Price: $9.99 @ Dr. Loosen imported by Loosen Bros*

What They Said:

Per Dr. Loosen “Sleek and tangy, showing apricot, lime and mango flavors matched to a lively structure. There’s nice harmony and persistence through the finish.” – No. 62 on Wine Spectator’s 2009 Top 100 List

What I Think:

(8.5%) Surprised to get this one as a sample as it seems the 2010 is the current vintage. A nice purity on the palate this one is slightly sweet and rich with tart green apple and lemon rind flavors. From there pleasant acidity leads to a mouthwatering finish. Clean and refreshing. All in all perhaps a touch sweeter than I prefer but at $10 this is simple and pleasing. Can you find better? Likely but you’ll find worse while you are looking…

Rating: Interesting (As mentioned maybe you can do better but is it worth the risk…)

*This wine was received as a press sample.

Ever since I fell in love with a Ridge York Creek Zinfandel long ago I’ve been a sucker for field blends (which this one is). For those that might not new what this indicates it means that the grapes are grown intermixed in the vineyard. There isn’t a row of Zinfandel, a row of Syrah etc. but rather everything is grown side by side. As compared to the vast majority of wines which are grown individually, barreled individually and then in something akin to a science lab test tube tasting bottled together once the magic ratios are identified. But anyhow onto the wine…

Price: $6.99 @ Trader Joe’s

What They Said:

Per Trader Joe’s “Wines made with organically grown grapes have come a long way. We’ve been working with one of the pioneers of this burgeoning segment of the winemaking industry for years, and the wines he produces seem to get better as his efforts at sustainability and biodynamic farming grow even deeper roots (pun intended). We’ve recently partnered with this talented craftsman to create Green Barn Wines, exclusive to Trader Joe’s.

Green Barn Wines are made with organically grown grapes from Mendocino County, north of Sonoma, along the rugged northern California coast. Green Barn Red Wine is a blend of Zinfandel, Syrah, Grenache and Petite Sirah. It’s juicy in the mouth, with black cherry flavors and a bit of orange peel on the finish, with soft tannins.”

What I Think:

(14.5%) 51% Zinfandel, 39% Syrah, 6% Grenache, and 4% Petit Sirah – Nice full nose. On entry this is rich and smooth with juicy, slightly sweet, fruits of blackberry and cherry. These are joined by creamy tannins and a moderate acidity on the mid-palate. From there it turns tart before drying out on dusty, white pepper finish that turns a touch bitter before lingering on. A big wine, but not over the top, to pair with a big meal. If you don’t mind the tart fruit and flash of bitterness perhaps serve it with a nice beef chili on a cold evening…

Rating: 12th Bottle <- While I can imagine buying this one again I’m not likely to do so…

Next up for #CabernetDay is a bottling from an unexpected region; my first wine from Israel. Wine has been produced here since biblical times but you might be surprised to learn (as I was) that the birth of the modern Israeli wine industry has ties to the famous French chateau; Château Lafite-Rothschild, whose family helped establish some of the early vineyards and opened two wineries around 1882.

Today, wine in Israel is predominately grown in five regions with Galil, where our wine from today hails, being the most well known. It comes courtesy of Golan Heights Winery is located in the small town of Katzrin, high up on the Golan Heights where it was founded in 1983. They make about 380,000 cases, spanning premium varietals, proprietary blends and sparkling wines, annually. So how did this one bottle turn out?

Price: $14.99*

What They Said:

Per wine.com “The Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon expresses characters of ripe dark red and black fruits, layered with notes of earth, spice, chocolate, pipe tobacco and a hint of fresh herb. This rich, complex wine is full-bodied, with concentrated flavor and a satisfying, long finish.

Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon is enjoyable on the young side, but should really be aged for a few years to get the most out of it. The wine will continue to develop and should remain in good drinking condition for a decade or more. This wine is best paired with very flavorful foods. One good combination would be with lamb short ribs braised in red wine, beef stock and aromatic vegetables.”

What I Think:

(14.5%) This one hails from the Golan Heights in the northern part of Israel which shares a border with Syria and marks one of my first offerings from Israel. Nice ruby in color with fresh fruit on the nose. Juicy, briary raspberry and blackberry flavors on a warm, creamy, comforting palate. This one is medium bodied and very well balanced. The structure really takes shape on the mid-palate where mineral notes and soft tannins emerge and lead to barrel notes and black pepper spice that lasts through a shortish finish. The notes above reflect my thoughts on day 3. This one started off bigger in profile and grew on me as it mellowed and hit its stride. Given that you may want to decant and or hold off opening for a year or two. If looking to try a wine from Israel (or need a Kosher offering) this is a fine place to start.

Rating: Buy It (It’s good and I’m guessing you haven’t had Israeli wine before…)

*This wine was received as a press sample

In honor of today being #CabernetDay (if you are interested in participating you can find details here) I thought I might share a few of my favorites starting with this stunner that “Jon Bonne turned me onto late last year. Broadside is a partnership of Chris Brockway of Broc Cellars and Brian Terrizzi of Giornata that focuses on making artisanal wines with a natural approach that are priced for people to drink, not collect. And based on my experience I must say they are doing a fine job of it (perhaps except that I want to drink and collect this one…)

Price: $18.99 @ Cheese Plus

What They Said:

Per Jon Bonne “The new release of Chris Brockway’s naturally fermented Cabernet from this high-elevation Paso site continues a stellar run. Pretty cassis and cured tobacco, with juicy bramble fruit. Try finding similar quality California Cab for the price.”

What I Think:

(14.1%) 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petite Verdot – Made with a super non-intervention philosophy you know you are on to something different as soon as this hits your tongue. Lively and pure this one starts with an aggressive flavor profile from the get go showing bright cherries and juicy brambly berries on a firm mineral backbone. These dry out to show tea leave flavors on a mid-palate that features a cola (along with a bit of caramel) tinged acidity leading to grippy, chewy tannins on a smooth, lingering finish. What can I say? I’m smitten. I will certainly be buying again.

Rating: Wow! (that said not your typical California Cabernet, though I wish it were, with only 2% new oak so approach with an open mind)

How about you? What are you drinking for #CabernetDay?

Based on my recent post on the Sauvignon Republic I’ve had many ask if King Shag is no longer your go to summer white what is? While the answer is multi-dimensional (see my Summer 2011 Top 10 List in the works) for today let’s just stick to the best white Trader Joe’s had to offer at this time (and I admittedly haven’t sampled them all…). That said I’m guessing you’ve seen the title of this post so let’s get to the wine itself (which while admittedly a bit simple) over delivers at the sub $8 price point.

Price: $3.99 @ Trader Joe’s

What They Said:

Per Vinum Cellars (pdf) “Light golden straw color, intensely fresh guava nectar, jasmine and honeysuckle aromas are the generous offerings of this unique blend. The palate quite clearly expresses a purity in acidity which is attributable to the wine’s majority contributor; Chenin Blanc. This acid profile is balanced deftly with appealing apricot flavors, texture and light rose pedal musk that can be derived only from Viognier. The palate is left with crisp green apple acidity, the nectary goodness of Peach/Apricot with an intermittent honeycomb finish. This wine is a marvelous accompaniment to fine goat cheese dishes like tarts, baked goat cheese over a mesclun of greens and champagne vinaigrette and small thin crust aged goat cheese pizzettas, with sun dried tomatoes of course. It is an excellent aperitif, favorite summertime sipper and Sunday brunch staple.”

What I Think:

(13.4%) 86% Chenin Blanc, 14% Viognier – Green/yellow tinged in the glass the Viognier owns the nose with honeyed floral aromas and banana notes. The palate starts crisp and clean with Chenin’s firm acidity leading the way. On the mid-palate the Viognier kicks in and the wine gets a bit richer with ripe peach flavors before a stony, mineral component emerges and drives through a (slightly creamy) green apple driven finish. An easy drinking, enjoyable bottle for $4. Count me in for a few more bottles…

Rating: Buy It

Price: $3.99 @ Trader Joe’s

What They Said:

Per Trader Joe’s Fearless Flyer (pdf) “Oh, how we love a good wine. But what we love even more is a good wine at a great value. That’s why we like Santa Barbara Landing Pinot Noir so much. You would, in ordinary circumstances, expect to pay considerably more for a wine of this quality from the Santa Barbara region. These, however, are extraordinary times in which we live, and it seems that extraordinary times produce both extraordinary wines and extraordinary values. Santa Barbara Landing Pinot Noir is a silky red wine crafted from grapes grown throughout the coastal vineyards of the Santa Barbara growing region. At first blush, you’ll notice aromas of strawberry, cherry and cedar. At first sip, the berries burst on your tongue and mingle with a bit of oaky-ness that leads to soft tannins and a smooth finish. This is an excellent wine to serve with our Vintage Reserve Cheddar (p. 7) and makes a cheery companion to our Stuffed Pork Chops (p. 21) at dinnertime. At $3.99 a bottle, this wine is a really terrific value that won’t be around forever. Get yours while it lasts, because when it’s gone we can’t guarantee we can get more.”

What I Think:

(13.5%) On the lighter side (see picture) but the right color. Garnet at the core with light reddish, orange edges. Right nose as it shows some strawberry notes with cloves. On the palate it is smooth and goes down easy. Rich but decent acidity with fake oak creaminess and manageable heat on the finish. It is clear this is nowhere near 100% Pinot and I’m guessing Syrah is its partner in crime. Far better than the Blue Fin offering Bronco put out last year. I’d have to say it is drinkable in a lighter, generic red kind of way. That said for $4 it could be far worse. I’d like to be harsher but while I won’t be buying this wine I have a hard time telling you not to if you were initially inclined to do so…

Rating: Skip It

Price: $5.99 @ Trader Joe’s

What They Said:

Per the bottle “We grow world-class Chardonnay grapes on our Rio Vaca estate vineyard alongside the Vaca Mountains just twenty miles east of California’s most renowned wine growing region. Vaca Small Lot Reserve Chardonnay is barrel fermented in 100% French oak to enhance its ripe pineapple, guava and crisp citrus flavors and to impart a long, richly textured finish.”

What I Think:

Whereas the URL (vacawines.com which doesn’t resolve) that is on the bottle is of little help our friends at the TTB can tell us this comes courtesy of Constellation Brands. Some mention of Mondavi and some Ravenswood but nothing definitive there. That said I did find a Rio Vaca Vineyards brand page on the Constellation site that indicated this wine was meant to be priced around $15 retail and was made by Blake Kuhn which may sound familiar to fans of Toasted Head wines. The brand page claims these wines are “Estate-vineyard focused wines just 20 miles from Oakville and Stags Leap on the eastern side of the Vaca Mountains but just $15 instead of $50″. What say the juice? Glad you asked…

Nice pineapple and citrus notes on the nose. Makes me flash back to my younger days when I use to slice pineapple after pineapple before marinating them in Malibu rum and heading off to the Jimmy Buffet concert. And it doesn’t disappoint from there. Rich, full bodied and structured with crisp green apple flavors on the palate and (or but for me…) a toasty, buttery banana finish that lingers on nicely. I actually find this pleasant which make me guess most California Chardonnay lovers would really dig it for $6. If you are out there and have had this one I’d love to hear your thoughts. Otherwise I recommend you grab a bottle soon. I’m headed out to grab more tomorrow and this is all but a lock to appear in the next rendition of my Trader Joe’s Top 10 Wines List!

Rating: Buy It (<- Almost unheard of for Chardonnay...)

Special shout-out to @ericsinsideout for the tip on this one!

This is a guest post from Bob Dwyer of the The Wellesley Wine Press which, for those not familiar, covers “a consumer’s view on finding, enjoying, and sharing great wines at great prices” so as you can imagine we are often sharing tips! If you are interested in taking a look for yourself check out his value alerts or his latest hyper value finds.
*****************************************************
Price: $9.99 @ Trader Joe’s in Framingham, MA

What They Said:

Per the bottle “With its elegant red huge and powerful palate this 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon delivers an exceptional bouquet of blackberries, autumnal leaves and baking spices followed by opulent flavors of clove and marzipan. Serve with stuffed poblano peppers, roasted beet salad or tortilla soup with pressed Cuban sandwiches. Decant 15 to 30 minutes.”

What Bob Thinks:

A surprisingly hefty bottle with a raised label for a $9.99 California Cab. When I mentioned to the wine helmsman at Trader Joe’s that the label reminded me of the Chariot Gypsy he pointed out 3 or 4 other wines that have a similar looking woman on the label (Novella Synergy for example).

Deep dark red/burgundy in color. Not quite opaque but nearly. On the nose I get black pepper, deep black fruit and a little vegetal component I’d associate with Chilean reds blind. The mouthfeel is quite smooth initially, but on the backend I catch a little heat from alcohol with nice savory aromas lingering on in the glass. All in all a flavorful Paso Robles red priced on par with the amount of enjoyment it delivered.

Bob’s Rating: 12th Bottle
*****************************************************
Thanks again to Bob for sharing this post. Have any of you had this wine? If so we would love to hear what you think in the comments below…

Price: $5.99 @ Trader Joe’s imported by Lineage Imports

What They Said:

Per St. Lukes Estate Wines well nothing… We do get this from the bottle: “This elegant Sauvignon Blanc was made with grapes grown on the company’s Blind River vineyards in the Awatere Valley region of Marlborough. The nose shows lifted stone fruit aromas. The richly structured palate has an underlying mineral note and a long finish, expressing the terroir of the region.

What I Think:

It seems this one normally goes for around $24 and has been relatively well respected over the last few vintages. The ’06 was confused with Sancerre (Angela would love to hear your thoughts…) and the ’07 received some positive press as well. The ’08? Missing in action. About the only mention I can find is a “coming soon” from the winery itself. Why the mystery? Don’t know but rather than ponder let’s get to the wine…

(13.5%) This one is more mineral driven than would be expected of a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with a flinty, charcoal component immediately prevalent. That said there are still plenty of lemon/citrus notes here and as it warms some of that more traditional grassiness comes to bear. Crisp with bright acidity throughout on a firm mineral structure that leads to a finish which lingers nicely. Not your everyday Kiwi offering and a pleasant alternative (if you drink lots of NZ Sauv Blanc like me) to the status quo. This isn’t a wine for everyone but I’ll likely be grabbing another bottle sometime soon.

Rating: 12th Bottle

Price: $5.99 @ Trader Joe’s

What They Said:

Per Steelhead Wine “This very special wine composed of 100% Sauvignon Blanc grapes features delicious flavors of citrus and grapefruit zest with pleasant mineral character very reflective of its renowned Dry Creek Valley terroir.” — Steven Canter

What I Think:

Steelhead was in a recent Trader Joe’s Fearless Flyer and try as I might I wasn’t able to come across the Zinfandel. Given that when this Sauvignon Blanc showed up I decided to grab three bottles on sight. You see these are the products of Quivira Vineyards which I’ve heard many great things about. Steelhead Wines has its own site where you can buy this one today for $16 a bottle. Well kind of… You see you have to order 3 bottles which costs you $48 or the equivalent of 8 bottles at the $6 price tag Trader Joe’s is offering. Again (calm down Jason) another winery disrespecting their most important customer. Let’s get to my notes before the diatribe begins…

(13.5%) 100% Sauvignon Blanc – Typical in color. Clean, nice, zesty grapefruit on the nose. Plush and balanced with cantaloupe on top of a firm mineral backbone which keeps the palate crisp and refreshing. This one is fuller in the mouth than expected with nice citrus fruit on the edges with a pleasant short finish. This one is lacking the overpowering acidity which makes it food friendly and a good choice for the Thanksgiving dinner table for those thinking ahead. I bought three bottles and am likely to grab some more…

Rating: Buy It

What did others think about the Steelhead Sauvignon Blanc? Again I’ll send you over to Jeff’s at Viva La Wino for a different take.