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. 

Sutter Home Chardonnay [cooking sized bottle] (just for fun...)

 Light golden hue with aromas of lemon, vanilla, and gentle spice.

Palette--First impression is you can tell it is wine, not much in the area of flavors that were present in the bouquet. 

This is a 187ML bottle bought in a 3 pack at the supermarket which my wife buys for making soups and things.  I don't know what she pasy for these but they have ben sitting around at room temp for months.

There not much here but if I had been tasting this blind, I would have said something like, "get it good and cold, serve it at pool side or with friends who just want to let their hair down and have fun." 

Don't think of it as "Chardonnay" one of the premier wine grapes of the world, but as a pool-side sipper with light appetizers and good friends who really don't care about the pedigree of wine. Sutter Home was one of my earliest wines some 50 years ago so they are not exactly a flash in the pan kind of winery. 

 

Josh Reserve Zinfandel (bourbon barrel aged) 2021

Deep purple hue with a touch of ruby and aromas of rich fruit, spice, 

Palate--Nice first impression and even though just out of fridge, the body and flavors are rich delicious. Straight forward rich dark spicy berries and a hint of espresso. Not sure why, but I like this more than I did in my recent review of the same wine.

Trader Joe's received a limited shipment of this wine and were dumping it for $10 which is about half of what I believe it goes for. If they have more the next time I am near TJ's I will be grabbing more.  Raise a glass!

New Year's Eve: A time for bubbly!

New Year's means drinking; sadly TOO much for many, but let moderation rule and you can enjoy the celebratory contribution of bubbly to the New Year's party.

 Bubbly takes all kinds of shapes, styles, quality and price tags. Many tend to use the word "Champagne" when what they mean is a sparkling wine. ie., carbonated. 

Champagne is a type of "Bubbly" that is grown and produced out of the Champagne region of France! All Champagne is "bubbly" but not all bubbly is Champagne. Candidly--Champagne is the best of the best of all bubbly's but comes with a price tag as well. And since few have the palate to appreciate the extra cost--which can run into the hundreds of dollars per bottle--you are throwing money away.

Sparkling wines will run in the area of $10 and up but no where the price of Champagne. If you ha e a Trader Joe's near you, they sell several bubblies which are down right drinkable and you will pay under $15 per bottle. 

Mumm's Napa Brut Prestige is probably my favorite for the price. But even that has escalated to over $20 a bottle....  

Spanish sparklers tend to be a pretty nice bargain. Called "CAVA" they are ubiquitous, fun a tasty. Price point $12-$18 

Korbel is a California sparkler and for the price is OK.

A couple to avoid--Barefoot Bubbly... Cook's and Yellow Tail 

If you have read this far--Search this blog for key words New Years, or bubbly, etc.

Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon "Columbia Valley" 2022

Deep rich eggplant hue with brooding aromas above the rim of "bready" bowl of jammy dark berry compote.

Palate--Hmm...An unremarkable first impression with sily structure, tightly wound fruit, and a fleeting finish. (just opened and needs to warm up... ). After warming up some it is fuller and more varietal which is what you expect when a wine comes to temp which is why you let it "open up" if you store it at cellar temp. which is 55 degrees F.

At the $12-$15 price point it is a decent Cabernet so raise a glass!

 

Cockburn's "Special Reserve" Porto

 

Essentially black hue with deep aubergine hue at the rim with a bouquet of lush brooding dark prune fruit with a sweet spicy presence above the rim, and nearly floral rose petal notes.

Palate--Intense sweetness on a bed of bold structured foundation with silky tannins, and gargantuan prune and uber ripe plum on a luxuriant mattress of intense fruit flavor with a surprisingly quick finish.

I snagged this at a state liquor store for $18 and all you can say about port wine is that done right it is extra-terrestrial.  I am pairing this with a slice of Harry and David's dark chocolate "something" (foreground of pic)  and it is going to be otherworldly!  At $18 you MUST raise a glass!

Tortoise Creek Zinfandel 2022 (LODI)

Purple hue moving toward ruby toward garnet with aromas of spicy plum, blackberry, and sweet/savory spice.

Palate-- Supple presentation with robust Zinfandel fruit all over the place, balanced structure, a touch of wood mid-palate and a short finish.

This a really nice Zin from LODI (California) and I grabbed about 3 cases a couple years ago from a state liquor store which always has crazy great buys.  I found this Zin (2019) selling for $7.50 a bottle! I was sorry I didn't buy more before they ran out.  So on a trip down to Mass. we go to the NH Liquor store that has these great buys and NO sales tax. So I grabbed 1 case at the same ridiculous $7.50 a bottle.  All I can say is raise a case!!! 

Corvelia Zin 2023 ($10) against the above: Another bargain Zin with a classic Zin profile and bouquet. See previous review. I like the 2022 TC a touch better than the 2019 as it stands but both are SUPER values so raise a glass!

BA CA Home Base Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley (Sonoma) 2021

Purple with some depth and aromas of sweet plum and nuanced herbal notes.

Palate-- Mouth watering acidity with unctuous dark berry and raspberry, a strong herbal presence mid-palate but shallows out with a fleeting finish. 

A bit of a watery texture which is disappointing.  This wine was given 92 pts by the esteemed Wine Enthusiast. I am not tasting that... 

I paid $21 for this Zin with a reference price of $40. I would have been VERY disappointed at $40 and I am even disappointed at the $21 I paid. I regularly drink Zins for half that price and they are as good, maybe better. At the $21 price point I would give it a pass much less the $40 mark...

Monte Antico "Toscana" 2020

Ruby hue with aromas of crushed dried italian herbs, rustic cherry.

Palate--Acidic front with dried herbal fruit up front and mid palate, oregano, dry finish. Mouth watering acidity, and a bond dry presentation.

This Trader Joe's offering at $8 is always a winner and at 4 years old it is reaching its peak but will drink enjoyably for another 2-3 years.  Raise a glass!

Having a Lou Malnatti's Chicago style deep dish pizza I have shipped in routinely and at this time of Christmas cheer, reach out to someone you don't know and just say, "Merry Christmas!" 

SCOTTO Family Cellars Old Vine Zinfandel. "Legacy Series"

Slightly opaque garnet to the rim with ampol aromas of blueberry danish, tomato juice, and lightly floral with spice.

Palate--a mouthful of spicy blackberry and blueberry with a cozy structure and mouth filling flavors that linger.

I have had a different bottling of this Scotto Zin by the case it is such a bargain at $9 at Trader JOes.  This is the first time I have seen this  "Legacy Series" which also runs $9. It has a bit more character than the other bottling but both a supre values so raise a glass.

Hugel "Gentil" 2023

 

Light golden hue with aromas of sweet vanilla laced with lime and green apple.

Palate--Off dry, but more dry than "off" with a steely mid-palate and citrus notes and a quick finish.

This Alsatian blend of Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Gewurztraminer is a tad disappointing not because of the wine as much as my expectation that it would be a touch "sweeter" to pair with my Asian cuisine tonight. I think it will "work" but I do not think it will be an enhancement to the meal.  

I paid $16 for this at a European specialty shop in rural Maine. It's not at all substandard, i just had different expectations. That is my fault because I should have known that as al Alsatian creation it would be bone dry more than anything. So, it is good wine so raise a glass!

Motif Cabernet Sauvignon (Red Hills Lake County) 2023

Dark slightly opaque garnet hue with aromas of Crushed dried red berries, plum with spiced apple rings, and something else....

Palate--Somewhat staid first impression but flavors fighting to burst out. Confusing presentation but there is something pretty nice hiding underneath its youthfulness. Relaxed structure, easy to drink, should be a good food wine (baked chicken with root vegetables pairing) quick finish but makes you want to go back for more.

A Trader Joe's offering at $10, I will be buying more so raise a glass!

Corvelia Zinfandel Paso Robles 2023

 

Lovely eggplant hue with aromas of spicey dark berries, and a youthful presentation. 

Palate--Mouth watering structure with relaxed tannins and a big burst of spicy berry mid palate with a warm lingering finish. 

This is a welcome sight at Trader Joe's as it disappeared for a couple years but found it this past week.  It needs another 1-2 years to mature but is a nice bargain at $10 so raise a glass!

Inscription Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley) 2023

Beautiful ruby hue with aromas of strawberry/cherry simple and straightforward but definite.

Palate--Mouth watering structure with subdued fruit on opening, and essentially no finish.

Right now, out of the gate this is a big disappointment. Willamette Valley, Oregon is a well known Pinot Noir AVA. (American Viticultural Area)  ie., a wine region that meets certain requirements and merits this distinction)  for first class Pinots. Hopefully this will open up into something much greater than what it is on first blush. 

I am having it with turkey pot pie made with--what else-- left-over Thanksgiving turkey. This is a Trader Joe's offering at around $12 but showing around $22 on-line.  The Wine Enthusiast gives this wine a 90 point score which is absurd from what I am tasting. At any rate, if this wine surprises me and opens up I will update this post. 

JOSH Zinfandel 2021 "Special Reserve" (Bourbon Barrel Aged)

Ruby, garnet hue with a big bouquet over the glass with lovely brooding black raspberries, with notes of coffee, and dark chocolate.

Palate-- Fruit forward on a foundation that is well structured. There is a special twist mid-palate, and espresso, home baked berry pie, and somewhat lingering finish that makes you look forward to the next gulp! 

This $10 value from Trader Joe's is one of the better wines I have had in a long time. In fact I just got home from the store where I bought the 1 bottle and grabbed several more. Raise a glass!