Monthly Archives: July 2009

2008 Flore de Moscato

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Price: $4.99 @ Trader Joe’s

What They Said:

2008 Flore de MoscatoPer Trader Joe’s Ten For The Tasting (pdf) “Even those of us who are not sweet wine sippers were seduced by Flore De Moscato. Light, fruity and sprightly, it delivers sweet flavors with a smooth, bright mouth-feel (not syrupy at all). It’s made exclusively for us by a legendary California winemaker whose career has been dedicated solely to the art of the Muscatel. This delicate blend of Orange Muscat & Muscat Canelli has an inviting floral aroma with flavors of citrus and peach. It’s a great late afternoon hammock wine with enough voluptuousness and eleganceto hold its own as dessert. The enticement is the elixir, but the price, well, we’d be barefaced to say it wasn’t beguiling too – a 750 ml bottle is $4.99″

What I Think:

I’ve long wondered… Am I the only one that ends up coming home from most tasting trips to the wine country with inordinate amounts of Rose and Dessert Wine (mostly Port)? My take is that I rarely take the appropriate time to appreciate these in the moment whether it family or friends that are otherwise distracting me. Is it just me? In these scenarios I usually end up paying $10-$20 a bottle. Long story short, this is as good as all of those. This one is a blend of Orange Muscat & Muscat Canelli. I know above it mentions that it can work as a dessert wine. IMHO, that is the only way to use this one. It is syrupy, but not overly sweet, almost spritzy and surprisingly light (7.5%, yes I looked twice!) given the weight of this wine in your mouth. I get floral notes on the nose with apple early on the palate that becomes sweet, tropical flavors on the finish. Guessing this one could be even better with real dessert. That said, I was surprised I couldn’t track down this legendary California winemaker via the internet but let’s not ask too many questions… Go get yourself a bottle!

Rating: Buy It

2007 Sobon Estate ReZerve Primitivo

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2007 Sobon Estate ReZerve PrimitivoPrice: $24.00 @ Sobon Estates

What They Said:

Per the bottle “Big, rich ad full bodied; with toasty, jammy aromas and forward fruity flavors. Genetically related to Zinfandel, but strikingly different in balance and intensity.”

What I Think:

This is a wine that twitter made me crave, too bad their search doesn’t work or I would show you why. Fresh off the Rocky Top Zinfandel I loved I had to get this one. In a rare episode where it seems I am living the dream Sobon Wines offered to send a bottle my way, lucky me! My experience with Primitivo from Italy (from where it hails) does not run all that deep but this is only the 2nd I’ve tried stateside (the other is Perry Creek but I didn’t record any tasting notes, shame on me!). Anyhow let’s get to it…

With pizza in the oven this was an easy choice. If a bottle were to be judged solely on its weight this one would be liquid gold as it is super heavy. On opening the nose was smoky, hot and dusty and the palate was heavy on oak, a bit surprisingly given it was aged in 1 to 2 year old oak. This all blew off with some time and became toasty with a nose of cooked/stewed plums showing a small hint of green. Once it cleared the palate showed nicely balanced fruit and hearty acid, the combo hardly indicate the high alcohol content (15.3%). The end shows tart fruit, white pepper and tamed tannins leading to a finish of great tangy notes that last and last. This last paragraph is really my best guess. This wine is hard to figure out and keeps you guessing. A challenge for sure, but one that I look forward to taking again, just be sure to give this one some time to open up. Next time I want to taste this one side by side with an Italian bottling to better assess the different styles between the continents. Kudos to Sobon for not only working with Primitivo but Sangiovese and Barbera amongst many other uncommon varietals here in the states.

By the way, have I mentioned everyone should be visiting Amador County? For the record, I haven’t yet. They are bottling a ton of unique grapes that few other work with here in California. Those that read often are tiring of hearing me say this so here is my promise to you, before the end of August I will make a visit to Amador County happen. You heard it here first! Stay tuned…

Rating: Pricey

2005 Howell Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

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Price: $14.99 @ Trader Joe’s

What They Said:

2005 Howell Mountain Vineyards Cabernet SauvignonPer Trader Joe’s Ten For The Tasting (pdf) “Come on; get your nose in there. Way in there… the deep crimson hue, the aromas, the body… oh, yes! Handcrafted from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes grown in Napa Valley’s renowned Howell Mountain appellation, this wine has body. Grown in volcanic ash and clay soils along sloping hillside at elevations well over 1,800 feet, the grapes develop distinctly thick skins and robust tannins. And this vintage demonstrates a little more weight and richness than in years past. A hint of bell peppers on the nose dissipates into warm aromas of cedar-y forest and dark berries. On the mouth, the flavors of succulent black cherry are followed by slight hints of hazelnut and tobacco. And because we are helping the producers move out inventories that had been set aside for on-premise markets (aka fine restaurants), we’re selling this lusty Cab for $14.99 – oh, yes!”

What I Think:

As mentioned in the Trader Joe’s Ten for Tasting post I was tipped off on this one by DP. Likewise we covered that this offering typically retails for $60+, given that you can imagine how eager I was to try it once I brought it home. So I quickly found a steak and pulled the cork on this one…

In the glass I found a great nose of fruit balanced perfectly with spice. Some blackberry, allspice and a hint of green rhubarb. On the palate a bit tart up front but quickly balanced with gorgeous, rich fruit as well as spice and mint/methyl notes. The mid-palate is smooth and silky leading to a chalky, inky, dry and lasting finish. This wine is complex, to me, offering, layers and layers that keep you contemplating exactly what it is you are tasting. Regardless, you know it is good things while going through the exercise. As I look for comparisons I quickly come to the Chateau Chevalier from Spring Mountain which took Grape Madness by storm some months back. Both from Napa, both from TJ’s, both fifteen bones and both with a dry, chalky finish but most of all both great values. That said, thank goodness I didn’t drop $60 here or I would likely be disappointed. Others, here in the comments on the site, haven’t been as big as fans as me so feel free to give this one a pass if it is north of your usual price range.

Rating: Wow!

The Battle of Nero d’Avola

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The Battle of Nero d'Avola

Those that have been reading here a while may remember my past struggles with Italian wines. While I still struggle with Sangiovese, things have greatly improved as I have expanded my horizons within the countries offerings. To name a few of these grapes Dolcetto, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and of course Nero d’Avola have won me over. The tipping point for me were my visits to Delfina Pizzeria where they usually have a varietal on the menu that I have never heard of but upon being introduced ended up enjoying. The majority of these were from Southern Italy, first they turned me on to Aglianico and shortly thereafter to Nero d’Avola which brings us to the point of today’s post.

After trying, and enjoying, a few low cost options I was curious to see what a $10+ bottle could offer that those on the other end of the pricing scale could not deliver. A month or so back I finally grabbed the below mentioned Poggio Bidini from K&L Wines to see if the extra investment was worthwhile. And so it began. Shortly thereafter I received the Dievole Pinocchio as a sample from Pasternak Wine Imports as part of a six pack showcasing some of the value wines from their portfolio (more to come on the others soon). Given that these two were at hand and my two regular offerings from Trader Joe’s were in the rack as well it seemed a shame to pass up the opportunity to taste a flight of Nero d’Avola’s so that is what I did. Thus the “Battle of Nero d’Avola” came to be, fought on a temperate summer night in Northern California. Agreed World War II it was not but I had fun with it, that said I kept it casual, no blind tasting, and invited some other people to join. Here are some quick notes (mainly mine) on each of the wines:

2007 Archero Nero d’Avola Ruggero di Tasso ($4) – The first bottle of Nero d’Avola I ever bought, this one is a Trader Joe’s staple now in its 3rd vintage. Fortunately the quality has remained over the years. Of the wines this was easily the fruitiest showing jammy, chewy fruit. Without food there is not a lick of acid to be spoken of, when paired a bit more shows but it remains a fruit forward offering. Comes off as one dimensional but most certainly an easy quaffer.

2007 Epicuro Nero d’Avola ($5) Another TJ’s staple in its second vintage this one hails from a long line of great value bottles from the Epicuro label that hail from southern Italy. They originally caught my eye with their Aglianico offering which I adored. I would describe this one as a little less fruit forward and I do mean a little. It also show more earthiness and spice and finishes a bit on the tart side which gives this one an extra dimension in the flavor profile (more realistically a half of a dimension) over the Archero.

2008 Dievole Pinocchio Nero d’Avola ($10) – As mentioned I received this one as a sample from Pasternak Wine Imports and was immediately excited on pulling it out of the box. With restraint, I let it rest for a week before entering it into this battle royal. This one is immediately different from the first two on the nose, almost a bit herbal with red fruit in the background. This one is not fruit led on the palate. A bit tarter early on and certainly not jammy at all. Perhaps a hint of mineral (can it be?) provides a nice segway from the mid palate to the finish which is nicely balanced with acid and what is perhaps the first tannins of the day. This one, while still a straight forward wine, offers more structure and balance than the previous two offerings.

2007 Poggio Bidini Nero d’Avola ($13) – Next up was this Poggio Bidini from K&L Wines. On the nose this one showed slightly tart with dark fruit and spices with white pepper rising to the top. On the palate this wine is fresh and delivers a nice dose of acidity up front before the earthy, fruity notes in mid palate lead us away to a soft, clean finish. Provides a balance not found in others that offers layers of flavor that are compelling. Great fruit but at the same time restrained and elegant. A wine to definitely buy again.

So there you have it. Back to my questions; “what does a $10+ bottle could offer that those on the other end of the pricing scale could not deliver?” At the end of the day the answer is balance. Given that sometimes I want something that is a bit more fruit forward (and for some more approachable) the Archero and Epicuro will continue to make their way to my wine rack. That said, with these results in hand I plan on continuing to explore Nero d’Avola bottlings across the pricing spectrum.

With that I have two questions for you: 1) Have you tried Nero d’Avola? 2) If so, what have you tried? Or as an alternate if you have tried many, which is your favorite?

2008 VINTJS Sauvignon Blanc

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Price: $5.99 @ Trader Joe’s

What They Said:

2008 VINTJS Sauvignon BlancPer Trader Joe’s Ten For The Tasting (pdf) “Attention grabbing, but not the kind of slap-you-in-the-face of a New Zealand vintage, our 2008 VINTJS Sauvignon Blanc boasts focused intensity and rounded floral characteristics. Produced by a famed, family-owned, sustainably-farmed winery in Rutherford, this is a crisp, mouthwatering blend of 78% Sauvignon Blanc and 22% Sémillon. It delivers zesty aromas and flavors of lemon, ruby red grapefruit, guava and juicy lime. Deliciously smooth in the mouth, the finish is long and cleansing.”

What I Think:

As mentioned yesterday I found this one via the Trader Joe’s Ten For The Tasting. Why did it stand out? As I said there; after watching many of my fellow bloggers enjoy the St. Supery as part of Twitter Taste Live Sauvignon Blanc from Napa Valley was top of mind. Couple that with this one being a blend of Sauvignon Blanc (78%) and Semillion (22%), a combination I feel in love with years back in New Zealand on my honeymoon, and this one was an easy choice.

That’s all good and dandy but what about what was in the bottle. This one is not for those looking for the grassy New Zealand style and is worlds different than my mainstay CA Sauvignon Blanc, the Geyser Peak. On the nose your greeted with nice, ripe lime and guava notes. It starts with a bit of acid navigating from crisper, slightly tart fruits at the front of the palate to ripe tropical fruits towards the end. It finishes fuller in body, a hint sweet and dripping with candied nectarines. Not what I was expecting from a Sauvignon Blanc but I was pleased nonetheless. Think I may grab another.

Rating: 12th Bottle

Trader Joe’s Wine: Ten For Tasting

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Trader Joe’s Wine: Ten For The Tasting
On Monday I received an email from Trader Joe’s promoting their Trader Joe’s Ten For The Tasting (pdf). When it first arrived I was worried that they had finally decided to produce a Trader Joe’s Top 10 Wine List of their own. Lucky me, looks like they are just trying to move some product. Here are the ten wines on their list:

I had actually been tipped off to some of these offerings a bit earlier via the insider scope from DP here. In the spirit of ten, I decided to make a list of my own. Some of their choices, some I’ve had before and others that I bought on association. My total bill? $76.40 which, for me honestly, is on the expensive side at $7.60 per bottle for Trader Joe’s. Hoping I got some good stuff so stay tuned for reviews. Now let’s get to the details:

The first 3 are from the above mentioned Trader Joe’s Ten for Tasting List:

  • 2005 Howell Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon ($15) – You could easily pay $60+ for this one. Needless to say I am looking forward to trying it tomorrow (suppose to be tonight but crab cakes replaced steak…) at a quarter of the cost!
  • 2008 VINTJS Sauvignon Blanc ($6) – After watching many of my fellow bloggers enjoy the St. Supery as part of Twitter Taste Live Sauvignon Blanc from Napa Valley was top of mind. Couple that with this one being a blend of Sauvignon Blanc (78%) and Semillion (22%), a combination I feel in love with years back in New Zealand on my honeymoon, and this one was an easy choice.
  • 2008 Flore de Moscato ($5) – I was thinking I needed a white dessert wine in the fridge and then this, more or less, appeared in my inbox. This one is a blend of Orange Muscat & Muscat Canelli. Vinography’s vote for orange wine didn’t hurt the cause either…

The next 3 were wines I had previously tried that I wanted to revisit:

  • NV Porto Morgado Ruby Port ($7) – A nice companion for the white dessert wine this port is, as I previously said, “a perfect low cost option for dessert wine when you have friends over. Taste good and lets the conversation flow.”
  • 2008 Caretaker Pinot Noir ($10) – I tried this one fresh into the bottle and felt the potential and wanted to revisit once it had a chance to settle. Thinking it now has and the recent comments are raising my expectations.
  • 2008 Honey Moon Viognier ($5) – A wine I’ve long enjoyed but somehow never reviewed (until yesterday). Some may call it too sweet or syrupy. I call it the perfect alternative for red wine, given its full body, on a hot summer night.

The last 4 were bought on positive associations:

  • 2007 Dr. Jebediah Drinkwell’s Meritage ($9) – Another product of the Central Coast Wine Warehouse which has produced some gems. A bit pricey but given my experiences with the Franc Merlot, Pancake Cellars and the above mentioned Caretaker Pinot I wanted to give this one a try.
  • 2008 Picton Bay Pinot Noir ($8) – I have an affinity for New Zealand. I have an infinity for Pinot Noir. Even more so for finding nice ones for <$10. Given my experience with the Picton Bay Sauvignon Blanc (which I thought was $6 and now appears to be $8) this one was a no brainer.
  • 2007 Shannon Ridge Zinfandel ($6) – I’m always on the lookout for an easy drinking affordable Zinfandel and have been a fan of those I’ve experienced from Lake County especially the Beringer Clear Lake Zinfandel. Suggested retail price on this one per the winery website is $19, promising at a third of the cost.
  • 2008 Shannon Ridge Wrangler Rose ($6) – My pursuit for a summer rose goes on. Given the Zin was the same price this seemed a bit pricey. Still, recommended retail is $16 per the site and it is a screwcap so what the heck…

Let me know if you decide to taste any of those I passed on or if I might be missing some of your other summer favorites. Cheers!

2008 Honey Moon Viognier

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2008 Honey Moon ViognierPrice: $4.99 @ Trader Joe’s

What They Said:

Per the bottle “Viognier is a rare and stylish grape with golden hues and amazing floral scents. Our Honey Moon Viognier is named after the June full moon, which signifies the moment when the sweet scent of the flowers turn into young grapes, creating this lush, full bodied wine with peach, apricot and honeysuckle aromas followed by luscious honey, mango and nectar finish.

What I Think:

One of those that seems to be a Bronco Wine Co. offering but isn’t, Trader Moon is just as secretive though. They are responsible for the many other moons on the TJ’s wine shelves… Old Moon Zin, Venetian Moon Pinot Grigio, Tuscan Moon Sangiovese and Velvet Moon Cab. Regardless this Honey Moon Viognier has been one of my favorites for years and I was amazed to see that I had yet to review it. Given that I wanted to quickly rectify the situation.

This one has a great nose, like fully pollinated red/orange fruit, loaded with peaches and apricots. On the palate peach and honey are prevalent on a full bodied frame of white stony, fruits. The finish is rich and plush with ripe peaches and just a hint of sweetness. To some, this may be too much sweetness but it works well for me. Drink this one on its own or with anything, literally. This one won a bronze medal in the recent 2009 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition and is a sure thing to appear in my next Top 10 list…

Rating: Buy It

2008 Domaine de la Fouquette Rosee d’Aurore

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Price: $14.99 @ Vintage Wine & Spirits imported by Wine Agencies

What They Said:

2008 Domaine de la Fouquette Rosee d'AurorePer K&L Wines “A lovely wine from a beautiful part of France, the 35-acre Domaine de la Fouquette sits at the heart of the Cotes de Provence appellation. This is an environmentally friendly estate that works without chemicals and hand harvests entirely. The cepage is 65% Grenache and 30% Cinsault. A small amount of the white grape Rolle (5% – aka Vermentino in Italy) is added, elevating the citrus aromatics and acidity.”

What I Think:

I’m still searching for my summer Rose. With none in the house I decided to stop by Vintage Wine & Spirits, one of my local shops here in Mill Valley, and this was their pick. A bit pricey for an every weekend sipper for me but given it was from Provence I was willing to give it a try.

I’d normally call this salmon but it was amazingly pale in color (which I hope I captured in the picture). Loads of delicate strawberry notes on an aromatic nose rolled out the welcome mat. Though the color was light the body was medium. The strawberries were joined by citrus notes early on the palate before they were met with a bracing, refreshing acidity. Mineral notes shined through on a dry crisp finish. A nice bottle for sure but not worthy of splurging on all summer long. Anyone have any Rose recommendations around $10 for me?

Rating: Pricey

Cooking with All Things Trader Joe’s

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Today an interview with yours truly was published. The questions naturally revolved around Trader Joe’s and the wine aisle. What makes TJ’s special? Any advice for novices? How about pairing rules? Your faves at TJ’s? If you have to pick one that delivers the biggest bang for the buck? I answered them all.

You can find full coverage on Cooking with Trader Joe’s (or here on Facebook). As part of this I was introduced to the wonderful cookbook Deana and Wona put together. I’ve flipped through the pages and look forward to sharing some of my favorites with you soon. Anyone that is interested or wants to cook along with me should check out there Cooking with All Things Trader Joe’s cookbook.

I personally wanted to thank Deana for taking the time to do the interview and look forward to collaborating on Trader Joe’s food and wine in the months ahead. If any of you reading here have found me via this interview drop me a line in the comments below and let me know a little bit about yourself. For starters, what is your favorite recipe in Cooking with All Things Trader Joe’s? Next question, what is your favorite wine to pair with that dish? Lastly, are any of your favorites missing in my Trader Joe’s Top 10 Wine List? Can’t wait to hear your answers…

2008 Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc

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2008 Veramonte Sauvignon BlancPrice: $8.99 @ K&L Wines imported by Huneeus Vinters LLC

What They Said:

Per wine.com “Captures the pungent, alert character inherent to Sauvignon Blanc. This is a peppy wine with spiky tropical and green-fruit aromas and flavors. It’s a mash up of citrus and nettles, with a controlled, fairly long grapefruit-driven finish. Modest in price, but the real thing.” 89 Points, Best Buy, Wine Enthusiast, March 2009

From Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar: “Pale straw. Lively aromas of grapefruit, lime, white pepper and herbs. Fresh on the palate too, displaying vibrant citrus and orchard fruit qualities and good mineral snap. Finishes dry and delineated, with the lime element repeating.” (Mar/Apr ’09)

What I Think:

After sampling the Veramonte Primus as part of the Wines of Chile Online Tasting, and with higher temperatures on the horizon, I was reminded of my love for this one which I have often referred to as the most refreshing wine I have ever had. The color is of pale straw. On the nose you get citrus aromas on top of a mineral base and some floral notes. On the palate you are greeted with loads of fruit on a nice stony backbone that give way to a long, dry, crisp grapefruit and lime finish. This wine is fresh (but not in a mowed grass way like you get from New Zealand) and vibrant throughout. I already grabbed a case, my only warning is this may be too much tang for some so you might want to try a bottle first before you invest further. For those of you who can’t find it or prefer shopping via the internet this one is available via wine.com.

Rating: Bulk Buy