http://www.justagrape.com Simple Wine Reviews By Regular Guys Fri, 11 Nov 2011 01:00:01 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.justagrape.com/rare-red-california/ http://www.justagrape.com/rare-red-california/#comments Thu, 01 Sep 2011 05:05:39 +0000 Eddie http://www.justagrape.com/?p=686 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.

]]> http://www.justagrape.com/rare-red-california/feed/ 0 http://www.justagrape.com/bogle-phantom-california-2006/ http://www.justagrape.com/bogle-phantom-california-2006/#comments Sat, 01 Jan 2011 03:43:12 +0000 Eddie http://www.justagrape.com/?p=650 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.

]]> http://www.justagrape.com/bogle-phantom-california-2006/feed/ 0 http://www.justagrape.com/dos-brotos-lake-county-ranch-red-california-2008/ http://www.justagrape.com/dos-brotos-lake-county-ranch-red-california-2008/#comments Sat, 30 Oct 2010 20:17:31 +0000 Mike http://www.justagrape.com/?p=638 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!

]]> http://www.justagrape.com/dos-brotos-lake-county-ranch-red-california-2008/feed/ 2 http://www.justagrape.com/francis-ford-coppola-rosso-california-2008/ http://www.justagrape.com/francis-ford-coppola-rosso-california-2008/#comments Sat, 25 Sep 2010 21:07:18 +0000 Mike http://www.justagrape.com/?p=631 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.

]]> http://www.justagrape.com/francis-ford-coppola-rosso-california-2008/feed/ 1 http://www.justagrape.com/chariot-gypsy-red-california-2008/ http://www.justagrape.com/chariot-gypsy-red-california-2008/#comments Sun, 25 Apr 2010 04:51:50 +0000 Mike http://www.justagrape.com/?p=597 This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel and Sangiovese.  This popular yet limited availability Trader Joe’s wine is once again available at this time (or at least it is here in Arizona).  This is our first review of a Gypsy vintage and it did not disappoint.  Overall providing fantastic value from a $5 bottle.  If you do see it your local Trader Joe’s, don’t leave without buying at least a couple! $5 from Trader Joe’s

• Smells of all spice, cedar, fire and smoke!
• Smooth texture with a great overall mouth feel.
• Sweet start with a dry medium finish.
• Tastes of charcoal, earth and wood with fruit undertones of dark berries and raspberry.
• Fascinating, deep and complex… like a book you pick up from a garage sale because you need something to read on vacation… yet once you start it you cannot put it down and it is more engrossing than the vacation itself.

]]> http://www.justagrape.com/chariot-gypsy-red-california-2008/feed/ 3 http://www.justagrape.com/the-california-wine-party-blend-california-2006/ http://www.justagrape.com/the-california-wine-party-blend-california-2006/#comments Mon, 16 Mar 2009 02:29:23 +0000 Mike http://www.justagrape.com/?p=458 This is a blend from Paso Robles California.  I picked this wine up at Trader Joes, simply because it had an interesting marketing angle, and it was only $6.  Turns out it was fairly decent, although probably not capable of government leadership if it were a real person. $6 from Trader Joes

• Fruity aromas with overtones of alcohol
• Flavors are a bit watered down.
• Short finish
• Tastes of blackberry
• Very easy drinking with good mouth feel.
• Overall it was not a bad wine.  It was enjoyable while it lasted but it kind of fell off the map with the finish…kinda like the way Giuliani fell off the map after Florida.  If this wine were the Governor of California it probably wouldn’t have much budget balancing success either… but people would still vote for it again.
  

]]> http://www.justagrape.com/the-california-wine-party-blend-california-2006/feed/ 1 http://www.justagrape.com/bogle-phantom-california-2005/ http://www.justagrape.com/bogle-phantom-california-2005/#comments Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:57:30 +0000 Eddie http://www.justagrape.com/?p=281 The first time we had this wine was in a wine bar and we really liked it.  We looked all over for it in Phoenix and found two places that carried it.  Cave Creek Wines and BevMo both carried it but BevMo was a little more expensive.  The wine is a blend and it is a special edition that Bogle is known for. $19 from BevMo

• The aroma was rich and juicy with scents of ripe fruit, rosemary and the slightest hint of black licorice
• Right out of the bottle it was a little edgy but decanting soften it quite a bit.
• Very nice mouth feel with flavors of oak.
• A very earthy wine with just a subtle taste of fruit
• Hints of pomegranate
• Having this wine for the second time after looking for it for so long must be what it is like to be an Arizona Cardinals fan and tasting the NFC Championship for the first time.  It is a thrill beyond belief…..If you find this wine, we really recommend that you pick up a bottle and enjoy it.

]]> http://www.justagrape.com/bogle-phantom-california-2005/feed/ 0 http://www.justagrape.com/columbia-crest-two-vines-vinyard-10washington-2005/ http://www.justagrape.com/columbia-crest-two-vines-vinyard-10washington-2005/#comments Fri, 26 Sep 2008 21:01:46 +0000 Eddie http://www.justagrape.com/?p=241 I picked up this wine because I have had Columbia Crest Two Vine series before and was never disappointed.  The price is right and the quality has always left me impressed.  Anyway, this one caught my eye because I did not really know what i was in the mood for and since it was a blend I figured I would give it a try. $7 at Safeway

• Aromas of Strawberry and clove
• Cranberry and spice in the flavor
• Somewhat tart but in a pleasant way
• Slight taste of a really ripe and juicy plum on the finish
• Interesting,intriguing, and keeps you attentive…like a very good college professor that engages you with so many things that you wonder where the time went in the class….ok..ok..ok…not really…it is more like the class clown that keeps you awake in a boring philosophy class because you never know what he is going to do next…Yup…thats more like.  This wine was a lot of fun!!!!!

]]> http://www.justagrape.com/columbia-crest-two-vines-vinyard-10washington-2005/feed/ 1 http://www.justagrape.com/joe-blow-red-california-2005/ http://www.justagrape.com/joe-blow-red-california-2005/#comments Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:48:36 +0000 Mike http://www.justagrape.com/joe-blow-red-california-2005/ When we first looked at this bottle with it’s funky label we did not have high expectations. We have been disappointed in the past with trendy looking labels. This bottle did not just surpass our expectations….it smashed our expectations. This is a bottle that you must pick up when you get the chance. The price is right and the complexity is so much fun. $9 from Sprouts

• Strong aromas of fresh, and crisp red berries
• Slight scent of dark moist soil
• Not very sweet, but has a nice balance of fruit and earthiness
• Felt soft and velvety in the mouth
• Flavors of strawberry and caramel with a hint of vanilla on the tip of the tongue
• Like meeting someone that just rubs you the wrong way at first but then after a while you find that you misjudged them and they have actually become a good friend that you would not trade for the world.

]]> http://www.justagrape.com/joe-blow-red-california-2005/feed/ 6 http://www.justagrape.com/recoleta-blend-argentina-2007/ http://www.justagrape.com/recoleta-blend-argentina-2007/#comments Mon, 07 Apr 2008 13:43:15 +0000 Mike http://www.justagrape.com/recoleta-blend-argentina-2007/ This is a Malbec Bonarda Blend from Argentina. $5 from Fresh & Easy

• 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.

]]> http://www.justagrape.com/recoleta-blend-argentina-2007/feed/ 0 http://www.justagrape.com/house-wine-blend-washington-2005/ http://www.justagrape.com/house-wine-blend-washington-2005/#comments Wed, 19 Mar 2008 13:44:38 +0000 Mike http://www.justagrape.com/house-wine-blend-washington-2005/ This wine is a blend of Cabernet, Merlot, Syrah, Malbec and Cabernet Franc from the Columbia Valley in Washington State. Overall it was not too bad. though for the price you could do a lot better than this. It tended to ba a bit on the boring side. $10 from Fry’s

• Aromas of sulfer and dark berries
• Quite tart at the beginning.
• Hints of green apple.
• Simple, smooth and medium bodied.
• A little generic and run-of-the-mill tasting. It did not offend but did not overly excite either…a few posts back we talked about a wine being like a plain looking librarian that when she took her hair down and glasses off you said Wow ……well….this wine is like the librarian that takes her glasses off and lets her hair down and you say….Yup…still a librarian.

]]> http://www.justagrape.com/house-wine-blend-washington-2005/feed/ 0 http://www.justagrape.com/the-big-kahuna-cabernet-shiraz-australia-2006/ http://www.justagrape.com/the-big-kahuna-cabernet-shiraz-australia-2006/#comments Tue, 19 Feb 2008 13:56:35 +0000 Mike http://www.justagrape.com/the-big-kahuna-cabernet-shiraz-australia-2006/ This is a Cabernet Shiraz blend from Australia. $3 Purchased form Fresh and Easy

• Strong fruit forward aroma with strawberry.
• Burst of strawberries right of the bat followed by blackberries.
• On the sweet side, but not too sweet or jammy.
• Simple thin and light with a medium finish.
• Like a piece of candy or a slice of cake is good after a well balanced dinner….so to is this wine…Not big or bold enough to rely on to supply all your nutritional needs; but definitely something you don’t mind having every once in a while….especially considering the cost.

]]> http://www.justagrape.com/the-big-kahuna-cabernet-shiraz-australia-2006/feed/ 5 http://www.justagrape.com/william-maltmans-double-red-british-columbia-20032004/ http://www.justagrape.com/william-maltmans-double-red-british-columbia-20032004/#comments Fri, 15 Feb 2008 14:04:45 +0000 Eddie http://www.justagrape.com/william-maltmans-double-red-british-columbia-20032004/ This wine is a blend of Marechal Foch and Gamay Noir. This wine is produced on Vancouver Island in British Columbia and may be difficult to find outside of that area. If you are on Vancouver Island we highly recommend that you try this wine if you enjoy wines that are more rich, earthy and dry. We tried our best to get a picture of the bottle but could not find one anywhere. The wine is produced at Godfrey Brownell Vinyards in Duncan British Columbia. $20

• Flavors of smoke, cedar and plum.
• Deep and dark.
• Decanting is recommended.
• Great with grilled red meats or pasta.
• Very hearty yet very drinkable.
• Deep , Dark, and complex…Like a mysterious women you see and talk with briefly on the subway… she gets off at the next stop and you wonder if you will ever see her again.

]]> http://www.justagrape.com/william-maltmans-double-red-british-columbia-20032004/feed/ 0 http://www.justagrape.com/ecco-domani-cabernet-merlot-italy-2004/ http://www.justagrape.com/ecco-domani-cabernet-merlot-italy-2004/#comments Wed, 13 Feb 2008 13:49:51 +0000 Mike http://www.justagrape.com/ecco-domani-cabernet-merlot-italy-2004/ This is a Cabernet Merlot blend from Italy with 53% Cabernet and 47% Merlot. $8 Purchased from Bashas.

• Notes of blackberries in the bouquet.
• Smooth and mild tasting but also a very flat.
• A medium finish with hints of spice and mild tannins.
• This is the Budweiser, or Molson of wine. It has been mass produced and marketed so as not to offend anyones taste… kinda like listening to the latest boy band… You know who they are and what they sing but once you hear one of their songs you wonder why you did not change the station.

]]> http://www.justagrape.com/ecco-domani-cabernet-merlot-italy-2004/feed/ 0 http://www.justagrape.com/black-opal-cabernet-merlot-australia-2006/ http://www.justagrape.com/black-opal-cabernet-merlot-australia-2006/#comments Sat, 02 Feb 2008 15:16:52 +0000 Mike http://www.justagrape.com/black-opal-cabernet-merlot-australia-2006/ This is a blend of Cabernet and Merlot from the Black Opal wineries of South Eastern Australia. We remember enjoying the 2004 version of this wine. We also tried the 2005 and did not like it nearly as much as the 2004. Sadly it seems the 2006 is also disappointing. $9 Purchased at Target

• Very subtle bouquet of strawberries.
• Slightly acidic in both start and finish with high tannins, decanting is highly recommended.
• Citrus and plumb flavors (with the citrus being the dominant flavor)
• Smooths out a bit after some time in the decanter.
• This is definitely a wine to have with a meal, we would not recommend having it on it’s own. It may earn another half trophy or two if enjoyed with a juicy burger or steak. So essentially, this wine is like a steak sauce… it’s pretty much only enjoyable if you have it with steak.

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