justagrape.com

Zingari Toscana (Italy, 2008)

Eddie — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 01:00:01 +0000

	This is a wine that we picked up from Costco based purely on the inviting description that the display had. We enjoyed this with some friends and some good food.
	$9 from Costco

Ripened fruit smells with blackberry tastes Smooth mouth feel with an anise finish Great food wine, with a shorter finish after decanting *This wine was like a 4th of July fireworks extravaganza… except it was one that started off really well but ended disappointingly with no finale whatsoever.*

Benefactor Cellars (Australia, 2010)

Eddie — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 03:15:52 +0000

	This wine had a huge special display at Traders Joe’s so we grabbed it as we walked by. It had a really cool label and we figured that with the price being so good and the label being so cool we would give it a shot. The wine is very harsh out of the bottle so we decanted it in order to see if we noticed any difference.
	$5 from Trader Joe’s

Harsh aromas of alcohol to the point that it burns your nose Very acidic at first A slight tart aroma similar to green apple Decanting opens up the aromas and we are getting hints of berries A bit of prune and strawberry on the finish High tannins and MUST BE DECANTED!!!!!! *Harsh and cruel like death at a young age… just like the age of this wine. You would be better off hoping that your benefactor left you a six pack!*

Rare Red (California)

Eddie — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 05:05:39 +0000

	Picked this wine up at Sprouts because it was in the wine rack but did not have a price. The bottle was super heavy and I considered purchasing it . Since I could not find a price I decided on another wine. Then a Spouts employee came out and I could not resist the draw of this bottle. I asked him for a price check and it came with a very favorable $6.50. I could not resist so I put it in my shopping cart. We would have liked to have a vintage on the bottle, that was one of our few complaints about it. It was a bit sweet for us and we were wondering if it would age well. The bottle was very heavy and seemed to be built for aging.
	$7 from Sprouts

Aromas of vanilla, and butterscotch a bit of moist Earth as well in the smell A bit of maple syrup on the tip of your tongue Some blueberry on the finish A bit fruit heavy and tannic *Really great at first. Creamy and sweet… a bit much after a while like going out to eat and having a dessert that is really good until about half way through when your stomach starts to hurt.*

WineWrights Pinot Noir (California, 2009)

Mike — Sun, 01 May 2011 06:14:57 +0000

	Picked up this wine from Fresh & Easy and had with corned beef, potatoes, soda bread and our favorite brussels sprouts with bacon.
	$11 from Fresh & Easy

This wine has herbal smells from the opening. Fruity hints of strawberry and strawberry tastes. Smooth and easy, nice mouth feel with low tannins Blackberry tastes at the end. This wine is a little like the lower end contract player that is signed for a low to mid range dollar amount and does what expected by filling a role that is needed, but does not exceed any performance expectations. It would be nice if they performed above their contract level, but they don’t so that’s what you get! Still a great bargain that does what it needs to.

Barbed Wire (California, 2009) Blend

Eddie — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 06:36:41 +0000

	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

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.

Francis Ford Coppola Rosso Blend (California, 2009)

Eddie — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 05:42:01 +0000

	This is a wine that we’ve reviewed previously in the 2008 vintage, but we were disappointed with the 2009 compared to the previous year.
	$16 from Fry’s

Aromas of over ripe raspberry and a slight hint of black pepper Very tannic out of the bottle Long finish with flavors of dark cherry A bit plain at first and the finish is where all the flavor is at Hints of rosemary Kind of like going to a Black Angus or a Red Lobster…a recognizable name that you are satisfied with but not overwhelmed. Buy it if it is on sale obut do not go out of your way to pick it up at full price.

Monrosso Chianti (Italy, 2007)

Mike — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 03:07:52 +0000

	This is a Chianti that we picked up from Costco and enjoyed with our delicious chipotle beef tacos on a quiet Monday night. Chianti’s are often such a great choice when choosing a wine to go with your meal because the Italians have designed them to be built for food. They can go very well with a wide variety of foods.
	$10 from Costco

Smells of bright vanilla and strawberry shortcake. Peppery with a sweet hint of cherry. Medium finish and smooth mouth feel. This wine was great with our meal as was expected from a Chianti, but after our food was done it seemed to fall flat a bit… like a great basketball player who is traded to a different team and never reaches the same level of productivity without their star point guard by their side setting them up for easy points game after game.

Bogle Phantom (California, 2006)

Eddie — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 03:43:12 +0000

	This wine has been reviewed by us before. We have been a fan of this wine since we first tried it in a wine bar in Tempe. We really felt like the 2005 was a lot better but this is still a pretty good wine itself.
	$19 from Total Wine

Aromas of cedar with a hint of vanilla. Tastes of dark chocolate at the start and finish. Flavors of plum and black cherry. Mouth feel is a little harsher than past Phantoms. *This wine is kinda like going to Hawaii and when the plane lands it is raining…sad…but you are still in Hawaii and the longer you are there the warmer is gets.*

Ora Montepulciano D’Abruzzo (Italy, 2008)

Eddie — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 04:46:14 +0000

	Ora Montepulciano D’Abruzzo from Fresh & Easy. This is a new wine that we picked up to have after a great Thanksgiving Day meal. The price led us to not expect much but we were very surprised by the depth and character of this wine.
	$5 from Fresh & Easy

Pepper and Spice smells Earthy with damp hay Tastes of sour cherry with plum at the end Smooths out a lot after decanting *Intense, deep, complex, yet at a price point that is undeniably perfect… like ordering Monday Night Football tickets online and ending up with Bowl Game tickets by accident.*

Dos Brotos Lake County Ranch Red (California, 2008)

Mike — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 20:17:31 +0000

	This is a red table wine that we picked up on a recent visit to the ever popular and frequently visited Trader Joes.
	$7 from Trader Joes

Smokey with rich blackberry smells and a hint of vanilla Tastes very smooth and rich with velvety mouth feel Tastes smokey too with more of the blackberry and cherry coming through Nice medium long finish. A great wine to have with a meal. This wine is like the perfect dinner guest… full of great conversation and an appreciation for good food… as an added bonus, they don’t overstay their welcome and leave at just the right moment… welcome back anytime!

Francis Ford Coppola Rosso (California, 2008)

Mike — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 21:07:18 +0000

	This wine is a blend of Zinfandel, Syrah and Cabernet. We picked it up and had it with some fantastic pulled pork sandwiches and coleslaw from the Aarti Party recipe. Overall it was a winning combination.
	$9 from Fry’s

At first open, the smells are sweet and a bit jammy. Grassy, alfalfa summertime smells follow a bit later. Tastes of vanilla, lavendar and honey with peach at the end. Very smooth and enjoyable – improving over time with decanting. Great all around wine for the price… easy drinking and relaxing… like spending a lazy summer afternoon lounging around in a hammock… sure you didn’t accomplish anything productive, but you felt so good doing it.

Marietta Old Vine Red (California, Non-Vintage)

Eddie — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 06:17:21 +0000

	This wine was a request for a review by a visitor to our site. We heard good things about it and figured we would go ahead and give it a try. We actually bought it once before and planned on reviewing it; but then just ended up having it with dinner and missed out on reviewing it. Since we really liked it, we felt like we needed make a point to review it… so here we go!!!!
	$9 From Total Wine

Rich aromas of vanilla and over ripe berries Sweet components yet nicely balanced Very smooth and easy drinking Flavors of plum on the tip of the tongue Subtle sweetness that leads to a pretty good finish A good wine that feels a little like a nice visit from your grandmother. She is sweet and charming but not overly gushing with wet kisses. Her stories charm you and when she leaves it almost feels as if she is still here.

Santa Ema Merlot (Chile, 2007)

Mike — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 05:31:32 +0000

	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.

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.

Vola Sangiovese (Italy, 2009)

Eddie — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 00:23:22 +0000

	This is a limited time availability wine available from Trader Joes. We’re not certain if it will return again this year or if it is gone for good. Very hard to pass up at $1.99 a bottle and we were not disappointed when we opened up the first one at home. This flavor profile and texture of this wine can be found in others for $8 – $10. If you can still find this at your TJ’s pick it up!!!
	$2 from Trader Joes

Smells of strawberries, pepper and sawdust Soft mouth feel and is very smooth after decanting Tastes of cedar and nectarine with a medium finish Changes and evolves as you drink it. This is a wine that keeps you interested all the time… You know its crazy buy you enjoy your time with it… it’s fun because you don’t know what is coming next… but it all makes sense when you realize it is a very schizophrenic wine.

Napa River Cabernet Sauvignon (California, 2007)

Eddie — Fri, 14 May 2010 03:24:45 +0000

	I went to Trader Joe’s to find a wine but they were out. I did not want to waste a trip there and figured I would look around for something else. I came across a section where much of the wine was gone and a lady scooted by me grabbed a bottle of Napa River while exclaiming “Good, they have some left” she proceeded to tell me that it was the best cheap cab I would ever have. Well with a recommendation like that, how could I resist!
	$6 from Trader Joes

Floral aromas, bright and fresh with a slight undercurrent of coffee Decent tannins and a little sharp on the finish Hints of licorice, some pipe tobacco and strawberry on the tip of the tongue A little chocolate on the finish as well Overall it is not bad for a $6 bottle of wine, but I don’t think it is big enough to stand up to the food it says it pairs well with on the back. It is sorta like losing in the playoffs… ya knew your team was good but just not good enough to match up with the elite team. Your still happy and continue to support them though.