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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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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 |
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- 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.
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This is a Cabernet Franc from Walla Walla Wines in Washington. |
| $8 from Fresh & Easy |
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- Strong alcohol aroma with a berry background.
- Harsh in the mouth pre-decanting.
- Mellows out some after decanting for some time, but still very one dimensional.
- Undertones of vanilla.
- Generic and manufactured overall making it a somewhat boring wine.
- Ordinary and generic tasting… Sort of like a little boy who gets a transformer action figure bit it does not transform… Sure it is still a transformer, but it does not do anything… disappointing.
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This is a Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley region of Oregon. We picked up this bottle to celebrate the recent gift of some fantastic new Riedel Vinum XL Pinot glasses and enjoyed this wine on Christmas Day. |
| $23 from LGO |
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- Aromas of wet moss, cherry, peaches. Very pleasant fruit smells.
- Tastes very smooth in the mouth with just the right tannins.
- Oak and natural wood with a hint of pipe tobacco. Black cherry finish.
- Exotic and intriguing like a midnight walk on the beach with someone you just met and may never see again… sad but undeniably memorable.
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Casillero del Diablo Concha Y Toro is a Cabernet from Chile. We would really like to try this same bottle again after a year or two of aging. This is a companion review to the 2006 vintage of the same wine. We recommend the 2006 for right now. |
| $9 from Fresh & Easy |
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- Fruitier aroma than the 2006.
- Aroma of leafy greens with a bit of fruit.
- Abrasive harsh bite in the taste.
- Too harsh and minerally. The harshness diminishes any positives and overpowers everything else.
- Not quite as refined as her older sister. This wine seems to be stuck in the terrible twos. Maybe with some aging and maturity she will develop and fulfill the promise of her older sibling
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This is a Pinot from France. We have tried this wine several times over the years, but for some reason it never made it into an actual review. We do remember enjoying the earlier vintages a bit more than this one, so if you can find one pick it up over the 07. |
| $12 from Bashas. |
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- Plumb aromas, followed by a distinct buttermilk smell
- Tastes of strawberry and apple finish
- Smooth start in the the mouth but it bites a bit at the end.
- Mouth feel is not so much soft but slick.
- Like a sharp witted and slick girl who always seems to have something up her sleeve. She is quick with answers that sometimes make you wonder if she is being serious….but when she calls you have no reason not to answer because after all, you don’t really mind spending time with her.
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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 |
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- 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.
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This wine is a Malbec from Argentina. We picked this up because we saw that it was a fairly new arrival to Fresh & Easy. |
| $7 from Fresh & Easy |
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- Aromas of ripe fruit.
- Masculine notes of leather and spice in the taste.
- High tannin content makes it a bit harsh in the mouth.
- Rich and robust tastes of oak and cigar with a lingering finish.
- This wine is not the like the weight watchers breakfast of fresh fruit and yogurt….this wine is much more like a stick to your ribs country style breakfast of steak and eggs with a side of corn beef hash.
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This is a Shiraz from California. This is one of Trader Joes’ “Two Buck Chuck” wines. We really liked the Cabernet and thought we’d give the Shiraz a review. |
| $3 from Trader Joes |
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- Jammy aromas with a hint of vanilla.
- Very acidic and sharp in the mouth.
- It’s really hard to get past the acidity in this wine – it masks any good flavors that might be there.
- A hint of oak.
- Remember how Joe Blow Red was like someone who rubbed you the wrong way for a while until you found out that you really had a lot in common and grew to value their friendship…..well this is more like the person that rubs you the wrong way the first time and continues to be a pain in the butt for the rest of your life. Leave this bottle on the shelf since it is absolutely horrible. We expect better of Trader Joe’s.
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This is a Malbec Bonarda Blend from Argentina. |
| $5 from Fresh & Easy |
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- Very light scents of fruit with a predominant alcohol smell
- Strong tastes of blackberry at first
- Hints of pipe tobacco follow the fruit
- A lot of body but the flavors are not defined….they tend to meld together
- A bit unrefined and boisterous….like the obnoxious friend everyone has in their circle… You can handle him in small doses and you don’t really hate him….you just need to limit your time with him before he becomes a little too much.
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