Syrah is a dark-skinned red wine grape. Its origins have been popularly debated, but its modern viticultural home is unquestionably the northern Rhône Valley of eastern France. In Australia, Syrah is the flagship variety and has developed such a distinct personality that it is essentiallly regarded as a distinct variety, is overwhelmingly (but not exclusively) known as Shiraz.
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: 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
Fast facts: 2019 Casa Ermelinda Freitas Vinhas da Fonte Reserva, Peninsula de Setúbal, Portugal ($7.99 @ Trader Joe’s, California) Anyone who has spent much time in the European Union in the past several decades can appreciate the vastly improved infrastructure of member countries. But beyond the the more conspicuous investment in bridges, tunnels and … Read moreA $7.99 Mouthful of Red Wine Goodness – Perfect for Late Summer Grilling!
Fast facts: 2019 Syrah, Columbia Valley, Washington ($5.99 @ Trader Joe’s, California) Before we start waxing about the grape, the vinification, the history…let’s say this: this is a great bottle of wine for $5.99! I entered the wine business – at least as a professional, hehe – in the early nineties. It … Read moreA Whole Lot of Red Wine Goodness for $5.99 from Trader Joe’s
Fast Facts: 2019 Kirkland Signature Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France ($22.99 @Costco in California – Item #777662) 2020 Kirkland Signature Côtes Du Rhône Villages ($6.99 @Costco in California – Item #887774) And, just like that, we find ourselves on the other side of the Thanksgiving holiday and on the slippery slide down towards the December holidays and … Read moreTwo Red Wines from Costco, and the Opposite Ends of the Rhone Price Spectrum
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
Fast facts: 2019 Maison Barboulot Cabernet-Syrah $5.49 (@Trader Joe’s; California) Our featured wine from Trader Joe’s is a three-peat, updated to the 2019 vintage, and it’s every bit as good as we remember it’s predecessors to be. Seems like many of you liked this wine too – it has been our most popular review … Read moreOur First 3Peat – Our Most Popular Trader Joe’s Wine Ever
Fast 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 … Read moreAll You Need is Love – a groovy Costco wine that is perfect for BBQ
Fast Facts: 2020 Kirkland Signature K Vine Rosé of Syrah, Buckshot Vineyard, Washington State, USA ($9.99 @Costco in California – Item #1462888) At last, Costco’s much-hyped, highly anticipated K Vine series are arriving in stores. The first one to land in my local Costco is this lovely rosé. Created in collaboration with the “rock … Read moreThere’s a new K in town at Costco – think pink wine
Fast Facts: 2014 Campo Arriba, Yecla, Spain ($8.99 @Costco in California – Item #1104416) One of our unofficial slogans here is: “we taste a lot of inferior wines so our readers don’t have to.” A few words about frogs, and princes… Because we are especially excited when we find great values under $10, we … Read moreAn Incredible $8.99 Red Wine Value from Costco – 93 Points!