This appeared on the shelves here in Kansas recently- one of the first 2000 Bordeaux I've seen. It cost $9.70, so I said what the heck and gave it a try. It's 50/50 Cab/Merlot.

-deep, almost dusty red, intensity 3.5/5, very clear
-nose of oak, otherwise restrained, a slight bit of funk
-light on the fruit (despite being called fruity on the label), faint cherries maybe, just the slightest bit of funk carrying through; fairly strong acids and tough, slightly gritty tannins; a hint of cinnamon on the tannic finish; medium mouthfeel.

I'm not sure how to judge this- it didn't have a lot of personality and the tannins were a bit disjointed, but there wasn't really anything wrong with it (except the very slight funkiness). I'd say 85 to 86, and I'll just have to keep dreaming about the top end bordeaux. If you want a cheap, non-threatening bordeaux, this might be worth trying.

cheers!