Popular Reviews

This Might Just be the Best Red Wine We’ve Reviewed All Year – and it’s just $16.99 at TJs!

Front label of 2020 Oakville Bench Merlot, Oakville, Napa Valley, California  ($16.99 @ Trader Joe’s, California)

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!

Good Luck Telling this Rabble to be Quiet

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

A Costco CabSauv that Checks All the Boxes – Well, Almost All

Bottle of the 2019 Kirkland Signature Cabernet Sauvignon, Suscol Vineyard, Napa Valley, California, decanted.

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

Great Mmmerlot for Just $50 per Gallon!

Store display for Trader Joe's Reserve 2020 Sonoma County Merlot

Fast facts: 2020 Trader Joe’s Reserve Merlot Lot #227, Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County, California ($9.99 @ Trader Joe’s, California)   We hope our subject line extrapolating the price per gallon (there are five standard 750ml bottles in a gallon FWIW) for this wine makes you feel better about the last time you filled up your … Read moreGreat Mmmerlot for Just $50 per Gallon!

One of our Perennial Favorite Red Wines from Costco

Glass and bottle of 2019 Kirkland Signature Red Blend, Napa Valley, CA.

Fast facts: 2019 Kirkland Signature Red Blend, Napa Valley, CA ($10.99 @ Costco, California – Item #333110)     Tasting Notes: Start with nice aromas of cherry, spice, vanilla, cola, black pepper and a hint of sandalwood.  Smooth and silky in the mouth with flavors of black cherry, red berries, vanilla, and eucalyptus. which linger … Read moreOne of our Perennial Favorite Red Wines from Costco

93 Points for $11.99 Makes it a Good Time Get to Know Monastrell

Glass and bottle of Juan Gil 2018 Monastrell from Costco

Fast facts: 2018 Juan Gil Monastrell, Jumilla, Spain ($11.99 @ Costco, California – Item #967359)   There is a lot to like about this wine. For starters, it is made of 100% Certified Organic Monastrell (Mourvèdre) grapes. Then there is the 93 point rating bestowed by none other than Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. All this … Read more93 Points for $11.99 Makes it a Good Time Get to Know Monastrell

Ice is for Skating – and Winemaking?

Bottle of 2019 Levesque Estates ice wine alongside a statuette of Santa Claus lacing up his ice skates.

Fast facts: 2019 Levesque Estates Reserve Vidal Ice Wine, VQA Niagara On the Lake, Canada $14.99 (@Trader Joe’s; California)   Before my wife and I relocated to California, we lived in Bolton, Massachusetts. You’d be forgiven for not knowing where this town is located.  Carved out of the woods in Central Massachusetts, most people in … Read moreIce is for Skating – and Winemaking?

Drinking Backwards this Thanksgiving

Fast facts: NV Graham’s 10 Year Tawny Port, Porto, Portugal ($22.99 @ Costco, California – Item #185916)   In past years, we have counted down the weeks to the big Thanksgiving holiday meal with a progression of wines culminating in a dessert wine.  This is what the Aussies refer to as “stickies” due to their … Read moreDrinking Backwards this Thanksgiving

Two Stunning Syrah/Shiraz from Trader Joe’s

Bottles and glasses of Trader Joe's Reserve 2018 Syrah from Paso Robles, California and 2018 Shiraz from Barossa, Australia - both $9.99 at TJ's

Fast facts: 2018 Trader Joe’s Reserve Shiraz, Lot 214, Barossa, Australia ($9.99 @Trader Joe’s,  California) 2018 Trader Joe’s Reserve Syrah, , Lot 209, Paso Robles, California ($9.99 @Trader Joe’s, California)   A Little Preamble: The Syrah grape is responsible for some of the most sought after bottlings in the world. In the Rhone Valley of … Read moreTwo Stunning Syrah/Shiraz from Trader Joe’s

French (Wine) Lessons from Costco – Très Bien at Under Ten!

Case stacked Kirkland Signature 2018 Bordeaux Superieur at Costco

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!