Monthly Archives: February 2010

2007 Vinum Cellars Chenin Blanc

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Price: $4.99 @ Trader Joe’s

What They Said:

2007 Vinum Cellars Chenin BlancPer Vinum Cellars “Clarksburg might be called the Chenin Blanc capital of California, and this polished wine shows why. It’s completely dry and mouthwateringly crisp in acidity, with interesting flavors of citrus fruits, ripe fresh green beans, spices and vanilla. Try as an alternative to Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.” – 88 Points – S.H. Wine Enthusiast Magazine, October 1, 2009

“Fragrant lemongrass and lemon-lime flavors are light-bodied, crisp and refreshing, with fresh-cut grass and herb notes echoing on the finish. Drink now. 4,500 cases made.” – 86 Points – MW
Wine Spectator, June 15, 2009

What I Think:

What does CNW stand for? Chard-No-Way! A wine after my own heart and I agree it is nothing like a chardonnay. This one is very clean in color and on the nose as well as the palate. Lemon prevalent throughout, in a curdish, custard like manner. It has a solid structure with racy acidity. Maybe some food could tease out more flavor? Still quite refreshing, would be great in the summer heat on its own. It’s good but I really wanted it to be better than that. Almost like a Sauvignon Blanc without the tangy finish. I bought three bottles on sight and am likely to grab a few more for the summer. Feel free to consider doing the same…

Rating: Buy It

Your Take on the Gypsy

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2008 Chariot GypsyWith my review of the ’08 vintage still a few days away (I wanted to give it 3 weeks in the bottle first) I thought it would be fun to highlight some of tasting notes that you all from the community have shared over the last few weeks. Many of those mentioned below are long time contributors whose opinions I value. You will see they all are fans to a large extent, that said there have been a few naysayers (two to be exact) but none left any detailed notes to include. My opinion, as it stands, is that this is a juicy, straight forward, enjoyable wine and at this point worth $5. My hope is that with some rest it becomes something more. Now let’s see what you all think…

Mike Kauzer: If you didn’t know, you might think it’s a Pinot. Not at all like the 07. Light, not sweet. Subtle mid palate. I like it …. maybe 3-4 cases, but it’s not the wine I was expecting.

UCLA92: Picked up 2 case last night in Irvine (Woodbury location). Nice wine. As others have stated, it is different than the ‘07. You can almost see your hand through the glass. Nose of red fruit, white pepper and menthol. Fruit forward wine with some pepper and oak. Medium body with some structure. Not sweet like the ‘07. Great everyday wine.

Danny: Wow! Are you kidding me? This winner has a QPR which is off the chart, in a good way. The 2008 Chariot Gypsy is an excellent multi-purpose quaffer that offers enticing aromas of bright, wild, red berries, smokey toast and spice leading to fresh, red fruit flavors with a white pepper core and a zesty finish of orange peel and dark chocolate. Easy, smooth and delightful. My rating, as converted in conformance with Jason’s Wine Blog ratings, is “Bulk Buy.” I think this wine would be great with pizza, burgers, BBQ, steak, lamb, meat stew or by itself. I’m told that the Irvine Trader Joe’s has an allocation of 90 cases and no more. When they’re gone, they’re gone.

Charlie: The 2008 Chariot Gypsy is in at the Clovis CA TJ’s!! Bought a bottle this morning and had a lunchtime tasting with the wife. Another winner from Jim Neal, the 2008 is a solid value at $4.99. A young fruity 13.5 wine that should benefit from more time in the bottle. The missus says it’s less sweet than the 2007 and I have to agree. We aerated ours and it still needed time in the glass to open up. Still, we liked it and plan on buying more tomorrow!

Jerry Klein: YES the 2008 version of Gypsy may be the best yet. At $4.99 this wine drinks like a $12-15 bottle. Agreed it does need more time in the bottle. (Only in 3 weeks b4 release. Did have 12 months ageing b4 release. 72% Zin/Petite sirah; Cab & Sanjo 24% balance 2% each merlot & Syrah. After another six months in the bottle should be even better. !! Hurry and grab this one now!

Jesse Porter: I just poured my first bottle of the ‘08 to a group of friends following a Sauv Blanc tasting. After all that tart acidity, the Gypsy came on really strong and jammy, but once our palates had acclimated to the fruit, it proved a big winner. Doesn’t change in the glass or “open up” as much as previous vintages did, probably because it’s a bit less full in body and intensity, but the flavors are definitely still there. I agree with what’s been said… this is a more versatile wine than the ‘07, if slightly less uninhibited.

joshiemac: Had my first bottle over 2 nights. Not much nose. Softer than the ‘07, showing supple berry fruit and a splash of acidity. Doesn’t have the jamminess of the ‘07, either. Has the mouth feel of a Merlot. Somewhat weak in the mid-palate, but gained more density here on night 2. Drank this right off the truck so I look forward to seeing where it goes in the next few months. Glad I have a case to track its development. Enjoyable right now, if somewhat simple, it could become another QPR superstar with some time in the bottle!

2007 MacMurray Central Coast Pinot Noir

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Price: $13.99 @ Trader Joe’s

What They Said:

2007 MacMurray Central Coast Pinot Noir90 points Wine Enthusiast: Currently hard and tart in acids and tannins, but loaded with sweet, ripe fruit, this Pinot is silky enough to drink now, which most consumers probably will. But if you give it until sometime in 2010, the cherries, cola, sandalwood and spices will mesh and improve.” (12/09)

89 points Wine Spectator Review: Ripe, floral, perfumed aromas of black cherry and raspberry are pure and zesty. Full-bodied, balanced and delicate, showing just the right touch of acidity and tannins, with pleasant mineral and earth notes. Drink now through 2012.

What I Think:

As you know Trader Joe’s has been flush in reasonably priced, well made Pinot. It started with the Castle Rock, then the Caretaker to the Davis Bynum followed by the Sebastopol Hills…you get the idea. And I haven’t even tried the Lane Tanner offerings yet! Next on that list is this MacMurray Ranch which is part of the Gallo brand portfolio. Suggested retail price on this bottle is $24 and it primarily sourced from the Olson Ranch in the Santa Lucia Highlands. What about the juice inside you say…

This one is like sticking your nose in a berry patch, complete with leaf and brambly accents. Very inviting begs you to dive in and delivers loads of juiciness when you do. Nice acidity emerges towards the mid-palate and is balanced by a nice cranberry component that is present throughout. The finish is tart but pleasant (reminded me exactly of Ocean Spray Cranberry juice) and has a spicy (clove) kick that lingers on long after you have put the glass down. A nice wine that delivers on the price point. That said I would go lower than the 90 from Wine Enthusiast and maybe even the 89 from Wine Spectator on this one. My ultimate gauge, would I buy it again? For $10 I would. At $14 I’m on the fence, we will see next time I hit the store!

Rating: Pricey

Preparing for Wine Armageddon?

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2003 Red Flyer California RedOops! That is what I told my wife. I ran down to Trader Joe’s to grab my latest haul of the Gypsy and meant to stock up on some white. Turns out I accidentally came home with 5 cases. Thought I would take the time to share with you what was in my haul and take the chance to remind you all that I am backing up my ratings with my very own wallet. 6 of the Top 10 and five from the “others of interest” list were amongst them. Here’s the gory details:


The Gypsy:

    2008 Chariot Gypsy (30) – $4.99 – See my initial thoughts here. For less than 2 weeks in the bottle it is very drinkable right now! Look forward to how it comes together over the next couple months and beyond…

A handful of new ones…

    2007 Vinum Cellars Chenin Blanc (3) – $4.99 – Was excited and surprised to see this one. I love Chenin Blanc so I grabbed a handful of this one. First glass says it was a good decision. I’ll use my next one to determine if I need to go back and buy more, don’t tell the wife!
    2007 Trinchero Family Riesling (3) – $4.99 – The ’99 Trinchero Cabernet was my wedding wine, given that I had to give this one ago (though perhaps one would have done the trick). Given it was Valentine’s Day and I am the romantic I chilled it down to serve with the roasted chicken I had brined overnight. On the first sip I knew that wasn’t a pairing meant for success, too sweet. The other two bottles will be paired with spicy Asian foods. That is my only play for this one…
    2007 Trader Joe’s Petit Reserve Pinot Noir (1) – $6.99 – This one is made by Hahn family (the Red Flyer was their previous TJ’s effort!) and from Monterey. Couple those with a $6.99 price tag and I thought maybe this one could defy logic. Stay tuned to see if that is the case.
    2008 Trader Joe’s Growers Reserve Petite Sirah (1) – $4.99 – Grabbed this one as I had heard some positive rumblings about it. 76% organic seems random. This one is made by ASV Wines who I believe makes the entire “Growers Reserve” line. Not expecting much but hoping to be pleasantly surprised.

A load of whites…

    2007 Dr. Beckermann Piesporter Michelsberg Riesling Spatlese (1) – $4.99 – My go to Riesling (#10 in the Top 10) for spicy Asian food, much prefer this to the Trinchero mentioned above. Here is a review of the 2005
    2008 Down Under Chardonnay (1) – $2.99 – Figured I would give this one another try as I enjoyed it, relatively speaking, the first time around.
    2009 Zarafa Sauvignon Blanc (1) – $3.99 – Definitely wanted to get some more of this new bargain find. Not sure if I should be concerned but this one is now called Zafrika now and comes complete with a new zebra striped label. Same importer and pretty certain it is the same juice but only bought one bottle until I confirmed.
    2008 King Shag Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc (1) – $6.99 – Long time fan of this one and happy to have it back in the house. Here is a review of the 2007.
    2008 Honey Moon Viognier (1) – $4.99 – A very distinctive wine, almost slightly syrupy at times, that goes perfect with salmon.

A ½ case of Italian…

    2008 Il Valore Sangiovese (1) – $2.99 – A perfect cooking (and sipping) wine, this is a bottle I always want to have at my disposal.
    2007 Epicuro Aglianico (1) – $4.99 – Another long time fave, I fear this one is falling off. Hopefully this bottle proves otherwise. Here is a link to the 2005.
    2008 Chiusa Grande Tommolo Montepulciano d’ Abruzzo (1) – $4.99 – Haven’t had this one (#8 in Top 10) in a while as I’ve been enjoying the Trentatre, wanted to get it back in the mix. Here is a review of the 2006.

And a few others…

    2007 Perrin Cotes du Rhone Reserve (1) – $6.99 – Not sure how I managed to run out of this one, it is too good to be without. I ranked it #6 in my latest Top 10. Here’s a post on the 2005.
    2008 La Granja Tempranillo (1) – $3.99 – Another recent fave (#9 in latest Top 10), wanted to add another bottle to my stash.
    NV Porto Morgado Tawny Port (1) – $5.99 – We have lots of dinner parties and more often than not the port if fueling conversation as sipped and not often tasted, that’s when I am happy I have this one around.

That’s it! Any of your faves I missed?

The Chariot Arrives

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I’m sure many of you are already read my post on the return of the Gypsy. Also guessing those interested are well aware of the multitude of comments confirming sightings of this wine all across California (I have asked my insiders to look into potential arrival in Phoenix and beyond). Michael Rodgers was the first one to break the release date which was indeed yesterday, February 9th. So after work I headed over to my local store. Once inside I was expecting a big end cap display but found nothing. Checking the shelves I found it and grabbed a bottle. One you say? Indeed! You see, I had a corkscrew and glass waiting in the car. So I headed out to the parking lot to do some tasting. For those interested in my first, and perhaps last, attempt at video blogging here was my initial take…

To recap, thinking this one was juicy, fruit forward and a nice easy quaffer. What have I learned sampling it over the last 24 hours? The fruit on this one softer and rounder which at first led me to believe this was a lighter version. Night #2 I’m thinking that is not the case. The wine added some depth over night. Overall, early perceptions are that this one is “very pleasant” and is likely to improve as it settles into the bottle. Easily as good as 1/2 the $12 bottles I drink. A perfect red table wine for any house.

Given the change in the first 24 hours, I’m going to give it another 48 hours or so before doing a more thorough review. In the meantime feel free to share your thoughts!

It’s (almost) back! The ’08 Gypsy looms…

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Chariot GypsyFor those that know this blog the introduction above serves aplenty. For those that don’t, the Gypsy is as close as it gets to a Trader Joe’s cult wine. That’s right, a $5 cult wine. What’s that? A cult wine has to be expensive? I disagree, it only has to inspire wide spread passion! And trust me this one does. I’ve written three posts on this wine and those compose my top three commented post, generating almost 200 responses. Over the weekend, the buzz over this one kicked into full gear. RMS first tipped me off after noticing the ’08 vintage mentioned on the Chariot Wines website. Angela, my Trader Joe’s insider, added shortly thereafter that the new vintage is scheduled to appear in the next Trader Joe’s Fearless Flyer. At almost the same time Jerry, who tipped me off to the ’07, checked in to let me know he had the scoop that this one will be appearing in stores before the end of February. Since you are all my friends I’ll be more forthcoming, Angela let me know that the next Fearless Flyer is scheduled for February 16th. Given that we can expect to see this bottle in stores within the next two weeks…

So what can we expect from the wine? I think the big question is can they maintain the quality as they expand the production. For the ’07 vintage the demand was so high that I am all but certain they produced two different versions of this wine. I have seen many old Trader Joe’s favorites journey this road to mediocrity which leaves me plenty skeptical. Hopefully my angst is for not. We will know shortly! I’ll look forward to hearing all your thoughts once this one hits the shelves. Until then, here is what the winery has to say about the latest vintage:

    “The Chariot Gypsy 2008 is a delicious blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel and Sangiovese from great vineyards in the Napa Valley, Sonoma, San Joaquin, and Monterey counties.

    Winemakers Jeff Hunsaker, Marco DiGiulio and Nancy Walker describe the wine like this: “The 2008 ‘Gypsy’ displays a dark garnet color with a clear violet edge. It shows mixed fresh berry aromas — raspberry and strawberry, with hints of white pepper and pastry. Very clean and lively with juicy berry fruit, firm acidity and a touch of smooth tannin. Excellent and versatile food wine particularly well suited for pork chops and poultry”.

    We think it is the perfect everyday red wine!”

2005 Cameron Hughes Lot 112 Napa Valley Merlot

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2005 Cameron Hughes Lot 112 Napa Valley MerlotPrice: $12.00 @ Friend/Gift

What They Said:

Cameron Confidential: Lot 112 Napa County Merlot represents exceptional value. Sourced from the un-appellated Coombsville and Jamieson Canyon regions (which is why it has the Napa County designation), this wines has the beautiful, supple structure and classic fruit profile of great Napa Merlot (which requires a few minutes of swirling in the glass to get going). Sourced from one of the most-respected wineries in the Napa Valley (where it is sold for $24/bottle), this wine is sure to please those of you who crave Merlot or those of you looking for a supple wine with harmonious mouth feel and great character.

Taste: Dark, almost blackened crimson color; Aromas of cherry, spice, and chocolate spring from the glass underpinned by bright fruit notes of strawberries and plums. A supple, rich mouth feel coupled with well-integrated oak presents a complex, yet smooth Merlot, perfect for that wintertime cocktail party.

What I Think:

Though I am very aware of Cameron Hughes I have rarely tasted his wines. In fact my records show I’ve that this is just the second of his offerings that I’ve sampled (the other being Lot 55 Napa Valley Meritage). For those that need an intro Cameron Hughes is very well known négociant who sources high quality wines from around the world and sells each as a lot in his series. The easiest place to find his wines for those interested is Costco, at least from what I hear…

So let’s get to the wine. On the nose this one shows cherry and oak. When the wine hits your tongue you get a glimpse of soft red fruits that disappear before you can decide if it was strawberry or raspberry. From there the wine becomes dark and rich. This is a very well structured effort that is smooth and balanced throughout. The finish is dusty and chocolaty and leaves your mouth coated with tannins long after the glass is empty. A nice, smooth, easy drinking bottle. I would argue everything you expect for $12 but not more at the same time. If I had to choose whether or not to buy another bottle I’d likely roll the dice on trying something new.

Rating: Pricey

And for those interested in another opinion how about one from the man himself… Check Cameron Hughes in the video below, he start talking about this one around 4:50 into the video. Enjoy!


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