Aug 24 2010

Marietta Old Vine Red (California, Non-Vintage)

Category: ZinfandelEddie @ 11:17 pm
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
Four Trophies
  • 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 and you and when she leaves it almost feels as if she is still here.
Have you tried this wine? Share your rating with us!
1 Trophy2 Trophies3 Trophies4 Trophies5 Trophies   (1 ratings, average: 4.00 out of 5)
Loading ... Loading ...


May 13 2010

Napa River Cabernet Sauvignon (California, 2007)

Category: Cabernet SauvignonEddie @ 8:24 pm
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

Three and a Half Trophies

  • 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.
Have you tried this wine? Share your rating with us!
1 Trophy2 Trophies3 Trophies4 Trophies5 Trophies   (1 ratings, average: 3.00 out of 5)
Loading ... Loading ...


Apr 24 2010

Chariot Gypsy Red (California, 2008)

Category: BlendMike @ 9:51 pm
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
Four and a Half Trophies
  • 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.
Have you tried this wine? Share your rating with us!
1 Trophy2 Trophies3 Trophies4 Trophies5 Trophies   (3 ratings, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Loading ... Loading ...


Dec 01 2009

Cellar No 8 Pinot Noir (California, 2008)

Category: Pinot NoirMike @ 8:00 am
Cellar No 8 Pinot Noir This wine is a Pinot from California.  Cellar No 8 makes a fantastic Cabernet for the price and when we saw this similarily priced Pinot from the same maker we couldn’t pass it up.
$8 from Total Wine
Three and a Half Trophies
  • Aromas of earth and moss with wood undertones
  • Earthy taste, with toasted oak.
  • Very similar to the Cabernet which was unexpected for a Pinot.
  • Non-typical Pinot, but very enjoyable.
  • Not your typical Pinot, but typical of Cellar No 8 wines.  Rustic, hard and very masculine – like a Pinot on steroids.  It has the feeling of a female body builder, you know she is a women but muscles are way bigger than yours!
Have you tried this wine? Share your rating with us!
1 Trophy2 Trophies3 Trophies4 Trophies5 Trophies   (3 ratings, average: 3.67 out of 5)
Loading ... Loading ...


Mar 15 2009

The California Wine Party Blend (California, 2006)

Category: BlendMike @ 7:29 pm
No Bottle Image Available 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
Three and a Half Trophies
  • 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.
Have you tried this wine? Share your rating with us!
1 Trophy2 Trophies3 Trophies4 Trophies5 Trophies   (3 ratings, average: 3.67 out of 5)
Loading ... Loading ...


Jan 28 2009

Dancing Bull Zinfandel (California, 2005)

Category: ZinfandelEddie @ 4:46 pm
Dancing Bull Zinfandel (California, 2005) I picked this wine up because I was looking for something a little different than the traditional Chianti to have with my Penne and sausage that I was making tonight.  I normally shy away from Zinfandels but for some reason I figured I would give this a try.  The one I picked up is the 2005 and I noticed that they had the 2006 there as well.  I am really interested in trying both of them.
$8 From Fresh & Easy
One and a Half Trophies


  • A bit overpowering at first
  • Sort of vinegary in the beginning
  • Fruit flavors are muddled and hard to pick apart
  • I could taste a bit of black cherry and this may sound weird but I detected a slight hint of kiwi on the finish
  • After letting the wine breathe for a while I began to pick up some raspberry in the taste
  • This is a wine that would really benefit from decanting.
  • This wine is like the new guy at the office.  He comes in and is very loud and somewhat obnoxious.  You are turned off by his bad breath that smells of rotten pepperoni and you are a little upset over the fact that you have to work with him.  In time his hygiene may improve to the point that it is bearable and he is slowly becoming less abrasive…but….you still may not want to have him over for dinner.
Have you tried this wine? Share your rating with us!
1 Trophy2 Trophies3 Trophies4 Trophies5 Trophies   (1 ratings, average: 3.00 out of 5)
Loading ... Loading ...


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.
Have you tried this wine? Share your rating with us!
1 Trophy2 Trophies3 Trophies4 Trophies5 Trophies   (4 ratings, average: 2.25 out of 5)
Loading ... Loading ...


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.
Have you tried this wine? Share your rating with us!
1 Trophy2 Trophies3 Trophies4 Trophies5 Trophies   (2 ratings, average: 1.50 out of 5)
Loading ... Loading ...


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.
Have you tried this wine? Share your rating with us!
1 Trophy2 Trophies3 Trophies4 Trophies5 Trophies   (4 ratings, average: 3.75 out of 5)
Loading ... Loading ...


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.
Have you tried this wine? Share your rating with us!
1 Trophy2 Trophies3 Trophies4 Trophies5 Trophies   (19 ratings, average: 3.58 out of 5)
Loading ... Loading ...


Next Page »