Fast facts: 2021 Trader Joe’s Reserve Lot #236 Syrah, Santa Barbara, California ($9.99 @Trader Joe’s, California) Here in Southern California, enthusiastic wine drinkers know Santa Barbara County quite well as it is in our backyard. We are familiar with the fact that it is a richly diverse wine region capable of producing world class … Read moreA Good Place to Start Getting to Know the Wines of Santa Barbara
Fast facts: 2020 Trader Joe’s Petit Reserve Single Vineyard Syrah, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina ($7.99 @Trader Joe’s; California) Argentina is regarded as one of the most dynamic wine-producing nations in the world, and the most important wine-producing region in South America. Only four countries in the world produce more wine than Argentina, but this … Read moreA Red Wine full of Pleasant Surprises – and just $7.99 at Trader Joe’s
Fast facts: 2021 Richebois Côtes du Rhône Village, France ($7.99 @ Trader Joe’s, California) Coat do roan villahj. (That is how it’s pronounced.) While you’d be forgiven for thinking that wines labeled simply Côtes du Rhône are synonymous with Côtes du Rhône Village, there is actually a distinct step up in quality in the latter. … Read moreGoats do Roam…
Fast facts: 2018 Gerard Bertrand Saint Chinian Heritage An 1877, Languedoc, France ($9.99 @ Costco, California – Item #661141) We have highlighted a number of Grenache, Syrah Mourvedre (GSM) blends here on these pages. This particular bottling is just missing Grenache in the cuvee. But it is no less delcious. To paraphrase George Orwell’s book … Read moreGSM-G= This Tasty 90 Point Wine from Costco!
Fast Facts: 2014 Poggio al Casone, Toscana, Italy ($9.99 @Trader Joe’s in California) Frankly, every time I take a first sip of this wine I exclaim (often to myself): “I don’t know how they do it!” For starters, this brand is always well-aged. In this case 8 (!) years. That rarely comes cheap. And … Read moreYour House Wine for Pizza and Pasta Nights