because night 2 was a little rough -- hard to finish, which is never what you want. Still love 'em though, even if I'm meant to pair this with squid (c'mon).

Overall
Cost: 5/10 [18$]
Taste: 6/10

2016 Secret Identity Rosé

Things I love about this wine: the bottle looks cool (it's slim and long), the label art/ethos is cool, the screw top is cool, and the makers kindly told me they are all nut-free. So I felt safe and happy to drink this alone. It was pleasant! I like rosés because they're usually not SO acidic, and indeed this wasn't. It's not super duper sweet or bitter, but it's sweeter than most whites (and I think a little bitterer than most dessert wines). Basically the same warm and cold, which is pretty rare. If I had to say, it might be even better on day 2. Good winedrunk state, mild headachey hangover state -- not too shabby.

Overall
Cost: 5/10
Taste: 6/10

2019 Iconic “One Shot” Napa Valley White Wine Blend

This label is just darned adorable. One shot for this little panda to become airborne! To be totally honest, the wine itself was nothing special for me -- not sweet at all, pretty tart. However, I contacted them to ask about allergies and they were super prompt and understanding, and said they don't use any nuts at all! So that makes all their wines way way cooler and more enjoyable. Plus, the art is just the best. 

Overall
Cost: 5/10 (18$)
Taste: 7/10

2017 Sidekick Merlot

Merlot is very classic. This one was fine - I had a headache and drinking this sadly didn't make my headache go away, but it didn't get worse either. The smell (the "nose"?) was really nice; the taste was very tangy/bitter at first, but I did get into it eventually. And of course the bottle art is very cute. Good ethos.

Overall
Cost: 5/10
Taste: 6/10

2016 Sidekick Cabernet Sauvignon

Wine is fun, especially in the winter months. I like this label's ethos, even though I'm not sure if they're called Iconic wines or Sidekick. Either way, they use cute comic superhero girls, and I like that. The taste of this was a little bit "generic red" for me, but it wasn't too bitter or tart, and I liked that too. It did have a nice rich cherry flavor, which I'm starting to appreciate more and more in red wines - at least on the first day, by the 3rd day the flavor had started to acidify for sure. Still drinkable though! I thought this was solid but nothing to particularly seek out, in my opinion.

I also paired this with the recommended Chorizo Pork Burgers with Spanish onions and Manchego cheese, which was stressful because ground pork/chorizo never looks done. They were super super filling and fun to make into patties, but I probably won't cook with ground snausage/pork again for a long while. The onions were tasty and the manchego cheese was good, but tasted exactly like the Parmesan Cheese Whisps I had in the past - and it was like 10$ for a tiny wedge, so not really worth it. Fun to try new things though!

Overall
Cost: 5/10
Taste: 5/10