M. Chevallier BRUT (Cava) (*NV)

Light lemon juice hue with aromas of lime, a tropical fruit, and something elusive...

Palate--Pin prick bubbles in good amounts, with a burst of lemon lime on the palate with that elusive tropical "something" finishing quickly. 

This is a "go-to" sparkler from Trader Joe's which is a reliable bargain at $8! I am having charcoal grilled chicken thighs with baked cheese curds, and this will be a refreshing palate cleanse. So chill it down well, and enjoy as an aperitif or with appetizers or pool side with nothing but the value joy it brings on a hot summer day. Raise a glass! 

*(NV) Means this wine is not a vintage wine meaning the grapes can be sourced from multiple years' harvests. 

3 million hits just hours away!

Do you ever wonder if anyone but you is checking out my wine blog? Well today Aug. 10, I should crack the 3 MILLION mark! I began this blog simply for the love of wine. And while I have been encouraged, even scolded, for not "monetizing" it, that was never my intention. 

So I hope you keep checking in and exploring the world of wine. And on a technical note--I have not had a single comment, not even spam (for which I am grateful) which makes me wonder what I have toggled to prohibit your input. Note--I am 73 years old, not a tech. geek for sure, but not utterly ignorant either and while I have checked my settings to allow comments, they all seem to be in order but... 

Anyway--RAISE A GLASS!

Clayhouse Red Blend 2020

Deep ruby/purple with aromas of black cherry with dark fruit and gentle spiced apple.

Palate--Silky texture and relaxed tannins, with big black cherry profile pn a balanced frame. Finishes a little abruptly but hangs on for a moment. 

This wine runs around $20 but I got it for under $8... It is very finely structured, and will be great with my charcoal broiled US Prime Sirloin Steak.  Raise a glass!

WENTE "Southern Hills" Cabernet Sauvignon Central Coast 2021

 

A luxuriant deep, dark purple hue with aromas of tight blackberry compote with a spring floral bouquet.

Palate--An angular acidic first impression which I wasn't expecting. Fruit forward as one would expect and too immature to really enjoy what's there.  Never-the-less this is a well made, inexpensive cabernet which is underpriced, for what's there. If you have the space and the patience, this could yield big rewards with another 2-3 years of aging. 

I am pairing with charcoal grilled "bistro steaks" and it will be perfect.  Listed at $17, I paid $12 for it which is a bargain so raise a glass!

Gnarly Head Zinfandel (LODI) 2022

 

This previously reviewed Zin in different vintages is before me again. Ruby hue with aromas of blackberry with a nuanced "something" I am trying to pin down. 

Palate--"Sweetish" first impression but this is NOT a sweet wine. Nice LODI Zin fruit galore and while it has a quick finish it is what I want in my Zins!  Well made, easy to drink, robust fruit and a touch (in this vintage) of a hint of savory spice. This is up there with Zins I have had costing half again as much.

At $10, this is a don't even think about it and just buy it!  Raise a glass!

Stolpman Vineyards GRENACHE (Santa Barbara) 2023

Very light ruby on the pour with aromas of spicy bright cherry-berry, and while I keep sniffing for more I don't find it.

Palate--First impression is a much bigger wine than its hue might indicate. Acidic boldness but not overpowering--give it another couple years perhaps. Finish is quick with not a lot of complexity as I expected but then again the reason I love Grenache is for its fruity simplicity bordering on elegance when well made as Stolpman does to perfection. It is a gorgeous wine in the glass by appearance but a touch disappointing on the palate. Too young--perhaps. 

Many years ago whole on a wine trip to Santa Barbara I stopped in Jaffurs and met some of the staff but Craig was in Europe--go figure...  :)  After a superior contact with these good folks we made our way to town to the tasting room of Stolpman.  It was spacious, friendly, elegant but not pretentious, and the staff there was also superb! Great conversation... So when I ran across this at a New Hampshire Liquor store I was stunned and had to buy it. Living in Maine specifically I have never seen a Stolpman production in 4 decades. I was truly excited to find this and while listed at $40 it was on sale for $17. Fresh, clean, mouth watering juiciness I will be pairing it with my Sunday night "Lou Malnatti's" Chicago Deep Dish pizza and I know it will be great so raise a glass!

Chateau De Beauregard-Ducourt 2020 Grand Vin De Bordeaux

Garnet-ruby hue with aromas of lovely fruit above the rim, blackberry compote with hints of sweet spice.

Palate--Integrated structure with nice balance, somewhat tightly wound fruit mid palate, silky tannins and a thin finish.

I paid $13 for this nice wine marked down from $19 and it will pair nicely with my homemade Boeuf Stroganoff. It still needs some time to come into the fullness of what is there. Maybe another 2 years at least.  Raise a glass! 

 

Casillero del Diablo (Reserva) "Seleción Red" semi sweet

Black cherry hue with aromas of blackberry and a hint of bacon, and a floral note on the end.

Palate--Fairly robust presentation on first impression, with a savory nuance with bold blackberry fruit.

This is an easy drinking red wine that is well made and delicious and while I would prefer they had not put "semi-sweet" on the label I suspect I know why they did it.  Many people over the years are quick to tell me they do not like red wine. "They are too..." --fill in the blank--!  But this red wine is just so well made that it doesn't have all the "off-putting" nuances that cause many to think they do not care for red wine.

Bottom line?  Raise a glass!

Concha Y Toro is a Chilean wine producer who has made a consistent and impressive impression on the world of wine! My wine journey began about 1980 and Casillero del Diablo was an economical wine value for a struggling young family with 3 children and not long out of the Army. I would not be able to enumerate how many bottles of their wine I have has over the decades.

As I became stronger financially I imbibed on a few bottles of Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon. Back in the day, I would pick up this splendid production for around $45 on release. Now...Let's just say I haven't had such a bottle in over 2 decades.  Pretty much sells for around $150 on up! 

Freakshow Petite Petit 2022 (Lodi)

Quick swirl shows deeply pigmented hue seeming to adhere to the side of the glass.  This is a DARK purple, nearly blackish as you might expect from a Petite Sirah. Aromas of rich ripe plum with a touch of savory and sweet spices. Finishes quickly.

Palate--Supple first impression of silky tannins and rich fruit forward assaults of rich, ripe blackberry and plum with a bit of vanilla.

"Petite Sirah" (not to be confused with Syrah) is a DARK, BOLD, fruity grape here blended with "Petit Verdot" from the LODI *AVA of California.

*AVA = American Viticultural Area which is an official designation certifying it's growing area of the region which has impact on the type of wine the grapes produce. [To put is simply]

The label is clownish which I personally don't care for in that it seems to downplay the seriousness of all that goes into making a good wine. I know that is not the case here but never-the-less...

I think I paid maybe $12 for this and will pair it with grilled bacon cheese burgers and it will work!

Querceto Chianti Classico 2022

 

Purple/ruby hue with *aromas of black licorice, black cherry, with rustic delicate undertones.

Palate--First impression is a bit course, with sharp acidity pushing forth with tightly wound tannins muting the black cherry wanting to burst out.

When I opened this bottle the first aromas hitting the nose was "mildew" at which I recoiled since that is most often a sign of "**cork taint" which is dreaded by every winery and which gave rise to the adoption of screw cap bottles. This however is NOT cork taint but another rather enigmatic phenomenon called "bottle stink!" The difference between "cork taint" and bottle stink is that bottle stink is very fleeting and is gone in a matter of just a few swirls of the wine in a glass. A wine that is "*corked" is dead on arrival and should be dumped. It won't hurt you but it is just nasty to drink.

I have had cases and cases of Chianti's from this great producer. Having tasted this wine in its home of origin will stay with me til I die.  There are several levels of productions from Querceto and each one is a great value.  This isn't one of their best by far but at ***$10--which is what I paid for it-- it will go great with grilled burgers to anything tomato based to pizza so raise a glass!  

***I see this listed at $20 and beyond. THIS wine I am drinking is NOT worth that but at $10....

Josh Zinfandel (Bourbon barrel aged) 2021

 

Deep eggplant hue with aromas of intense fruit with interesting notes of different unique touches probably due to the bourbon barrel aging and charred oak.

Palate--bursting with dense dark ripe blackberry and spice with cranberry deep in the palate. The mouthfeel is elegant with integration and finesse.

This previously reviewed Zin was a steal at $7 on a close out when it generally sells around $20. At that price point it would still be a valid bottle! This is my last bottle and I am saddened.  Raise a glass!

Claire Patelin 'Sauvignon Blanc' (Cotes de Gascogne) 2023

 

Pale straw hue sets off a bouquet of classy "sweet" pineapple and a melange of tropical fruits

Palate-- a balanced first impression gives way to a nicely integrated quaff yielding bright, fresh flavors of a fruit salad that is NOT sweet but rather gives the impression that it is because of the potent bouquet of fruit. (The term in the wine world for this is "off-dry.") 

It will pair nicely with a big variety of lighter cheeses, white sauced pasta dishes, just about any seafood not prepared in a tomato based heavily spiced sauce.

I reviewed this wine over a year ago and noted the "grassy nose..." That is now gone.

It has been a while since I have reviewed a S. Blanc which is the name of the grape now produced world wide but the French version of this grape is distinct from the domestic S. Blancs of the U. S. which give a pronounced "grassy" bouquet and while lovely in their own right, the French version is what put S. Blanc on the map.    

This is a Trader Joe's offering and comes in at the unreal price point of around $8 I think.  Raise a glass!

Niersteiner Spiegelberg Kabinett (Rheinhessen) 2022

Pale golden hue with aromas that are very subtle probably due to the chill of the wine fridge set at 55 degrees F.  I'll add to this when it comes closer to room temp...

Palate--Immediate first impression of gently sweet mid palate with uncomplicated summer fruit and melon.  The structure is a bit "flabby" for my preference but passable. Again the wine is too cold to appreciate so I will re-review this below.

This  Rheinhessen "prodikut (title)" wine is the fifth in ranking of sweetness which you know by the designation "KABINETT." and as you move up the sweetness chart it will read, Kabinett, Spëtlese, then Auslese, Beerenauslese, and Trockenbeerenauslese being the sweetest and the most expensive generally speaking. 

I am pairing this with baked Salmon with a dill and lemon sauce. At $15, it is "OK" but a bit disappointing.

Okay--after dinner and the wine coming up from cellar temperature it was pleasant enough but there are certainly many options available for a few bucks less that are significantly more flavorful.  Either way--raise a glass!

Fonbadet "B" Bordeaux 2019

Garnet hue with the slightest bricking perhaps at the rim. Aromas of surprisingly expressive blackberry, cranberry notes, gentle savory spices.

Palate--First impression is (I served it a bit too warm) Acidic foundation with lip puckering tannins, a beam of dark berry fruit and not much else.  The finish is fleeting and for the age of this wine it is showing better than expected

I have reviewed this wine at least three times before so it will be interesting to compare my notes. I suggest you do so as well and see the evolution of a wine related to its age. At $8 this is OK and I will be serving it with my grilled prime rib burgers from the Omaha Steak Company. THAT I am looking forward to.)

DA PIPA Tinto (NV)

Young purple hue with aromas of bright cherry berry and latent plum (maybe).

Palate--A confusing presentation of mouth watering acidity, on a bed of perky cherry and red berry.

This wine is marginal despite what the review said another site from Portugal, the wine's home. 

That being said it is also a very inexpensive wine and well, you get what you pay for. This may have been $5 but either way, "Life is too short to drink bad wine." 

OKAY!!!  Eating a little crow here: So I had the rest of this bottle with our Sunday pizza and I will admit that it was actually satisfactory considering... BTW it's also pretty good with "CROW!"  LOL...

Cross Springs Zinfandel (Lake County) 2023

Medium garnet hue with aromas of vibrant and slightly spicy dark fruit with a more intense spiciness inside the bowl.

Palate-- (Served a bit too warm) Nice presentation on first impression with loads of zesty dark mixed berry, and again, a touch of spicy goodness. Structurally sound and though young is probably at its best. 

With a list of $18 I paid $7.50 a bottle and bought several.  Glad I did. A nice pizza wine, pasta, lighter cheeses and anything italian or tomato based sauce.  Previously reviewed with similar notes.  Raise a glass if you find it around $10-$12!

WARRE'S Warrior Porto Finest Reserve

 

Intense deep purple nearly black hue with aromas of thick aromas of intense plum, blackberry, raisin, strawberry patch nearing harvest, and espresso.

Palate--Intense deep penetrating sweetness on the tongue yet with balanced, silky, presentation, with gobs of jammy lovely intense fruit with a silky lasting finish.

This Port is around $16 and worth every penny. Ya need to know how to drink Porto however.  It is a dessert wine and fantastic with some surprising pairings like strawberries, dark chocolate, bleu cheese, Stilton, and basically almost any desert you might serve but chocolate and fudge are the quintessential pairings. At this price point it is a NO brainer and wonderful so raise a glass!

Sky Side Red blend 2020 (North Coast)

Very cherry hue with aromas of sweet and spicy cranberry fruit with  a rustic touch to it. 

Palate--Acidic first impression that is over the top, with again, spicy cranberry fruit that is diminished with the raging acidity.  

I paid $12 (maybe) for this and it is to angular and with six years of age already done it is not going to relax.  I would skip this wine!

KungFu Girl Riesling. (Washington State) 2024

Pale straw hue with lovely Riesling aromas of sweet baby powder and lime above the rim, Christmas pudding in the bowl with vanilla bean on the edge.

Palate--*Off-dry first impression with sweet spice nuances surrounding a vanilla citrus note, and white not-quite-ripe melon and pineapple suggestions.  

Charles Smith has been creating Washington State wine at a bargain level for decades and he does it better than anyone!  This is a Trader Joe's regular offering around $12 and it is better than most wines like this at twice the price. I will be pairing this with salmon in a lemon dill sauce for my wife of 53 years who has endured the past 11 months of AML --Acute Myeloid Leukemia resulting in a Stem Cell Transplant at the renowned Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Ma. This birthday is quite special!

No matter how you pour it--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. 

Layer Cake Shiraz 2021

Nice rich looking dark purple hue with aromas of thick black berry compote, blue flowers, and a hint of cola.

Palate--Supple mouth feel with integrated body and fruit forward, with gobby dark fruit jam. Finish is nearly non-existent.

Shiraz is a BIG wine and Australia knows how to do it up from the $10 price point to over $1000 a bottle (Penfolds "Grange..." for example.)

Well, this is not THAT wine but it also isn't anything like that price point. LOL...  I think I may have paid around $12 and it is what you would expect at that price point.  

I am serving it with my homemade venison chili with spicy cinnamon, toasted cumin seed, and garlic,bacon and onion topped with shredded cheddar and a dollop of sour cream. It is to die for so raise a glass!