Today we look at a 2011 sauvignon blanc from New Zealand’s Marlborough region which I bought for $25.
Have you ever driven an Audi A6? It’s a great car — I mean truly great, in the most grand sense of the word — but in such a calm way. Its greatness kind of creeps up on you over time. This is what I get from the 2011 Cloudy Bay sauvignon blanc. Read the rest of this entry »
Here’s a 2011 California pinot noir that costs $8.50 at Total Wine. We gave the 2010 vintage a positive review here.
Cellar No. 8 has a nice new reddish-purple label, but more importantly the juice inside the bottle Read the rest of this entry »
This is a quickie review of a malbec from Mendoza, Argentina which sells for about $15.
The 2009 Cruz Alta reserve malbec is a very welcome reprieve from today’s California reds. It tastes real. Fresh. Juicy but deep and dark, and not too sweet. A perfect Read the rest of this entry »
Today we check out a 2010 chardonnay from Washington State’s Columbia Valley. I picked it up at Total Wine for $12.
You’re looking at a guy who generally dislikes chardonnay, Read the rest of this entry »
Hello! Today we check out a 2010 rioja which is 14% alcohol and sells for $9-11.
This bright ruby-red 100% tempranillo from Spain is easy to drink, with a lot of acidity and snap for your ten bucks. It’s earthy, spicy and dry. Yet it also has some real Read the rest of this entry »
Let’s check out the 2011 vintage of California’s Mark West pinot noir, shall we? It’s $8.99 at Total Wine, a slight price increase.
This wine is a rock star, because of its Read the rest of this entry »
Today, it’s a 2009 pinot noir from Willamette Valley, Oregon, which I purchased online for $34.
I have a crush on Athena Pappas. Unfortunately, today’s pinot noir is named after her HUSBAND, Stewart Read the rest of this entry »
Here’s a 2010 Napa Valley, CA merlot that costs around $12.
Tonight I had one of the best bottles of wine I’ve ever opened. It was Avalon merlot. A Napa Valley red that you can find at Total Wine for a mere $11. Why was it so great?
I opened it during Read the rest of this entry »
Today we look at a French white wine. Seven dollars at Total Wine.
If you get excited about great food.
If you get excited about delicious wine.
If you like a bargain, but you love an extreme bargain — then it’s time to discover Read the rest of this entry »
ALERT! La Crema 2010 Sonoma Coast pinot noir is delicious — and right now it’s just $16.89 at Costco.
Wow. I’m used to seeing this wine for around $23. Regardless of the price, it is compelling: light, but spicy. It smells Read the rest of this entry »
Hi! Today it’s a 2008 merlot from California’s Sonoma County. I found it at Costco for $13.
Benziger Family Winery’s Sonoma County merlot uses grapes grown with sustainable farming methods. And it tastes that way – Read the rest of this entry »
Tonight it’s a 2007 cabernet from California’s Lodi area. I paid $14, but I’ve seen it online for $9.99.
Wow, this wine is cool. It is different from the usual California stuff — instead of Read the rest of this entry »
This 2010 French red blend with the cool label cost me just $10.
Marius, from France’s Rhone valley, is a blend of syrah and grenache. The aroma is spicy and Read the rest of this entry »
Today we review a 2010 pinot noir from California’s Monterey County, which I acquired at Total Wine for $16.
This pinot isn’t spectacular but, importantly for a pinot noir, it doesn’t really do anything wrong. It has cola, Read the rest of this entry »
Today we review a 2009 Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon that sells for about $17.
PART I
OK, Avalon’s Napa cabernet is very good, in fact just as good as Kendall Jackson’s legitimately delicious cabernet, at around the same price. Avalon’s true cabernet taste features an oaky snap, dark red fruit, and a hint of cinnamon and chocolate. Yum. Although it won’t change your life, it has plentiful tannins, great mouthfeel, and doesn’t taste funky like some lower priced cabernets.
But what if you could have this wine for only $13 a bottle? Read the rest of this entry »
Tonight we examine a 2009 zinfandel from California’s Lodi area, which I bought at Total Wine for $12.50. I also received a free sample of it.
Last night we compared three zins, at $17, $15, and $15, and it was basically a tie. Guess what — tonight, I can announce a clear winner.
Ravenswood Lodi old vine zin. It wasn’t one of the three we compared, but Ravenswood Lodi has the juicy, crowd-pleasing warmth of last night’s Kenwood. Going beyond the Kenwood, it has some (but not all) of the spice and tannins of the Rancho Zabaco. And like the Ravenswood Sonoma, Ravenswood Lodi is definitely not wimpy. (Partly because it’s actually 23% petite sirah.) But it doesn’t take the big risks that Ravenswood Sonoma does, which causes that very nice red to have potentially more limited appeal. In fact, the Lodi is just generally, flat-out delicious. I love it.
All this, and it’s only $12.50. It might not be the best of these zinfandels in absolute terms, but then again, it might be. Taking price into account, Ravenswood Lodi clearly defeats all of last night’s notable contenders.
Highly recommended.
Today, it’s a comparison of three red zinfandels from Total Wine:
RESULTS:
Kenwood Sonoma: Light, bright, easy, minimal tannins, mildly spicy. It’s not a “fruity” wine, but it has more fruit than the others. A potential crowd-pleaser. However, it’s very neutral, and doesn’t have much aroma.
Ravenswood Sonoma: Powerful. Serious. Abundant mouth-drying tannins. Eucalyptus and a hint of licorice. An interesting wine. A food wine. However, not much aroma, and the flavor is taking a risk, so not everybody will like it.
Rancho Zabaco Dry Creek: Seductive aroma of coffee, rhubarb and cedar. The two extra dollars you spend on this zin get you complexity, serious tannins, and a combination of cinnamon, cocoa and blackberries. I like it a lot, but again, it’s a bit different, so it may not appeal to everyone.
If you factor in the cost, this trio is basically a dead heat. A three-way tie. If forced to rank them, I would say:
1. Rancho Zabaco (duh, it’s the most expensive) (I want more)
2. Kenwood (easy-breezy)
3. Ravenswood (serious and real, takes risks, can’t please everybody)
All three, however, are:
Highly recommended.
Hi! Today we review a pinot noir from Mendocino, California that I bought for $11.
Parducci is a family winery, which I like. Their website lists many varietals, from $11 to $35, including a rose and a port. And you just know they have more. I am excited to tell you that the Parducci Small Lot Blend will be an elegant, light-bodied and speecy-spicy addition to your dinner table. Don’t be fooled by the word blend — this is 100% pinot noir (maybe that’s how it avoids the “generic red-wine-goulash” taste of some other value-oriented California pinots). It’s not as complex as more expensive bottles, but with this grape, at $11, you mainly just want it to taste good.
And it does. With aromas of cedar and raspberries, Parducci Small Lot Blend lands on your tongue with a fun, acidic kick of red fruit, roses and some mellow vanilla. This is a REALLY good food wine for $11, people. Probably why Martha Stewart rated it a smart buy.
Drink slightly chilled, but not cold (30 mins. in the fridge before tasting). The acidity might prevent it from being a massive crowd-pleaser at your next party, but at 14% alcohol, this one is definitely a feel-good Winner-For-Dinner.
Recommended.
Today we check out a 2010 pinot noir from California that sells at Total Wine for $9.99.
OH MY GOD THIS WINE IS GOOD. At just ten bucks, you HAVE to try it. I promise, even though it’s an inexpensive pinot noir, which therefore should be wriggling all over the place to try to disappoint you, this wine in fact does nothing wrong.
It’s got aromas of rhubarb and blackberry, and in your mouth it’s a whirlwind of pleasurable cranberry, eucalyptus, roses and unknown spices.
I hereby nominate and confirm Harbor Front pinot noir as a flagrant, screaming, Best Value. It is highly:
Recommended.
Today your Wineguider reviews a 2011 pinot noir from California that is just $7.99 at Total Wine.
Sure, at this writing 2011 seems recent for any red wine, but there’s some good news here. Cloud Break‘s aroma: vintage middle school jelly bar. (Translation: AWEsome). Taste: innocent, with lovely reminders of cherry cough drops and almonds. It has a nice light-bodied mouthfeel appropriate for a pinot noir, with hints of oak and speecy-spicy meat-o-ball. At this price, simply a great pinot noir. Not complex, but extremely yummy.
Serve slightly chilled, but not refrigerator-cold. Mark West was my GO-TO pinot noir under $9. Now it’s Cloud Break. Consider the low-priced pinot noir game, “changed.” A Best Value winner (hence the guy at the slot machine), Cloud Break pinot noir is:
Recommended.
Hello! Today we review a 2011 sauvignon blanc from New Zealand’s Marlborough Valley, selling at Costco for just $7.89.
WOW do I ever like this wine. The 2011 Cupcake sauvignon blanc is a summer party hit — it has a fun name, a lighthearted yet classy label, and its taste is tangy and refreshing, with lemon, a little lime, and just a whisper of grapefruit and honeysuckle. It does nothing wrong, and with the crazy low price, this is kind of a big deal. In fact, why isn’t everybody talking about this? What is going on!? Why isn’t this wine on the FRONT PAGE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES? EVERY DAY?
I would like to humbly suggest that you hurry to Costco and buy as much of this little stunner as your family can afford. Or, to Total Wine, where it sells for a mere $7.97. Or anyplace you can find it, really. That guy at the slot machine is laughing because Cupcake 2011 sauvignon blanc is a Best Value winner, even at $12. And it is highly:
Recommended.
Concluding our experience at Bertucci’s Italian Restaurant, today we look at a 2009 cabernet from Paso Robles, California that Bertucci’s sells for $7.50 a glass / $29 a bottle.
Another winner, J. Lohr’s 2009 cab is reasonably priced, even here, and delivers mildly spicy, dark red fruits on your tongue with not-too-much oak (it’s more like Three-and-a-Half Oaks) and restrained sweetness. On the lighter side for a cabernet, it’s still a real, medium-bodied cab.
Somehow, it goes perfectly with Bertucci’s Piccolo Chocolate Budino, a cupcake version of chocolate mousse, with a dark chocolate wrapper instead of the usual enveloping paper. YUM. This combination was sinfully delicious, and even without the dessert, J. Lohr Seven Oaks cabernet at Bertucci’s is:
Recommended.
Continuing with our experience at Bertucci’s Italian Restaurant, today we review a 2010 pinot grigio from California that Bertucci’s sells for $7.50 a glass / $29 a bottle. It was paired with their Cod al Forno main course.
Here’s a pinot grigio that mostly flies under the radar. With such a light aroma that I can’t even describe it, Francis Ford Coppola’s Bianco pinot grigio hits your tongue with crisp grapefruit, tangy lime, and a hint of melon sweetness. That hint of melon makes it more substantial than many other pinot grigios, but might also turn you off if you were expecting a typical, super-light pinot grigio.
It was paired with Bertucci’s Cod al Forno, which is a piping-hot breaded wild Pacific cod baked with marinated tomatoes, and roasted red potatoes. This dish is delicious and is a healthier go-to when you’re hankering for fish & chips. Pairing with Coppola’s pinot grigio was a nice balance, as you would expect the acidity of the white wine to balance the breaded baked fish, but — surprise — the hint of sweetness really made it for me. Coppola’s pinot grigio is:
Recommended.
Continuing with our delicious Italian restaurant samplings, today we review a 2007 merlot from Washington’s Columbia Valley that Bertucci’s sells for $8.25 a glass / $32 a bottle. It was paired with their Garlic & Herb Roasted Mushrooms and Warm Assorted Olives.
OK this wine caused a stir — everyone at our table loved it, almost couldn’t get enough of it. Like most Washington merlots, it’s on the sweet side. But then there’s that leather. Blackberry. Spice. Licorice. And a touch of oak and black pepper. By itself, Chateau Ste Michelle merlot is good but not perfect, with a bit of harshness. But with food, it’s a different and much better story.
Our hosts paired it with a fascinating dish: roasted mushrooms and warm Mediterranean olives. I don’t know where Bertucci’s is sourcing these items, but somebody in that organization deserves a gold medal. Absolutely delicious and original. And, a drop-dead perfect pairing with this merlot. I am jonesing for a repeat of this course!
Recommended.
Today, in the first of our reviews from our experience at Bertucci’s Italian Restaurant, we look at a 2010 Sonoma, California chardonnay that Bertucci’s sells for $7.75 a glass / $30 a bottle. It was paired with their Watermelon, Arugula & Feta Salad.
You may already know that I usually dislike California chardonnay. Guess what? I liked this fresh, light and affordable chard — a lot. Rodney Strong has a pretty aroma of lemons, followed by flavors of snappy pineapple, lemon, and a hint of the “standard chardonnay” melony/oaky/buttery thing. Everyone at our table loved it, and I hereby pronounce Rodney Strong an outstanding value.
The Watermelon, Arugula & Feta Salad improved this perception. It combines deliciously sweet chunks of watermelon with fresh mint and a tangy balsamic dressing, which everyone praised for its flavor and restrained application. The touch of feta cheese made this a perfect creamy / sweet / tangy balance to Rodney Strong’s light and tropical chardonnay, which is:
Highly recommended.
This kicks off a series that will review various popular wines that are sold at Bertucci’s. These brick oven-style Italian restaurants on the east coast have a warm, modern atmosphere, open kitchen and a “dim the lights” feeling of class.
Manager Chad Phillips and culinary manager Michael Cropper in Christiana, Delaware treated us to their newest dishes (excellent) and wines (very good or excellent, for the price, with one exception). The evening was gratis, but I returned to buy each wine on its own.
In every case, the food improved the wine experience. In one case, the pairing caused a so-so wine to become downright enjoyable. Read on to learn which.
The pairings:
Today we look at a $15 California red zinfandel from 2009.
Hey! It’s spring of 2012, it’s pretty outside, and you might be in a hurry. So let me break this down quickly for you. The 2009 artezin zinfandel has a cool label, it’s affordable, it smells complex and wonderful, and on your tongue it gives you:
1. high-quality, freshly-ground pepper that may make you sneeze,
2. black licorice, and
3. drum roll…. it’s not too sweet.
Plus at 14.5% alcohol, it will rock your block. I love this wine! It has its own flavor, not that typical California red goulash. THANK you, artezin, from Hess vineyards. You have blessed us with a red that we can take to any party and show people that we are on the “inside track,” while not breaking the bank.
In the realm of $10-20 wines, artezin zinfandel is sophisticated, deep, dark, and delicious. And it is definitely:
Recommended.
You might have noticed my rabid, out-of-control positive review of the 2008 Wheelhouse cabernet, right here.
Now, it appears that Wheelhouse’s distribution has expanded. I just found its bad-2010-Napa-self at a regular ol’ wine store, for $16 (TOTALLY worth it, even though the 2010 is not quite as good as the 2008 was).
If you have found Wheelhouse, let us know with a comment. Cheers!
Hello! Tonight we look at a 2009 Napa Valley, California merlot that costs around $15.
Look out: here’s an addictive light-to-medium-bodied red wine with a fun label that everybody at the party will love. Blackstone merlot’s former winemaker is behind this. I got a free sample from the winery, and then bought another six bottles.
A bit on the sweet side, Cannonball merlot is fun (like your first real cannonball at the pool) and friendly, yet strangely seductive. It smells like a sweet cabernet, and has some cabernet-ish blackcurrant flavors in addition to black cherry, apple, vanilla and cinnamon when it hits your tongue.
The 2009 Cannonball merlot is:
Recommended.
EDIT: I recently took this wine to a blind wine tasting featuring 16 wines from around the world. I didn’t even know if it was included in the 8 wines I tasted.
On a scale of 1 (horrible) to 5 (incredibly great), I rated everything a 1, 2, or 3. Except one wine, which I rated a 4, and wrote ”Nice!!” Yes, it was this Cannonball merlot.
Today we check out a 2009 reserve malbec from Argentina. Its price ranges wildly from $10 to $19 online – I found it at Total Wine for $16.
Wow, malbec has really taken off. Not taste-wise, but popularity and price-wise. I’m normally very, very impressed with South American red wines, for their price. At $16, I expected this Mendoza reserve to blow my head off. Instead, it’s “good” — a pleasantly mild aroma, with a taste that is more tart, blackberry-flavored tobacco and black pepper than it is juicy. It’s also a sort of manly wine — aggressive, mouth-drying tannins abound.
Even though Cueva malbec isn’t a value monster, it is plenty good enough at $16 to recommend. And, it has a cool name, to boot.
Recommended.
This evening, we check out a 2009 Monterey County, California pinot noir that I picked up for $12.
Usually I try to write helpful reviews of wines that you can afford AND that you can find at the store, as opposed to strange, super-expensive wines that you will never see in your lifetime. A radical approach? Oh yeah.
So let’s do that. This pinot noir is $12. That’s affordable. It’s Estancia, so you’ll be able to find it. And, the verdict: Estancia pinot noir from Monterey County is complex, spicy, earthy, mushroomy, very pinot-ish for $12, and absolutely freaking delicious. So that’s the problem. I’m not sure this review will be “helpful.” Mainly because I’ve had WAY too much of it. This is not completely my fault. I mean, they made it really good.
So, pretty much, I would say you should go out and buy it. Estancia pinot noir is:
Highly recommended.
Today we look at a 2010 pinot noir from California that is $8.50 at Total Wine.
Ho-hum, another California pinot.
BUT WAIT!! Cellar No. 8 pinot is pretty damn good! You can see through it, but I say it’s on the lighter side of medium-bodied. It’s spicy, has subtle tannins, and it’s generally delicious.
“Wow.” The label says it’s earthy and has notes of strawberry jam. For once, I totally agree. True, Cellar No. 8 pinot noir isn’t thrilling. But it is $8.50. Even at $10, I love it. And it’s like a more crowd-pleasing version of Mark West pinot noir, which I also love. Where did all these excellent sub-$15 pinots come from? Incredible. Cellar No. 8 pinot is definitely:
Recommended.
Today it’s a 2008 Australian shiraz that goes for $9.99.
Question! How is this intense, spicy wonder only 10 bucks?! It used to be $11 or more. In my last review of Jacob’s Creek reserve shiraz, I said the 2006 was a good buy, but not the best year for this stout red wine.
But today’s 2008 reserve, which also carries the name Barossa, and still comes with a real cork and everything, is a huge taste winner. It’s more delicious, AND cheaper, AND more complex.
That combination threatens to topple the current all-time Wineguider red wine value winner, Koonunga Hill shiraz/cabernet from Penfolds (reviewed here). I will edit this (see below) to let you know. For now, get ready for a subtle aroma of spice, impressive “Napa cab”-like tannins, and a big, warm taste of cinnamon, cloves, black pepper and a little rhubarb. Plus subtle blackberry, and no sweet blueberry pie in the face, as is so common with shiraz from down under.
A Best Value winner at $10, and highly recommended anywhere up to $15.
EDIT: After several bottles, I have decided not to dethrone Koonunga Hill shiraz/cabernet, for one reason: I have found the 2008 Jacob’s Creek reserve shiraz to be inconsistent. Some bottles have been wonderful; others have been pretty bad. I don’t know if this is the fault of the winery, the importer, the store, or what. But at this low price, it’s still very much worth checking out.
Today it’s a 2009 cabernet from Washington State that costs about $8. At this price, can it possibly be any good?
Yes! In fact this wine is unbelievably good, for $8. Spicy, with rich, medium-to-heavy mouthfeel. A good balance between cranberry/black cherry sweetness and rhubarb tartness, with just the right amount of oak. It’s also surprisingly interesting, maybe due to the 7% merlot and 6% syrah added by winemaker Ray Weinberger.
Overall, Columbia Crest Grand Estates cabernet performs way above its class. In a blind comparison with $12 and $16 cabs, Columbia Crest nearly tied — an extraordinary result for an $8 red. It came in 3rd because it was a little too sweet, and it has some of that generic mass-produced red wine taste. But at this low price, I’m not complaining, I’m raving.
Recommended, and a clear Best Value winner.
Today we review a fine rioja from Spain that costs $15.
Spicy and energetically juicy, I must say that I really liked Cincuenta Se Cumplen Cincuenta Anos Desde Que Victorino Continua Con La Saga De La Familia Eguren En Su 3d Generacion Ugarte rioja the first time I tried it.
Although very dry, and lighter than you expect, Cincuenta Se Cumplen Cincuenta Anos Desde Que Victorino Continua Con La Saga De La Familia Eguren En Su 3d Generacion Ugarte rioja rewards your palate with bright flavors of black raspberry, rhubarb, and tobacco.
In fact I wish that my favorite steakhouse would carry it. Don’t forget to ask your local wine merchant for a bottle of Cincuenta Se Cumplen Cincuenta Anos Desde Que Victorino Continua Con La Saga De La Familia Eguren En Su 3d Generacion Ugarte rioja, at any price under $20, because this bright, dry-yet-friendly elixir from Spain is:
Highly recommended.
Hello! Today we are going to get right to the point. For Thanksgiving, here is what I recommend:
1. Do not buy “Beaujolais Nouveau,” no matter how much your wine store pushes it. It is light, boring, and basically worthless. Ha! THAT should generate some friendly comments. Just to put the cherry on top of my popularity profile, you should also avoid California chardonnay at Thanksgiving. Its flavors are non-complimentary and too dominating. For turkey, cranberries and stuffing, the next 3 wines are where you want to be.
2. Zinfandel. This is THE All-American grape, and yes, it goes very well with turkey. For a very friendly, sweeter version of this very Thanksgiving-ish red wine, buy 99 Vines for $10. Try 1 bottle first, and make sure you like it. For $10 it’s a great value, but it may not be for everybody.
For a more serious, kickass zin, acquire Oak Ridge ancient vine zinfandel, just $12 at Total Wine. This wine is very dark purple, oaky, spicy, with some sweetness way in the background, and basically acts like a wine that costs almost twice as much. For a better, more well-known name, buy Ridge “Three Valleys” zin, for $20. Yes, the Ridge “Three Valleys” is superior, but is it 67% better than Oak Ridge? No. For a serious knockout punch, you can buy any zin by Ridge in the $30-and-up range.
3. Pinot Noir. Buy a bottle of La Crema pinot, the “Monterey” version. I reviewed it here. More light on its feet than a zinfandel. It’s $20. If that’s more than you are used to spending: just trust me. This wine is lovely, spicy, and tastes very organic. It adds a LOT to any Thanksgiving dinner. In my opinion, more important than the zinfandel.
For a bolder, also-excellent pinot, buy Hahn SLH Estate pinot noir from Santa Lucia Highlands, which I reviewed here. It’s around $25, and again, worth every penny.
4. Sparkling pink stuff. If you want your Thanksgiving table to say ”FUN!” loud and clear, add a bottle of Martini & Rossi sparkling wine from Italy, reviewed here. On the back, it says “Rosé.” To you and me, it’s pink champagne. And it’s good. Only $15. Definitely not bone-dry, this one’s a crowd pleaser. Don’t bother with snooty impressive champagnes up to $50, because they are mostly terrible.
So, I am recommending 2 reds, and a sparkling rosé if you want a high fun factor.
If you want a white wine, I recommend the super-friendly David Hill “Farmhouse White” blend from Oregon. Around $11. Floral and tropical, this is a brilliant blend of mild sweetness with crisp tartness and acidity. You don’t want your white wine to steal the show at Thanksgiving, and this won’t.
Have a wonderful holiday!
This review has been updated here.
As we continue our white-hot series of affordable one-word cabernets that begin with the letter H, we arrive at a 2007 red that is 76% cabernet sauvignon, 14% syrah and 10% zinfandel. It is around $13 and is from Lodi, California.
Heavyweight is allowed to be called a cabernet because it has at least 75% of that grape. It’s nice to know the rest, since they don’t have to tell us. Here, the syrah and zin add extra power, spice, richness and warmth — punch, if you will — to this surprisingly good cabernet. You also get smooth tannins, very dark burgundy color, and the expected currants/black raspberry/”other dark fruits” flavors. Actually that 14% of syrah is almost overpowering, to the point where this wine doesn’t taste like a typical cabernet sauvignon. It’s more jammy, more fun, and frankly, sweeter.
But who cares? It’s really good. It’s only $13. And it will be a big hit at a party, because of the name, the cool artistic label, and the knockout taste. Heavyweight 2007 cab is:
Recommended.
Hello! Up next in our special series of affordable cabernets with one-word names that start with H, we have Heron, a $13 cab from Mendocino, California’s 2009 vintage.
WOW, what’s up with Heron?? This cab is only $13, yet it has exactly what I want: dark ruby color, plentiful tannins, that warm black raspberry/currants taste, and a medium-to-heavy feel. It improved on day 2, but I was happy when it was first uncorked. The noticeable oak is like the middle dish in that bedtime story: ”just right.” In fact, Heron cabernet does almost nothing wrong, and as a bonus, it’s only 13% alcohol. So it won’t rock your block. Unless you drink the whole bottle in one sitting, which you will be tempted to do.
This $13 wonder gets a “Best Value” award. Even at $18 (which is what Total Wine charges, for some reason), the price would seem right. Still going strong on day 3, this lovely California girl is:
Highly recommended.
Today we look at a 2009 pinot from California that costs $32-$40. I found it at Total Wine for $36.
La Crema has been making good pinot noir for a long time. They have various “levels” of pinot, including Sonoma Coast, Anderson Valley, Monterey (which we reviewed right here), and Russian River (today’s wine under review). Prices for these varieties range from $17 to $90. Ouch.
The $36 Russian River pinot is ballsy. Medium bodied, verging on full bodied. Crack it open and buckle up — tart spices are about to invade your taste buds. But first, when you smell it, you’ll get a nose full of clove and cinnamon, along with a brambly garden aroma of roses and mushrooms.
On your tongue, there isn’t much cherry, which I usually expect from a California pinot noir. Instead, there’s cola, alcohol, tart blackberry, and a kind of spicy pine forest taste with espresso-ish tannins. It’s hard to describe. It’s that “complex, beautiful-yet-kickass expensive California pinot” taste. And it’s calling you back for more. Dammit!
Recommended.
Hi! Today
we break all the rules here at Wineguider by reviewing a 2002 Napa Valley cabernet that you probably can’t find at your local store. Why? Because it saved my Napa Valley wine tasting trip. It cost me $50, but the price is $60 these days.
When you visit Napa, it’s all very beautiful, but after several wineries you begin to realize something: many of the reds taste similar. Cabernet, merlot, zinfandel, syrah, sometimes even pinot noir, all have this typical oaky California thing.
Not Van Der Heyden. We arrived at their tiny operation after enjoying two full days of sumptuous country clubbish dark-wooded wine bars. The tasting room at Van Der Heyden was a trailer. Hound dogs lay on the porch. Cats roamed. I started whistling the theme from Sanford & Son. Should we even get out of the car? We took a chance and went in. Soon, a short Dutchman appeared and started talking very fast. I could understand his longer-than-usual aging process, and a few other things, as he explained, basically, “here is why we make the best wine.” Oh really, I thought.
Then, as I realized we were speaking with Mr. Van Der Heyden, I tasted his merlot. “Hmmm… wow.” And the chardonnay. “Jesus.” (I usually hate California chardonnay.) Then the cabernet sauvignon, the subject of this review: Rich. Different. Exciting. Like a warm raspberry, cranberry and rhubarb pie, it was not a dry red, but it wasn’t blatantly sweet either. It had moderate tannins, with restrained oak. He was right. This was the best red wine we tasted on that trip. Including the fancy tasting at Beringer, where you sample their $100-plus bottles. Van Der Heyden’s cab was 50 bucks. And it rocked, because it had a complexity all its own. I hereby award it a “Best of the Best” designation. Finally, his cabernet dessert wine (“Late Harvest”) was out of control. Pornographic. So good, I feared chronic addiction, especially because its price was over $100.
It’s pretty hard to find this wine, because it is sold mostly right out of that trailer. And through their mailing list. If you want something special, call them at 800-948-WINE and order a bottle (and maybe that dessert wine). I think you’ll be glad you did.
Highly recommended.
Hello! Today we review a 2010 riesling from Germany that I discovered for $10 at Wilmington Delaware’s excellent Premier Wine.
“Urban” in German means polite, with good manners. Works for me: urban riesling is absolutely civil, especially on one of this summer’s hot days. Although it smells like peaches and honey, it’s on the dry side of sweet. Definitely not ooey-gooey. In your mouth it delivers smooth melon, a very light tangy snap, and a hint of stone. Perfect by itself or with spicy food, pizza, even with dessert.
The bottle and label are retro-German stylish, as if you’re holding a prop from a high-society European scene in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds. Urban is not a “huge wow” wine, but at $10, this well-mannered and delicious refresher is:
Recommended.
P.S. Although Sgt. Schultz on Hogan’s Heroes sounded like he was answering commands with “yavolt,” it appears that the German word is “Jawohl.”
Today it’s a 2009 pinot from Oregon that costs $23 at Total Wine.
Argyle pinot noir smells wonderful. Cola, mushroom, rose petals, some fairly hot alcohol AND a kind of warm caramel all invade your sinuses as you bring this to your nose. The problem: the taste, although satisfying, is maybe a little boring for a $23 pinot. It’s definitely not bad, though. Argyle pinot noir is: Soft. Complex, because you get more than one flavor. But it’s not ”super” complex. I get cola and spicy rose petals. Interesting. And easy to drink.
This one is hard to judge. In its favor: it tastes good, and is an elegant, warm, medium-bodied pinot from our nation’s very best producer of pinot noir (Oregon). Against it: at this price — which disqualifies this wine as a daily drinker — there are other wines that will offer more of a “wow” experience.
I’ll choose to recommend Argyle, because it really is very good, it does nothing wrong, and it’s modestly priced — among Oregon pinots (which in general are, admittedly, overpriced).
Recommended.
Today we review a 2009 blend of 75% merlot, 25% cabernet sauvignon from France. It’s $10 at Total Wine.
If you ever wonder why some people say that U.S. wines are too sweet, this is a wine for you to try. It’s just merlot and cabernet, but it tastes NOTHING like the merlot and cabernet that most Americans are familiar with. Smell: pure alcohol. Taste:
Dried cherry and coffee. Lots of dry cocoa-like tannins on the finish. Almost bitter, yet has a soft leathery texture. Serious. Elegant. Medium bodied. Understated. Tastes “tight” and too reserved when first opened, gets better on day 2. This dark burgundy-red wine from Bordeaux is absolutely killer for $10. I say give it a try, especially if you don’t drink French wine. Maybe pop open a Washington or California merlot to go with it. Compare and contrast. Let us know what you think!
Recommended.
Today we check out a 2009 gruner veltliner from Austria that cost me $13 at Premier Wine in Wilmington, Delaware. But you get a full 1 liter instead of the usual 0.75-liter bottle, so think of it as a $9.75 wine.
This more-for-the-money white wine is delicious and PERFECT for summer. It’s light. It’s refreshing. It has hints of vanilla and minerality. But mostly it’s honeysuckle, melon and zingy citrus that will be cooling off your taste buds. A nice balance of mellow sweetness against tangy lime, this uncommon grape with the funny name sort of tastes like a cross between pinot grigio and sauvignon blanc. It’s more dry than sweet.
The floral aroma is lovely — and on day 2 it actually brought a tear to my eye, by reminding me strongly of a smell I enjoyed at summer camp when I was just 5. (I’m still not sure what that aroma was, but it might have been simply the grass we played on.) It’s not a “great” wine, but being light, refreshing, and coming in a full liter bottle, Schloss Kinzer is definitely a party wine. I liked this Austrian the moment I tasted it at the store. It is:
Recommended.
Today we review a 2009 pinotage from South Africa that cost me $14.99.
John at Premier Wine in Wilmington, Delaware recommended this robust red wine to me, and he was dead on. Barista, as he stated, is the most espresso-like wine you will probably ever taste.
The aroma is like a hearty cabernet sauvignon combined with coffee liqueur. In the mouth, Barista is medium-bodied, with prominent mouth-drying tannins and flavors of espresso, combined with black cherry and rhubarb, and just a hint of dusty, unsweetened dark chocolate. Really quite amazing.
Barista is serious, yet fun at the same time because of its Starbucks overtones. And it’s delicious. It’s great to bring to a party, when you want a red that people will like, and will also get them talking. This one is highly:
Recommended.
Hi! This (hopefully) wraps up our special series of rushed, poorly written wine reviews of good wines. Today we chug down a 2008 petite sirah from Lodi, California that costs around $13.
Peirano Estate is not super well-known, but the label says they have been growing grapes since 1895 (wow). This Heritage Collection petite sirah is full bodied, super dark, deep, luscious, ripe, oaky, warm, and very juicy. It has a medium-to-high amount of mouth-drying tannins, and it doesn’t have too much of any one thing, so its elements come together with impressive balance. (Many petite sirahs can be tannic monsters.)
For $13, this wine is flat-out incredible. I would have recommended it at $18. The only thing that seems “less than $20″ about Peirano Estate Heritage Collection is that the various fruit flavors are hard to pin down — you just know you’re getting dark red and black fruits — and that’s fine. It’s possible that you will find it too heavy, or just “too much,” but that’s true for any petite sirah. This one is delicious, is hereby awarded a “Best Value” award, and is:
Highly Recommended.
Continuing our special series of disappointingly inadequate wine reviews, today it’s a 2010 French white wine that is a blend of colombard and ugni-blanc. It costs $10.
Have I ever had an ugni-blanc before? No. A colombard? No sir. I avoid weird wine names such as these like the plague.
Yet, I can tell you, this Domaine Guillaman Cotes de Gascogne white wine is very inexpensive, and ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC. It’s very minerally and citrusy, yet has a round, semi-sweet melon flavor in the background. And the cool chick at the wine store sensed some basil in there, too.
I see it’s selling in plenty of places for less than $10. Nice! If you like minerally — jump on this. If not, avoid it. I’m jumping.
Recommended.
Continuing our very special series of totally inadequate reviews of good wines, today we examine a 2008 cabernet from California that costs around $13.
R Collection by Raymond is good, and you should buy it. (Damn! I’m good.) It’s spicy, big, filled with dry red fruit and yet it’s also juicy and warm. Medium bodied, with some vanilla in there, and a definite feeling that you should be enjoying a steak or hamburger with it. Tannins are mild.
And here’s the cool part: I have a feeling you can find it for less than $13.
This one’s a keeper. Recommended. 
Today we will embark on a special series of “lackluster reviews” from your intrepid Wineguider, because I’m drinking all this wine, and I don’t have the time to really write proper reviews, so I sort of suck right now.
Our first, through no fault of CMS Winery, is 2009 CMS sauvignon blanc from Washington’s Columbia Valley, for around $10 – $12. It is made by Hedges family estate winery.
This wine is good, and it’s cheap, and you should buy it. There! Sorry for the lackluster review! But it’s the truth. CMS sauvignon blanc is:
- minerally
- dry-ish
… and has a fresh lime taste.
Yum. Recommended. 
Today we look at a 2006 red blend from Chile that I picked up for $18.
Hey! This wine is a super, duper, killer wine for summer grilling — IF you’re eating inside with the AC on. (Or if it’s not too hot outside.) It boldly delivers to your tonuge a mix of cabernet (36%), syrah (31%), merlot (17%) and carmenere (16%). Think — “dry steak wine… juicy… warm and soft… spicy leather.”
And your thinking would be correct. Dense, warm, spicy, leathery, dark-fruited, with mouth-drying tannins and a slightly musty-basement-funk smell to keep things interesting — this blend has a very natural, real taste. You can really “get” the different dark red and black berry flavors. Unlike cheaper red wines, which can be nondescript and leave you asking, “what does this actually taste like?”
Primus, by Chile’s value machine Veramonte, is interesting, delicious, worth more than $18, and is highly:
Recommended.
