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: 2021 Kirkland Signature Chardonnay, Sonoma County, California ($6.99 @ Costco, California – Item #514007) Rules are made for breaking, but here is one I tend to subscribe to: avoid wines labeled “merely” California. I know it sounds like heresy, but hear me out. As a general rule, a wine that is not sub-appelated … Read moreA Whole Lotta Sonoma Chardonnay Goodness – for Just $6.99?!
Fast facts: 2020 Oakville Bench Merlot, Oakville, Napa Valley, California ($16.99 @ Trader Joe’s, California) Despite being somewhat out of fashion here in the U.S., the Merlot grape is still one of the most important grape varieties in the world of fine wine. It shares this distinction with Cabernet Sauvignon which together “power” the … Read moreThis Might Just be the Best Red Wine We’ve Reviewed All Year – and it’s just $16.99 at TJs!
Fast facts: 2020 Trader Joe’s Reserve Chardonnay, Lot #231, Santa Lucia Highlands, California ($9.99 @ Trader Joe’s, California) Don’t look now but we are on a slippery slope towards Labor Day, the unofficial end of summer. Nooooooo!!!! Heck, Costco is already putting out Christmas decorations. But we will talk about Costco in future posts. … Read moreA Crazy Good Chard, from a Crazy Good Place, at a Crazy Good TJ’s Price
Fast facts: 2019 Rabble Red Wine, Paso Robles, CA ($9.89* @Costco; California – Item # 922592) *price after $3 discount. Here is one we have reviewed before. It is the closest thing to a perennial feature in the Costco wine selection that you will find. But it is difficult to argue that it doesn’t deserve … Read moreGood Luck Telling this Rabble to be Quiet
Fast facts: 2020 Kirkland Signature Pinot Noir, Carneros, Napa Valley, California ($9.99 @ Costco, California – Item #505074) In last week’s post, titled Pinotrama! we reviewed a Trader Joe’s Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir. And in said post, we promised a follow up with another $9.99 Pinot Noir – this time from Costco. Here … Read morePinotRama Too
Fast facts: 2020 Trader Joe’s Reserve Pinot Noir Lot #229, Santa Rita Hills, Santa Barbara County, California ($9.99 @ Trader Joe’s, California) When not obsessing on finding crazy good wine values to feature here, I am doing deep dives into the music of rock and power pop. If you are similarly afflicted, you may … Read morePinotrama!
Fast Facts: 2019 Kirkland Signature Cabernet Sauvignon, Suscol Vineyard, Napa Valley, California ($16.99 @Costco in California – Item #1491800) The march of Kirkland Signature wines continues unabated. The flood gates have opened and we are not complaining. This is one of our favorites and we were delighted to see this just show up in … Read moreA Costco CabSauv that Checks All the Boxes – Well, Almost All
Fast facts: 2020 Trader Joe’s Reserve Merlot Lot #236, Oak Knoll District, Napa Valley, California ($9.99 @ Trader Joe’s, California) Even though we recently reviewed another $9.99 Merlot bottled under the Trader Joe’s Reserve moniker, that one was from Sonoma Valley. This one hails from the other watershed of the Mayacamas Mountains, they one … Read moreYep, Red Wine with Fish
Fast facts: 2018 Boen Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey County, California ($17.99* @ Costco, California – Item #1641974) *Net price after $5.00 store discount Let’s start with the name, BÖEN. The owner/winemaker chose it because, in his words: “BÖEN is a translation of ‘The Farm’ and I chose it as a reminder to … Read moreFrom the Pinot Master