Jul 29 2008

Gnarly Head Zinfandel (California, 2006)

Category: ZinfandelEddie @ 5:47 pm
Tap We This wine is an old vine Zinfandel from Lodi, California. I picked this up for an end of the summer get together at my condo before heading back to work for the school year.
$10 from Fresh & Easy
Half a Trophy
  • Great aroma in the glass of fresh fruit
  • Heavy, Heavy, Heavy alcohol tastes
  • A bit of spice and oak was noticed after decanting
  • Slight burst of cherry at first but then masked by the overpowering flavor of alcohol.
  • I was all excited about this wine since I was celebrating the end of my summer with friends….Only problem….the wine was not. Drinking this wine was like getting all dressed up and excited for a date you have been waiting for…..only to have the girl call you 15 minutes before you leave to tell you she cannot make it. Huge let down to say the least.
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1 Trophy2 Trophies3 Trophies4 Trophies5 Trophies   (4 ratings, average: 2.25 out of 5)
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Jul 08 2008

Big House The Slammer (California, 2005)

Category: SyrahMike @ 1:34 pm
No Bottle Image Available This is a California Syrah from Santa Cruz. This is a cousin wine of Big House Red that we reviewed earlier.
$11 from Safeway.
Two Trophies
  • Smells of cinnamon and wet earth.
  • Hints of peach in the taste.
  • Tastes of boysenberry.
  • This wine would be much better with a good solid 1/2 pound cheeseburger fresh off the grill.
  • While this wine is O.K…..I am not sure that I would be willing to go to the Slammer for this bottle.
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1 Trophy2 Trophies3 Trophies4 Trophies5 Trophies   (2 ratings, average: 1.5 out of 5)
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May 23 2008

Tin Roof Merlot (California, 2005)

Category: MerlotMike @ 7:43 pm
Tin Roof Merlot (California, 2005) 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
Three and a Half Trophies
  • 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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1 Trophy2 Trophies3 Trophies4 Trophies5 Trophies   (4 ratings, average: 3.75 out of 5)
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May 08 2008

Bogle Merlot (California, 2006)

Category: MerlotEddie @ 7:57 am
Bogle Merlot (California, 2006) 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
Two and a Half Trophies
  • 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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1 Trophy2 Trophies3 Trophies4 Trophies5 Trophies   (11 ratings, average: 3.55 out of 5)
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May 03 2008

Red Flyer (California, 2003)

Category: BlendMike @ 10:20 am
Red Flyer (California, 2003) This is a red table wine from California. A blend of Syrah, Mourvedre, Grenache, and Carignane. I saw this on display at Trader Joes and couldn’t pass up the $3 price tag for a review on justagrape.com. My expectations were low, considering the bottom barrel price and our past experience with “Red” labeled wines (see Cheap Red, Red Truck, Big House Red and Red Guitar), but it turned out to be a half decent bottle. We recommend it if you can find it for the $3 price, but if you have to pay closer to $9 you could probably do better.
$3 from Trader Joes
Three Trophies
  • Very dark deep purple/red hues.
  • Apples and cherries in the aroma.
  • A little sweet and jammy off the start.
  • Bold smokey berry flavors with a short finish.
  • This wine is light hearted and bold at the same time. It’s that fun lovin friend you have that always speaks it’s mind and is an all around good time when you hang out.
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1 Trophy2 Trophies3 Trophies4 Trophies5 Trophies   (3 ratings, average: 3 out of 5)
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Apr 23 2008

Charles Shaw Shiraz (California, 2007)

Category: ShirazMike @ 6:42 am
No Bottle Image Available 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
Half Trophy
  • 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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1 Trophy2 Trophies3 Trophies4 Trophies5 Trophies   (3 ratings, average: 1.33 out of 5)
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Apr 14 2008

Joe Blow Red (California, 2005)

Category: BlendMike @ 6:48 am
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
Four Trophies
  • 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.
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1 Trophy2 Trophies3 Trophies4 Trophies5 Trophies   (5 ratings, average: 3.8 out of 5)
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Apr 12 2008

The Sonoma Trail Pinot Noir (California, 2006)

Category: Pinot NoirEddie @ 10:57 am
No Bottle Image Available This is a Pinot Noir from Sonoma California.
$10 from Fresh & Easy
Four Trophies
  • Hints of bright raspberry in the aroma.
  • The smell is very inviting, this wine can be easily be enjoyed on it’s own.
  • Immediately this wine is light and fresh yet full of flavor.
  • Strong smooth finish.
  • A very solid Pinot for the price. Pick it up if you see it.
  • This wine is like a surprise visit from an old friend. It’s comfortable and familiar, but you always learn something new every time.
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1 Trophy2 Trophies3 Trophies4 Trophies5 Trophies   (1 ratings, average: 5 out of 5)
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Apr 03 2008

Foodies Cabernet Sauvignon (California, 2005)

Category: CabernetMike @ 6:36 am
No Bottle Image Available This is a Cabernet Sauvignon from California
$8 at Cost Plus World Market
Three and a Half Trophies
  • Strong floral aromas.
  • Smooth and rounded with good body with tastes of plum and dark berries.
  • Easy to drink with soft tannins.
  • I was really surprised by this wine. I think the packaging lowered my expectations for some reason, but it turned out to be pretty decent. This wine was like going to a movie that you know nothing about, not expecting anything much and then being quite surprised by the quality and depth. Not a Oscar winner, but certainly worth seeing.
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1 Trophy2 Trophies3 Trophies4 Trophies5 Trophies   (4 ratings, average: 3.75 out of 5)
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Feb 29 2008

Nathansons Creek Cabernet Sauvignon (California)

Category: CabernetEddie @ 6:59 am
nthanson-creek.jpg
This is a Cabernet Sauvignon that my wife Lynnette picked up from Sprouts. She bought it so I could make a pan sauce to go with the steak she purchased as well for me to grill.
$5.00 at Sprouts
Three and a Half Trophies
  • Light, fruity and pleasant aromas
  • A rush of fresh raspberries right off the bat
  • Oak undertones
  • More Sweet and fruity than earthy but not overwhelmingly sweet
  • This is not as big and bold as you might expect from cabernet but it is still good.
  • Decent wine, but you feel a little bit tricked since it did not have the usual characteristics of a Cab…Kinda like going to a movie because of the previews you saw….Then the movie turns out to be very different than you expected….but the pan sauce was excellent!
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