Nov 17 2008

Waterbrook Melange (Washington, 2005)

Category: Blend — Mike @ 9:27 am

	This wine is a Melange from Washington. This Melange is a blend that contains Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc and Syrah. We ended up with this bottle by accident. We had another bottle of wine but when we opened it up the cork was destroyed and part of it disintegrated away. So what were we to do but go to the store and get another bottle. We found this one on sale from its original (perhaps inflated) price of $19 so we figured we might as well try it.
	$12 from Bashas.

Light aromas of spices and red berries. Mouth feel is very smooth and silky. Cherries on the tip of the tongue Dark chocolate and oak towards the end Medium finish A very good tasting and easy drinking wine. Refined and complex with enough characteristics to keep you interested. Like hanging out with the cellist of the New York Symphony. You know that you may not have a whole lot in common with her but you imagine that she would be very interesting and deep.

Have you tried this wine? Share your rating with us!

(1 ratings, average: 3 out of 5)

Loading ...

Tags: $12, 3.5 Trophies, Bashas, Melange, Washington

Comments (0)

Sep 06 2008

Root 1 Cabernet Sauvignon (Chile, 2007)

Category: Cabernet — Mike @ 11:28 pm

	This is a Cabernet from Chile. We reviewed the 2005 in January and thought we would compare the 2007 to that vintage. Once again this wine falls below the 04 that we really liked. It is not a bad wine but just not up to the level of the 04. Give it a try with some grilled red meat and you might find this to be a decent wine that is worth the price.
	$12 from Trader Joe’s

Hints of citrus with a strong alcohol scent Jammy aromas with spicy notes. Tastes of grapefruit A bit sharp on the tongue Overall mouth feel is a bit harsh and big with has a long finish This wine is definitely a food wine that would be great with a porterhouse steak and twice baked potato Bold and in your face like a school yard bully….taking it on by itself can be a bit overwhelming but pairing this wine with a hearty meal will take some of the edge off and reveal its softer side.

Have you tried this wine? Share your rating with us!

(2 ratings, average: 5 out of 5)

Loading ...

Tags: $12, 2007, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chile, Root 1, Trader Joes

Comments (0)

Aug 21 2008

Rockcliffe Family Cabernet (Washington, 2006)

Category: Cabernet — Eddie @ 10:10 am

	This is a Cabernet from Fresh & Easy. We picked this up one Saturday night and enjoyed it with bruschetta.
	$12 from Fresh & Easy.

Slight aromas of nutmeg and other Christmas spices. Slight hint of cherry in the taste with holiday spices. A bit tart on the finish…a bit like raspberry This wine really conjured up images and feelings of Christmas….Felt like going home to family after being away for a long time and laughing together around a big Christmas dinner…..of course sine it is the middle of the summer and fond memories are all that are left we no longer remember all the Christmas fights over politics and sports with drunk Uncle “Larry”

Have you tried this wine? Share your rating with us!

(1 ratings, average: 3 out of 5)

Loading ...

Tags: $12, 3.5 Trophies, Cabernet, Fresh & Easy

Comments (1)

Jun 22 2008

Primarius Pinot Noir (Oregon, 2006)

Category: Pinot Noir — Mike @ 10:00 am

	This is a Pinot Noir from Fresh & Easy. The bottle states that this is an an Oregon Pinot, but it was actually bottled by a winery in Washington.
	$12 from Fresh & Easy

Very transparent and light in color. Earthy aromas. Very good mouth feel, silky on the tongue. A hint of blackberries. Black cherry tastes with a short finish. This wine is the NBA in the late 90’s… it has a lot of redeeming qualities (M.J. is still in the league after all). It is still worth your time… but really it’s too watered down with not enough going on… it could have been much better if it were more focused.

Have you tried this wine? Share your rating with us!

(1 ratings, average: 3 out of 5)

Loading ...

Tags: $12, 2006, 3.5 Trophies, Oregon, Pinot Noir, Washington

Comments (0)

Apr 16 2008

Legaris Crianza Tempranillo (Spain 2003)

Category: Tempranillo — Mike @ 6:38 am

	This wine is a Tempranillo from the Ribera del Duero region of Spain. Tempranillo in this region is known as Tinta Fina. This wine has already aged for 5 years and will age very nicely for another 5.
	$12 from Costco

Aromas of chocolate, wood and ripe berries. Flavors of plumb, chocolate and vanilla in the finish. Abundant flavors with soft tannins. Very smooth and wonderfully complex. This is a thoroughly enjoyable bottle of wine that is fantastic to open now. We would love to have another bottle of this to keep for an additional 5 years to see how it matures. Complex and vibrant, just like your favorite charismatic Hollywood actress - except that this wine really is complex and vibrant, it’s not just putting on a show.

Have you tried this wine? Share your rating with us!

(1 ratings, average: 4 out of 5)

Loading ...

Tags: $12, 2003, 4 Trophies, Ribera del Duero, Spain, Tempranillo

Comments (0)

Jan 31 2008

Layer Cake Shiraz (Australia, 2005)

Category: Shiraz — Mike @ 6:44 am

	This wine is a Shiraz from the Barossa Valley in South Australia. This is our first review of a Shiraz wine. Shiraz wines are the same as Syrah (or Sirah) wines with the difference being that they are from Australia.
	$12 Purchased at Cost Plus World Market

Rich and dark with purple hues. Aromas of blackberries and chocolate. Tastes of vanilla, spice and berries. Would go best with big flavored foods. Bold and a little harsh with the alcohol taste coming through. I was expecting this wine to be layered with goodness and many different dimensions. Instead, this wine was more like a layer cake that sat in the sun all day, and the layers all kind of melted together. Not horrible, but I was disappointed.

Have you tried this wine? Share your rating with us!

(No Ratings Yet)

Loading ...

Tags: $12, 2.5 Trophies, 2005, Australia, Cost Plus World Market, Layer Cake, Shiraz

Comments (0)

Jan 13 2008

Badia Al Colle Chianti (Italy 2005)

Category: Chianti — Mike @ 8:04 am

	This wine is a Chianti that made up of 100% Sangiovese grapes. I got this wine from a cousin of mine and I have to say I was a little nervous about it at first. They are not wine drinkers and most of the wine I have had over there tended to be as sweet as Kool - Aid. Apparently somebody had given the bottle to them and they did not know where it came from. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by this bottle and will be on the look out for it again. So if anyone sees this bottle somewhere write us and let us know because I would really like to have this again.
	$12

Earthy with hints of leather and cigar. Great with any pasta dish. Robust yet easy to drink. A very dry wine. This Chianti has to be the “bottle of Red” that Billy Joel sings about in his song “Our Italian Restaurant”

Have you tried this wine? Share your rating with us!

(No Ratings Yet)

Loading ...

Tags: $12, 2005, 4 Trophies, Badia Al Colle, Chianti, Italy, Sangiovese

Comments (0)

Jan 11 2008

Root 1 Cabernet Sauvignon (Chile 2005)

Category: Cabernet — Mike @ 7:16 am

	This wine is a Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile. Root 1 gets its name because it is “crafted exclusively from grapes grown on the original, ungrafted root systems”. The grapes come from some of the oldest root lineage in the world. I really enjoyed the 2004 version of this wine and would rate that one in the 4+ trophy range. The 2005 is much more robust, has more tannins and is not quite as smooth - yet still a very enjoyable wine, especially after some time in the decanter.
	$12

Very dark ruby colored. Spice and dark berries in the bouquet. Plumb, cherry and spice flavors. Very robust with higher tannins - decanting is highly recommended. This wine is very nice with spicy and flavorful foods or red meats or pastas. *A great bargain from Chile and definitely worth checking out. Her older sister (2004) may be a little smoother but perhaps with maturity this one will get there too.*

Have you tried this wine? Share your rating with us!

(1 ratings, average: 4 out of 5)

Loading ...

Tags: $12, 2005, 3.5 Trophies, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chile, Root 1

Comments (0)

Dec 08 2007

337 Cabernet Sauvignon (California 2004)

Category: Cabernet — Mike @ 1:35 pm

	This wine is a Cabernet Sauvignon from Lodi California.The first time we had this wine was at a wine bar and we paid $30.00 for it. You could imagine our surprise when we saw it in the store for $12.00
	$12 Purchased at Fry’s Grocery Store.

A great all around wine with flavors of cherry and oak. Well rounded and great with steak but versatile enough to be enjoyed on its own. Moderate tannins. Decanting is recommended if possible. This wine is the perfect combination of a date with the prom queen and the budget friendliness of a band geek.

Have you tried this wine? Share your rating with us!

(1 ratings, average: 4 out of 5)

Loading ...

Tags: $12, 2004, 4 Trophies, Cabernet, California, Fry's

Comments (0)

Dec 08 2007

Red Guitar (Spain 2005)

Category: Blend — Mike @ 1:05 pm

	This wine is a blend of Tempranillo and Garnacha from the Navarra region of Spain.
	$12

Very simple, easy drinking wine. Not a lot of depth. Robust but not very complex flavors. This wine is like a girl you met at a bar, had some drinks with but didn’t want her phone number. She’s good to hang out with, but you don’t want to commit.

Have you tried this wine? Share your rating with us!

(No Ratings Yet)

Loading ...

Tags: $12, 1.5 Trophies, 2005, Navarra, Spain

Comments (0)