Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc + Viognier (White blend) 2024

Gentle golden touched hue with aromas of Lemon, creme brulee, Granny Smith green apple.

Palate--Lightly dancing on your tongue with a slight sparkle, off dry, with loads of tropical fruit, lovely balanced acidity and a creamy finish.

Chenin Blanc used to be a jug wine back in the 70's and was considered "plonk" a cheap wine barely palatable but enough alcohol to give one a buzz. It was the "Rodney Dangerfield" of wine grapes and got No Respect--rightly so...As time went on this grape which was and is a staple of the Loire Valley of France. It is a beautiful grape making a wonderfully seductive wine. 

Viognier-pronounced Vee-Ohn-YAY, was a blending grape for all kinds of wine. It is in its own right another very nice floral known for its beautiful bouquet. At around the $12 price point you cannot beat it!  I am pairing it with baked chicken legs with root vegetables and I know from experience it will be GREAT--so raise a glass!

Sin Zin Sonoma 2020. (Sonoma)

Purple with garnet tint hue and aromas of red berries, dried cranberries.

Palate--Balanced first impression with prominent berry goodness and  Zin spice with a finish of darker berries.

Previously reviewed I do not remember what I paid for it but I know it wasn't the listed price of $16-20. It is a decent Zin worth grabbing if you can find it under $16. Pairing it with Sunday night pizza ala the iconic "Lou Malnati's" deep dish pizza.  Living in Maine but being Chicago born and bred, we crave "real" pizza... Raise a glass and a pizza from Lou's aka "A Taste of Chicago."  

Please note--I get NOTHING for this endorsement! :) 

Corvelia Zinfandel (Paso Robles) 2023

 

Deep rich eggplant hue with aromas of saltines, charred wood, and blackberry pie with gentle spice.

Palate-- Rich, spicy, fruit forward with deep dark black berry, lip smacking tannins and a fleeting finish. 

Corvelia has been one of my Trader Joe's faves since it arrived. Their Cabernet is also one of my faves and both at $10 cannot be beaten.  Reviewed before numerous times, I am having this my wife's homemade beef stew so raise a glass!

Tortoise Creek Zinfandel (LODI) 2022

Dense aubergine hue with aromas of dark berry fruit, maybe a note of root beer, red berries, and cherry.

Palate-- Wonderful mouth feel on opening with lovely dark fruit and rich spices galore, well made and a rich textured finish. 

It isn't just a lovely Lodi Zin it is well made and I found it for $7.50 a bottle so I bought a case! It sells for twice that and is a buy at that price! 

Tonya Pitts of the Wine Enthusiast nails the review! A great wine for the price and even nice if twice the price!  Raise a glass!

Conundrum 2022

Nice purple hue with aromas of brooding berries with a gentle spiciness and a more light hearted cherry presence.

Palate--Relaxed structure on first impression with a elange of red fruit, where nothing stands out yet is integrated with a nice mouth feel and flavor profile. 

This is a blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon which is a popular blend for California. They are always lively, fruit forward and east to drink. 

I am winging a pasta dish with store bought 4 cheese tortellini. I will create some kind of tomato based sauce which will pair well with this fruity wine.

I paid $15 for this and it is a decent value so raise a glass!

Taylor Fladgate Late Bottled Vintage Porto 2019

Inky dark blackish eggplant hue with aromas of sweetly spiced stewed raisins with a sweet above-the-rim punch.

Palate--Silky texture with a lovely bed of seductive, thickish gorgeous, intense, spiced currants with a velvety finish that lingers.  

Roger Voss of the Wine Enthusiast gives this $14 LBV 93 points. I was sceptical until I tasted this. Wowing at this price point so raise a glass and asip this followed by dark semi-sweet chocolate and ENJOY!

Roth Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (Alexander Valley) 2022

Garnet hue with aromas of Cranberry and red berries with cherry cream bon bon notes.

Palate--Nice first impression with balanced flavors, integrated structure, mouth watering acidity and a tightly wound core that needs age and breathing. 

I see a reference price on this wine for $30 but I found it for $20.  It is unremarkable due ot its age but will improve for at least 5 years and will reward hanging on to one.  I am paring it with charcoal grilled NY Strip and it will be wonderful I am sure.

At $30 I would be disappointed; at $20 It is a raise a glass kind of value from Sonoma.  

Masciarelli Montepulciano D'Abruzzo 2022

 

Deep dark purple with aromas of dense brooding dark berry with yeast and touches of cherry! 

Palate--Mouth watering, acidity with stringent structure and nice dense dark fruit mid palate...with a slightly metallic finish.

Masciarelli is a reliable name with a great history and a proven track record over many decades. Thi is a nice food wine and I am serving with a very simple pasta and tomato sauce. At $13 you can't go wrong so raise a glass!

Kung Fu Girl Riesling 2023

 

Light golden hue with aromas of lemon-lime and pineapple, tropical fruit salad and powder.

Palate-Nice first impression with balanced acidity and *off dry structure and fruitiness that is luscious and mouth watering.

Charles Smith has been creating Washington State wine at a bargain level for decades and he does it better than anyone!  I obtain the wine at Trader Joe's for around $10 and it is better than most wines like this at twice the price. 2023 is one of the better vintages so raise a glass!

*Off dry is a description of white wines which people tend to say taste "sweet" and they don't like sweet wines so they have determined NOT to like the wine.  BUT--An "off-dry" wine is a wine like this which gives the impression of tasting sweet but is actually bone dry because the definition of a sweet wine is one which has residual sugar left behind that has not been fermented into alcohol. 

Sin Zin Zinfandel 2020 (Sonoma County)

Ruby/garnet hue with aromas of crushed dried savory herbs, bright cherry and red berry bouquet, with the slightest floral note at the edge of the rim which I cannot pin down.  Very nice!

Palate-Mouth watering acidity, on a supple frame with notes of ***"too much structure and too little fruit..." Finish is nearly non-existent.

I just read a review of this wine from 2 years ago by the renown James Suckling. I followed him when he was with the Wine Spectator and found him to be reliable and with similar tastes as mine. His score and description of this wine (again--2 years ago) is nothing like the wine I have in front of me. I can only surmise that in those 2 years of aging, either my bottle was stored/shipped poorly or I am losing my taster's edge. 

At any rate, I think I paid less than the market price of around $16-$18 and it is disappointing.