One-Stop Shopping

By Melissa August, Val Castronovo, Matthew Cooper, Daren Fonda, Ling Minhua, Ellin Martens, Benjamin Nugent, Julie Rawe, Eric Roston, Josh Tyrangiel

Who says Cabernets and motor oils can't share the same shelves? Certainly not Wal-Mart, which last week began selling its own line of wines at about $6 a bottle. A bargain, no doubt. But drinkable? To find out, we asked three top New York City sommeliers to do a blind taste test.

CABERNET "It's very elegant; strong on blackberries; a little plummy; hints of peppermint; fruity, intense." --Michel Couvreux, chief sommelier, Le Bernardin

CHARDONNAY "Light, fragrant, floral; no oakiness; bright acidity; has a refreshing quality." --John Osborne, head buyer, Astor Wines & Spirits

MERLOT "A step away from rose; sulfur; kerosene; a hint of strawberry; bland." --Glenn Vogt, general manager, Windows on the World