Jason’s Wine Blog

Price: $8.99 @ Trader Joe’s

What They Said:

Per Ceago Vinegarden well not much about the wine but they did have this to say about biodynamic farming; “Our Vineyards are grown and certified Biodynamic by Demeter which adheres to the DYNAMIC farming methods established in the early 1920s by Rudolf Steiner. The Biodynamic Tower on our property is where, during cycles of the year, homeopathic teas are prepared to enhance and regulate plant growth and soil fertility which brings forward the unique qualities that this wine demonstrates. This is our commitment to you…think DYNAMIC!”

I’ll shoot the winery an email and see if they have any thoughts they want to share on the wine itself…

What I Think:

Another wine I have long enjoyed and yet to post. Being easily intrigued by new labels I was quickly drawn to this offering. Interesting label, from Mendocino, seemingly tasty blend and made with care for the environment. A lot to like, and despite the high $9 price point (anyway for me, especially at Trader Joe’s) in the cart it went. Upon getting home looked up Ceago Vinegarden who is behind the label and found that Jim Fetzer, who sold his eponymous label in 1992, is behind the offering which they are selling exclusively at Trader Joe’s. Reason #1,001 I love Trader Joe’s wine. The cheapest bottle Ceago Vinegardens sells on their site, $18. These grapes are biodynamic so you know they are coming from the same place and grown with the same care. Yes, I know the best of the bunch are used elsewhere but still you get the idea. These are high quality grapes. And I get to drink them for half the cost!

Onto the main event; the blend here is 55% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. The nose immediately impresses with a blend of earthy tones and fruit aromas. On the tongue you take notice immediately as the fruit packs a punch, not that it is overpowering but there is a richness and warmth to it that grabs your attention. Towards the middle of the palate a nice earthy structure emerges and the fruit become chewy. A nice tanginess develops which leads to a lasting dry, earthy, lip smacking finish. The finish lingers on with light tannins tickling your throat and a hint of mint. I wouldn’t have thought the Merlot characteristics to be so subdued given it is the predominant grape in the blend. The Cab twins strike a nice balance and the overall result is impressive. I was surprised by the negative sentiments I found over on Cellar Tracker. This one is a winner in my book.

Hopefully TJ’s gets the sister offering from Lake County soon. I am already drooling thinking back to one of my all time favorite finds this Beringer Zin. Yes it is pricey but well worth it. If you see either of these grab them on sight. If your budget allows don’t be afraid to buy in quantity.

Rating: Buy It

Price: $3.99 @ Trader Joe’s imported by Mt. Global LLC

What They Said:

hmmm, not much of an authorative description to be found. I emailed the importer and will update it I hear back… For now let me reference what Wikipedia has to say about Pinotage which is the following: “Pinotage is a red wine grape that is South Africa’s signature variety. It was bred there in 1925 as a cross between Pinot noir and Cinsaut. It typically produces deep red varietal wines with smoky, bramble and earthy flavors, sometimes with notes of bananas and tropical fruit, but has been criticized for sometimes smelling of acetone.”

What I Think:

On the nose you initially get light tannin followed by sour notes before everything goes dark. A bit of Jekyll and Hyde. On the palate I find dark fruit, tobacco, but most of all smoky. The smokiness remains with me throughout this entire wine experience; literally from beginning to end. A nice dry finish is also part of the equation.

When drinking Pinotage it is difficult to articulate what you are experiencing.  This would typically reflect the fact that you are drinking a unique offering.  The majority of the time this alone would be enought for me to recommend for all to give it a try. Here I see a trap. It would be better for me to recommend something that truly reflects this varietal than something that may turn you off to it forever. That said; let me explain my approach to new varietals at TJ’s. I give them a whirl, if I remotely like them I try to find a bottle between the $10-$20 price point that I can use as a baseline and move from there. That allows me two things. 1) I get a better idea of what the varietal is really about (as much as you can via two bottles) and 2) can compare quality versus cost on that spectrum.

With that in mind, if you grab this one make sure you grab a more expensive sidekick as well; perhpas this Warwick Estate. As for the Zarafa it should be a piece of the overall equation. Which Pinotage would you pair up with it?

Rating: 12th Bottle

btw, just noticed this is my first 2008!

Price: $5.99 @ Trader Joe’s imported by Latitude Wines

What They Said:

Per the bottle “Tempranillo Barrica is made by Spain’s Oldest Estate Bottled Winery. Spain’s finest, proudly made with hand selected certified organically grown grapes. Albero Tempranillo Barrica is perfect when enjoying with friends or in giving the gift of wine.” <– thanks for all the helpful information :)

What I Think:

Reading the bottle I find two bits of information for me to start my investigation. The first is to Iranzo Vineyards. Checking the site there is no mention of this offering there. As we learned from the Terrenal Mendoza Cab it could be the case that they are relabeling one of the offerings we see here as the Albero that landed in Trader Joe’s. That is pure speculation of course. The second clue is to Latitude Wines. If anyone from either of these companies is listening I have some advice. Please, I repeat please, never post your web address somewhere (like the bottle!) when you have nothing for me to see on the other end!

Ok, got that off my chest. Now let’s move on to the main event, the wine. As you can see from above the world, nor the winery, has much to say about this one. My friend @oenanist does. He tipped me off to this one via comments and posted a review on cork’d as well. What did I think? On the nose I sensed dark fruit with hints of spice (and possibly some green vegetal) aromas. Sage? Or maybe it was floral, violets? On the palate a nice dose of cherries greeted me that turned a bit sour towards the mid-palate. That was followed by a nice dry finish on the back of the throat that tickled with light tannins. This was night 5, hardly remember day 1 but it seems a lot smoother. Compared to a typical light, juicy Tempranillo this one seems a bit heavier in the mouth and darker in fruit. My verdict, drinkable but not all that memorable. I’d stick with the Raimat over this one but that is just my opinion. Let me know what you think…

Rating: 12th Bottle

Price: $4.99 @ Trader Joe’s

What They Said:

Per No Merlot on the ‘03 “The Santino Zin is sturdy and full of rich raspberries and blackberries, plums, and spice aromas. The mouth is flush with berry fruit that hook up with almonds, cinnamon and pepper that finishes with slight tartness but shows some sense of harmonic convergence. Nice Zin for the price. Matches well with spicy and hearty foods.” (editors note: they also give great back story on how Santino became part of Renwood)

What I Think:

Per my database here this is my fourth bottle of the Santino Zin and I have yet to post, shame on me. Why not? Let’s blame it on research. The Santino site only mentions the ’06, so I emailed them to check in on the ’04. Never heard back. Then, from the above, I learned of the internal dysfunction that led to Santino becoming part of Renwood, a very well respected winery from the region. Regardless Matt Kramer of the Wine Spectator had this to say of the winery in his recent book ”One of the leading wineries in the Sierra Foothills.” Couple all of this with my curiosity of the region, they grow a ton of off the beaten path grapes (Italian mostly) and people whose opinion I respect such as Megan, of Wine Clubbie being such huge fans of the area, and I have been thrilled to see this time and time again as I visit Trader Joe’s…

On to the main event. This wine is simple but a winner. On the nose a mix of red fruit and wood. In the mouth you get dark forward fruit with a dry, tannic herbal mid-palate (think sage) that leads to a slightly sour note reminiscent of raspberries. The finish is chewy, lingering and peppery. This wine falls in line with what I think of as typical from this region; particularly the finish. All in all, well balanced and worth the money. Another wine that fits this profile is the TJ’s Growers Reserve Zin. Same price, just as nice; but fruitier…

As for the Santino, I am going to get some more. After I do so everyone else should feel free to do the same.

Rating: Buy It

Price: $3.99 @ Trader Joe’s imported by L. Watson Inc.

What They Said:

Per Daniel Rogov “Dark ruby towards garnet, with soft tannins, hints of spices and a note of chocolate highlighting blackberry and black cherry fruits. Round and appealing, a very good entry-level wine. Drink now.” Score 86. K (Tasted 9 Oct 2008)

What I Think:

I’ve been looking forward to posting this one as it has been a rewarding experience thanks to Shimshon of Welner Wines! From the bottle I was able to track this to Vinas Argentinas which led me to Telteca Winery. From there I emailed the contact us info and Shimshon responded with the wealth of information I am about to share. Didn’t even have to use the other information at my disposal (hand harvested for the Cartellone Family and Jose Pedro Gomez was the winemaker)

The first item of note is that this predominately sells under the Tierra Salvaje label. I’ve had a Carmenere ($4) from them at Trader Joe’s a while back. Tried to track down my tasting notes but not much there. My recollection is that it was good but not great.

As for this one specifically, Terranal (from the label) is a cousin of the term terroir and means earthy. Given I have a Cab from Ruca Malen (btw, if you ever visit Mendoza be sure to have their wine pairing lunch. Fantastic!) I picked up on my trip to Argentina in ’06 I considered this a free preview. On sight, the wine is dark but the nose brings me light raspberry fruit notes with a bit of tannin. It certainly lacks the California Cab characteristics you might expect so prepare yourself. The initial taste is familiar but what…something, can’t place it! A nice tannic backbone and a pleasant mid-palate full of plum and cherry flavors. The only disappointment is that there was little from a finish perspective. All in all, for $4 this is a great introduction to what Cabernet from another región is all about; lighter, fruitier and less tanic. Give it a try. I’m going to grab another bottle. They also have a Malbec in stock which I intend to drink/review soon. Stay tuned…

Rating: 12th Bottle

Price: $4.99 @ Trader Joe’s

What They Said:

Per the bottle “Made only with the Nero d’Avola grapes, this is a great wine with a beautiful rich, bright garnered colour and full bouquet redolent of berries, cherries and spices. The flavour is clear-cut, full-bodied and elegant. Perfect with grilled red meats and game. Serve at 18 degrees Celsius.”

What I Think:

I was fired up to find out about this one via a comment from Jesse Porter. I quite enjoyed the Archero offering and had meant to try a pricier version of this varietal but never got around to it. Nevertheless I was thrilled to land this one on a recent shopping trip which I noted via twitter.

To cut to the chase, the nose smells of simple berry fruit with a hint of dustiness and a bit of spice. In the mouth a full bodied, firm structure greets you leading into a supple palate full of light, ripe red fruit. This lasts until within a fraction of the finish when a tart, astringent finale ends the taste. This one is a winner as is Epicuro, they are certainly the most consistent Italian wine label at Trader Joe’s. Feel free to buy this one along with any others offerings from this label you may find.

Rating: Buy It

Price: $3.99 @ Trader Joe’s imported by L. Watson Inc.

What They Said:

Per Coffee Like Wine Another great affordable wine. I think I got this for less than $10 at Trader Joe’s.

On the nose, lots of green veggies, especially asparagus, as well as some red berries.

In the mouth, the asparagus flavor carries through from the nose, and there are also cranberries and some herbs. This is a very tart wine, good acidity and some tannins on the finish. At 12.5 percent alcohol level, this is a wine you can drink several glasses of during dinner and not stagger away in a daze.

Red wines made from the Cotes de Duras region use Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec grapes, according to The Wine Info Site.

What I Think:

Not sure what made me grab this but when I did I was sure it was from the south of France, but it appears the Duras neighbors Bordeaux. On opening the nose is super green or is it all mint? Nice light tannin taste, not much fruit. With time the nose is getting interesting, sensing some spice. Start thinking grenache based but can’t be given the region. Where does the dryness come from….Cab Franc? Bet your bottom dollar I am buying another bottle to try and figure it out. For now let’s call it a 12th bottle but stay tuned for more…

btw, found this blend percentage randomly in my notes Merlot 52%, Cabernet Sauvignon 27%, Cabernet Franc 20%, and Malbec 1%. Thinking I must have gotten it off the bottle. Will confirm when I grab another.

Rating: 12th Bottle

Price: $2.99 @ Trader Joe’s imported by Bercut & Vandervoort

What They Said:

Per the bottle Round and velvety with a bouquet of ripe fruit flavors, this dry red wine perfectly compliments a variety of meat dishes, pastas and cheese. Produced in France by a family with a long tradition of exceptions winemaking, Fleur de Maison offers recognized quality and affordability. A great everyday wine to always keep on hand. To be served at room temperature or slightly chilled.

What I Think:

When I saw this one on the shelf I had it confused with the La Maison from George Duboeuf (of Beaujolais fame, almost that time!) in my head, so at $3 it seemed worth a shot. As I searched for information I quickly realized my mistake. Surprisingly I was able to track down the importer and thought I had info but alas a 404 error. I emailed to see if they could share any notes on this wine but have yet to hear back.

Hopefully you saw my twitter feed on this one. When I find bad wines bad my first option is to try and ignore them… Don’t write tasting notes, don’t try to figure out what is wrong. Keep sipping and hope it gets better. Option one failed. I almost dumped it which (almost) never happens (this would be the 2nd time in like 500 bottles). That said I did open something else. I put a cork in this but wasn’t holding out much hope for another try tomorrow which is bad wine option #2. Alas, no luck which left me with only option #3, drink it when you are already drunk. Given the two youngsters in my household I didn’t see being able to put that into practice anytime soon so down the drain it went. If you have to have a bottle under $3 stick to the Two Buck Chuck, hear the Shiraz is the best now. If you can afford a fiver check the latest Top 10 list for recommendations. But please, keep this $3 in your pocket.

Rating: Avoid It

*photo by j. botter

Price: $4.99 @ Trader Joe’s imported by D’Aquino Italian ImportsPrice: $4.99 @ Trader Joe’s imported by D’Aquino Italian Imports

What They Said:

Per The Wine Rack “While the 2006 vintage is a little rougher around the edges than the 2004 Chiusa Grande Tommolo Montepulciano, I reviewed earlier, it still is an incredible bargain. Still only $5.00 at Trader Joe’s and made from hand picked organically grown grapes. Similarities with the 2004 are the nose of fresh cherry and violets, the cherry/blueberry flavors and the long finish. However this vintage carries a bit of heat on finish and a trace of alcohol/heat at the end of the aromas. Disregarding the comparison to 2004 this is still a nice wine and a sweet value.”

What I Think:

This odyssey started with a tip from oenanist and continued tonight with my second bottle. Amazingly I was able to track the winery down and find tasting notes (warning PDF) for what appeared to be the same wine though the pictures are vastly different.

About time for a review, no? On the nose this one is delicate and shows hints of flowers and tart cherries. On the palate this wine is simple and I mean so in a good way! Medium to light weight a ride of cherries (with the stems) along a light tannic backdrop. It is likely better served with some red sauced pasta. From end to end, this a clean journey balancing fruit with tannins and spice. The finish is a bit hot and dry bit overall this is one to buy. Next time I want to line this up side by side with the 2005 Epicuro Aglianico. Don’t see this as the #1 ranked wine, just wondering how far off it is…. BTW, did I mention this was organic? Also saw some notes saying it was hand-picked, hard to believe that can be accomplished at this price point.

Rating: Buy It

*photo by Rick Audet

Price: $4.99 @ Trader Joe’s

What They Said:

Per Zhadi’s Den “The label shows a woman in a red head scarf astride a chariot, very much in the vein of a Major Arcana tarot card. The back only says it was bottled by Jim Neal wines in St. Helena, California. Nothing about varietals. I have no idea what grapes were used in the making of this wine (although its rich, spicy characteristics lead me to suspect a zinfandel or syrah in the blend). The price tag? $4.99. The placard in the store said One Time Buy. When it’s gone, it’s gone. So I had to try it. We took it to the SinC meeting and cracked it open aong with an inexpensive Spanish cava. The cava was okay. The Chariot?

…Drooool…”

What I Think:

Wow, this Jim Neal guy (found on the back of the bottle) is a tough one to track down. But after spending some quality time with my friends at Google (your welcome!) I was able to get to the bottom of this one. I was able to track down both the site for the winery which is terribly out of date and in desperate need of my SEO (Search Engine Optimization) services and his first love which happens to be Verjus which I need to look into further (Jessie any pointers…). Fortunately for all of us, his wines are much more approachable than the brand behind them. As mentioned above I was tipped off to this one by Zhadi’s Den and immediately picked up three bottles. Those are now all empty and I am here to sing this wines accolades as well…

In a word “winner, winner”. The nose seemed almost typical California with rich, dark, musty fruit notes. On the palate it seemed very familiar; silky smooth and bold with heavy mint overtones. Then it struck me, this wine had a resounding resemblance to one of my favorites, the Rosenblum San Francisco Bay Petite Sirah. Despite Dana’s report that it is a blend of “Sangiovese, Petite Syrah, Syrah, and Cab” I am guessing this is 60-70% Petite Sirah minimum….And the remaining is likely Syrah (or at least mostly…) The finish was a lasting mix of dark fruits and dry, tingling tannins, extremely pleasant. Get yourself some now as I am heading out to clear out the bay area stores soon…

In the times of this economy I can unequivocally tell you this wine and the Franc Merlot are easily the best $5 bottles of wine I have seen at Trader Joe’s in some time. If you are used to spending $15 or more a bottle and stumbled across this site looking for ways to cut back your budget start here and start fast!

Rating: Bulk Buy