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This wine was purchased to kick off the weekend with burgers on a charcoal Weber grill. The burgers were made with garlic, onion, smoked gouda, and worcestershire sauce. It was a relaxed evening of conversation, dinner, homemade brownies and ice cream for dessert while the kids ran wild. A perfect way to celebrate the 80 degree weather in Phoenix. This wine is a great food wine that is bold enough to stand up to strong flavors yet it is also easily enjoyed on it’s own. I would be interested in having this again with some hard cheeses such as Parmesan and Romano. |
| $12 from Target |
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- Rich and deep aromas of cedar, and a hint of vanilla at first.
- Earthy flavors of moss followed by fruity plum at the finish.
- Touch of red apple on the tip of the tongue.
- Really opens up the flavors after decanting but is still slightly tannic.
- Bold, strong and aggressive yet contains a soft side that fits into every situation. This wine is comfortable at a hockey game as well as a night spend listening to the opera. Versatile and hip it is a wine for just about any occasion.
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This wine is a Merlot from Chile that we picked up while perusing the wine isles at our local Costco. We couldn’t resit it with a bold “90 points” baked right into the neck label. |
| $9 from Costco. |
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- Smells sweet with cloves and strong vanilla
- Tastes much dryer than it smells
- Blackberry and very aggressive vanilla tastes that grow stronger as the wine opens up.
- Like a smooth talking friend who is super nice but then one day suddenly get’s on your case about what is a non-issue and will not let it go… makes you want new friends.
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This is one of the wines in the new Martha Stewart line that was released last year. There is also a Cabernet and a Chardonnay available. The wine is produced and distributed by E & J Gallo Winery, of Modesto, Calif and made from grapes from the Sonoma region. The wines are so far only available in the select cities of Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Denver, Phoenix, and Portland. The wine is usually sold in the $15 price range, but we recently picked some up on clearance for $6. We have also reviewed the Cabernet and will be posting that review soon. |
| $15 ($6) from Bashas. |
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- Aromas vanilla and fresh green beans.
- Flavors are complex, but tend to compete with each other.
- Strong blueberry flavors that improve after decanting.
- Smooth and very dry.
- Very fruit forward but not sweet.
- This wine is like a “buy one get one free” coupon to a semi-upscale restaurant that you haven’t been to before… you are happy that you went, but wouldn’t go back if you didn’t have another coupon.
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This wine is a Merlot from Washington. We each had this wine on separate occasions and we both liked it a lot. I had mine with some friends from our condo while we had cigars and all my friends really liked it as did I. That being said…..the second time I had this wine was tonight and for some reason it did not appeal to us as much as it did before. It was much to light to go with the meal we had and found it was easily overpowered. |
| $7 from Fresh & Easy |
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- Very light and subtle aromas of fruit.
- Bold cherry off the start, but disappears quickly.
- Light plumb tastes in the finish.
- Overall mouth feel is very light and watery.
- A bit mundane overall but not a bad wine for sharing with friends on a summer day. It is kinda like going to the movies with your sister….sure you may have a good time with her and enjoy the show but it still is a movie with your sibling.
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This is a merlot from Tin Roof. We had this wine with steak on the grill to celebrate the end of the teaching year for Eddie. |
| $8 from Costco |
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- Subtle mint and smoke in the smell.
- Bold and robust.
- Tastes of prune straight from the bottle, but after decanting more of a plumb taste.
- More dry than sweet
- A bit tart on the finish
- Bold and in your face….like Like the drunk guy at the hockey game…he is loud but at the same time some of the things that he says just crack you up and you hate seeing him thrown out. Our recommendation is that you try this wine out. It may not be for everyone but for someone it will be a very good time.
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This is a Merlot from California. This is actually our second review of this wine… we lost the notes on the first review so in theory, this review is more refined than our first. |
| $9 from Trader Joes |
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- Earthy smells, soil and roots.
- Flat and one dimensional.
- Very standard and typical tasting table wine.
- Like going camping in the Pacific Northwest in the spring…While it may rain and there is something enjoyable about the way the forest smells afterwards…you really feel like you missed out on something great due to the weather.
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This is a Merlot I picked up from Fresh and Easy on the way home from work. I was planning on having a nice burger on the grill and was looking for a decent wine to go with it. The bottle really stood out to me for some reason and I was compelled to pick it up. |
| $8.00 From Fresh and Easy |
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- Heavy aromas of alcohol
- Very acidic and harsh in the mouth
- Slight flavors of oak and berries
- The alcohol taste kind of masked the fruit and overpowered it
- This wine is kinda like kissing a good looking girl who has bad breath…something about the bottle attracted me but once I tasted it I knew that I would not want to go there again.
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This is a Merlot from the Robert Mondavi Private selection. It is very common wine that can be found just about anywhere. We picked this up on short notice and had it with sausage and peppers. |
| $8 Purchased at Safeway. |
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- Hints of toasted oak and red berries in the aroma.
- Sweet off the start
- Fruity with berry flavors.
- Slightly tart with moderately high tannins.
- Mild strawberry finish.
- Simple but decent. Kind of reminiscent of watching reruns of Friends. You enjoy it but it does not excite you and you wish something else was on.
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This wine is a Merlot from the Columbia Valley of Washington. This wine was a great little find. I noticed that Wine Spectator gave the 2005 91 points; but the 2006 had not been rated yet. As I looked through the box containing all the Merlot I only saw the 2006….but to my delight as I was about to give up I found a 2005 at the bottom. If you can find this we would recommend trying it. We are also planning on going back and picking up the 2006; so be on the lookout for that review. |
| $14 at COSTCO |
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- Very Rich and rustic
- Scents of leather and wood
- Very masculine and earthy in aroma
- Initial burst of black cherries in the the taste fading into a more rugged woody flavor
- Nicely balanced and structured
- Moderate Tannins but decanting smoothed it out some.
- This wine is a warm fireplace on a snowy Christmas morning. Friends can gather around it while it gives off a warmth that makes everyone feel comfortable and happy to be there.
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This is a Merlot from the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. Unfortunately, we have not been able to find any retailer the sells Canadian wines here in Arizona. You may have a hard time finding this wine outside of Canada. If you are ever in Canada we highly recommend that you pick up some wine and share it with your friends. |
| $17 |
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- Dark berry flavors.
- Decanting is recommended.
- Smooth and spicy.
- Great with virtually any meat dish from burgers to steaks.
- This wine is like a wild child….time in the decanter will sooth out some of her rough edges but still leave her with the strength and spiciness that makes her personality so outgoing and adventurous.
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