A red Bordeaux blend is primarily composed of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, with smaller portions of Malbec and Petit Verdot (and very occasionally, Carménère). While there are both red and white Bordeauxs, the name Bordeaux is primarily associated with the red wine blend.
Fast facts: 2020 Kirkland Signature Red Blend, Napa Valley, CA ($10.99 @ Costco, California – Item #333110) Ever heard of a “brand refresh?” It’s a term I heard regularly in my three decades – and counting – in the wine trade. It basically refers to a “facelift” when an existing wine brand gets a … Read moreIs This the Best $11 Red Wine in America?
Fast facts: 2018 La Garenne Red Blend, Blaye, Côtes de Bordeaux, France ($7.99 @Trader Joe’s, California) Most wine drinkers know of the great and coveted wines of Bordeaux. But the Côtes de Bordeaux? That’s some unfamiliar territory to most. And with good reason. You see, unlike the storied regions that made Bordeaux famous, this … Read moreA Lot of Bordeaux Value for A Little Dough
Fast Facts: 2018 Kirkland Signature Bordeaux Supérieur, Bordeaux, France ($7.99 @Costco in California – Item #1184548) 2017 Gérard Bertrand Tautavel, Côtes du Rousillon Villages, France ($9.99 @Costco in California – Item #637442) I think that it’s fair to say that most American wine consumers don’t understand French wine nearly as well as they do the wines … Read moreFrench (Wine) Lessons from Costco – Très Bien at Under Ten!
Fast facts: 2019 Trader Joe’s Reserve Meritage Lot 100, Knights Valley, Sonoma County, California ($12.99 @Trader Joe’s, California) So often in our reviews we discuss whether a vintage is too old, and whether the wine may have passed. This is especially true for white wines but applies to red wines as well. In the … Read moreTJ’s Mystery Meritage Wine is a Winner
Fast facts: 2017 Au Contraire Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California $9.99 (@Costco, California, Item# 976040) 2016 D de Dauzac, Bordeaux, France $9.99 (@Costco, California, Item# 1389225) I’m flat out at excited about sharing these two wines with you all. You know how much we love our “high QPR” wines here at Vinopointer, and … Read moreA Tasty Pair of Wines from Costco – at a Tasty $9.99 Price
Fast facts: 2018 Kirkland Signature Series Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District, Napa Valley, California $23.99 (@Costco, California, Item# 505081) 2018 Kirkland Signature Red Blend, Napa Valley, California $10.99 (@Costco, California, Item# 333110) I am not a big fan of the wine app Vivino. The reason? I don’t really trust it. Anyone can post, and … Read moreTwo Napa Red Gems from Costco – the Wine Equivalents of an Autumn Sweater
Fast Facts: 2017 Adorada Pinot Gris, California ($3.99 @Trader Joe’s in California) 2015 Chateau Pitray, Castillon, Bordeaux, France ($9.99 @Costco in California – Item #1044889) This Week’s Selection from Trader Joe’s: I often cite the clues I look for when trying to find extraordinary wine values. One of these, of course, is the appellation. … Read moreGood wine, for $3.99? Trader Joe’s says “yes!”
Today’s Fast Friday wine find is a delicious 2016 Kirkland Signature Napa Valley Red Blend from Costco that is a bargain at $10.99. Fast facts: 2016 Kirkland Signature Red Blend, Napa Valley, California ($10.99 @Costco; California – Item #: 333110) Finish… Not surprisingly, it’s always the last thing we discuss when describing a wine. We … Read moreGet Your Hands on Costco’s $10.99 Napa Valley Red Blend
The Aresti 2016 Gran Reserva ($12.99 at Costco) is what we refer to in the wine business as a “big red wine.” Yeah, it’s a technical term… Fast facts: 2016 Aresti Trisquel Gran Reserva Red Blend, Curicó Valley, Chile ($12.99 @Costco; California – Costco Item #: 1314386) Unlike past visits, my most recent wine spelunking expedition to … Read moreA big, bold red wine from Chile – and Costco!