Category: California Wines
-
A Yummy 90-point Wine Surprise from Costco
Fast facts: 2018 Zaca Mesa Viognier, Santa Ynez Valley, California ($12.99 @ Costco, California – Item #27950) Being less than an hour away, Santa Barbara County (which includes the Santa Ynez Valley AVA) is our “local” wine region. So we were pretty excited to find this 90 point (Galloni and Wine Enthusiast) 2018 Zaca…
-
A Delicious Dry Creek Zinfandel from Trader Joe’s – Just Add BBQ!
—
by
Fast facts: 2020 Trader Joe’s Reserve Zinfandel, Lot #71, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County ($9.99 @Trader Joe’s, California) I’ve been fortunate to have travelled to some of the most beautiful wine growing regions in the world, and Dry Creek Valley is among my favorites. Studded with knarly old growth vineyards, it’s an unpretentious premium…
-
Is this Costco wine the Best $10 Pinot Noir in America?
—
by
in best costco wine deals, best wines under $20, California Wines, Carneros, Costco, costco wine blog, Costco Wines, food and wine, Kirkland Signature, Napa Valley, Pinot Noir, Pinot Noir, Red Wine, reverse wine snob, Trader Joe’s & Costco wines, Wine, wine blog, wine reviews, wines under $10, Wines Under $15Fast facts: 2019 Kirkland Signature Pinot Noir, Carneros, Napa Valley, California ($9.99 @ Costco, California – Item #505074) The back label of this bottle provides a pretty good introduction to this wine and the Carneros wine growing region as well: The Carneros AVA is the first wine region in California to be defined by…
-
Costco has a great 90 point Chardonnay – for under $10
—
by
in best costco wine deals, California Wines, Chardonnay, Costco, costco wine blog, Costco Wines, Kirkland Signature Series, Laguna, reverse wine snob, russian river valley, Sonoma County, Sonoma County, Trader Joe’s & Costco wines, Trader Joe’s vs. Costco wines, White Wine, Wine, wine blog, wine reviews, wines under $10, Wines Under $15, Wines Under $20Fast Facts: 2017 Laguna Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, CA ($9.99* @Costco in California – Item #575261) * net price after $10 discount at store. Almost exactly a year ago we…
-
The Two Most Popular Wine Varieties in the US – via Costco
—
by
in best costco wine deals, best wines under $20, Cabernet Sauvignon, California Wines, Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, Costco, costco wine blog, Costco Wines, food and wine, Kirkland Signature, Kirkland Signature Series, reverse wine snob, Russian River Valley, russian river valley, Sonoma County, Trader Joe’s & Costco wines, Trader Joe’s vs. Costco wines, Uncategorized, Washington State Wines, White Wine, Wine, wine blog, wine reviews, wines under $10, Wines Under $15Fast Facts: 2019 Kirkland Signature Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, Washington ($8.99 @Costco in California – Item #1226845) 2019 Kirkland Signature Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California ($12.99 @Costco in California – Item #789895) What were the two most popular wine varieties sold in the US in 2020? That’s easy. Cabernet Sauvignon and – not far…
-
A Pair of Pinots Promotionally Priced at Costco
—
by
in best costco wine deals, best wines under $20, California Wines, Central Coast, Costco, costco wine blog, Costco Wines, food and wine, Monterey County, Pinot Noir, Pinot Noir, Red Wine, santa maria valley, Santa Maria Valley, Wine, wine blog, wine reviews, wines under $10, Wines Under $15, Wines Under $20Fast Facts: 2016 Stasis Pinot Noir, Murmur Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley, California ($13.99* @Costco in California – Item #826896) 2018 Four Virtues Pinot Noir, Monterey County, California ($9.99* @Costco in California – Item #1556414) *net price after $10 (Stasis) and $7 (Four Virtues) discounts I do hope you appreciate all that alliteration we packed into that…
-
All You Need is Love – a groovy Costco wine that is perfect for BBQ
—
by
in Cabernet Sauvignon, California Wines, Costco, costco wine blog, Costco Wines, food and wine, GSM, Love Red Blend, Malbec, McClean Vineyards, Meritage, Old Vine Zinfandel, Paso Robles, Popular Reviews, Red Wine, reverse wine snob, Syrah, Trader Joe’s & Costco wines, wine blog, wine reviews, Wines Under $15, zinfandelFast Facts: 2019 McClean Vineyards, Love Red Blend, Paso Robles, California ($11.49 @Costco in California – Item #1528847) So I admit that it was the “packaging” that stopped me in my tracks for this wine. I am so shallow sometimes. In lieu of a traditional paper label, this wine comes in a gorgeous silk-screened…
-
Wow. A Whole Lotta Vino Bang for $4.99 at Trader Joe’s
—
by
in best trader joes wine deals, best wines at Trader Joes, California Wines, Chardonnay, French Wine, Grenache Syrah Mourvedre, GSM, Languedoc-Rousillon, Red Blends, Red Wine, Russian River Valley, Trader Joe’s wine, Trader Joe’s Wine, White Wine, wines under $10, Wines Under $15, Wines Under $20, wines under $5Fast facts: 2019 Tenebres GSM, Languedoc, France ($4.99 @Trader Joe’s, California) 2019 Taymor Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California ($4.99 @Trader Joe’s, California) You long time readers of this blog (thank you!) know how much we love to find great wines that limbo in under the $10 price point. There are a surprising number…
-
TJs Delivers Spring in a Wine Bottle
Fast facts: 2020 Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc + Viognier (California) $11.99 (@Trader Joe’s; California) I have to admit that the first time I encountered this wine in the wilds of the Trader Joe’s wine section, I was puzzled. I knew Pine Ridge well, but exclusively as a producer of fine and expensive ($65 to…
-
TJ’s Mystery Meritage Wine is a Winner
—
by
in 10 Year Tawny Port, best trader joes wine deals, best wines at Trader Joes, best wines under $20, Bordeaux Blend, Bordeaux Blends, Bordeaux Red Blend, California Wines, Knights Valley, Meritage, Meritage, Popular Reviews, Red Wine, Sonoma County, Trader Joe’s & Costco wines, Trader Joe’s Grand Reserve, Trader Joe’s wine, Trader Joe’s Wine, Wine, wine blog, wine reviews, Wines Under $15Fast 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…