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
Fast facts: 2018 Santa Rita Secret Reserve Red Blend, Maipo Valley, Chile ($10.99 @ Costco, California – Item #623337) While technically a new world blend, I would have pegged this red wine (a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Syrah, 15% Carignan and 10% Grenache) as an old world wine, possibly French if tasted … Read moreThe Secret’s Out About these Great Chilean Wines from Costco
Fast Facts: 2018 Carpe Diem Chardonnay, Anderson Valley, Sonoma, California ($15.99 @Costco in California – Item #980701) 2017 Bouchain Estate Chardonnay, Carneros, Napa Valley, California ($17.99* @Costco in California – Item #60020) *price after $10 in store discount, as show below! Two Chardonnays with similar price points, but slightly different styles meant we … Read moreAttention Chardonnay Lovers!
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
Fast facts: 2018 La Garenne Red Blend, Blaye, Côtes de Bordeaux, France ($7.99 @Trader Joe’s, California) Most wine drinkers know of the great and coveted wines of Bordeaux. But the Côtes de Bordeaux? That’s some unfamiliar territory to most. And with good reason. You see, unlike the storied regions that made Bordeaux famous, this … Read moreA Lot of Bordeaux Value for A Little Dough
Fast facts: 2018 Cecilia Beretta, Valpolicella, Verona, Italy ($11.99 @Trader Joe’s, California) The wines of this region have come a long way since critic Robert Parker dismissed them as “insipid, industrial garbage” over a decade ago. This one in particular is a pretty good representation of how quickly winemakers in the region have begun … Read morePerfect for Pairing with Pizza and Pasta
Fast facts: 2018 Kirkland Signature Toscana IGT, Italy ($14.99 @ Costco, California – Item #1181768) Wine runs deep in Tuscany, aka, Toscana. Like the art of the Renaissance, it is tightly woven into the cultural identity of this central Italian region. Agriculture forms the roots of the Tuscan lifestyle, and “the big three” – … Read moreLiterally Super – a Tuscan Red Blend from Costco
Fast facts: 2020 Trader Joe’s Petit Reserve Rosé ($6.99 @Trader Joe’s, California) 2020 Trader Joe’s Reserve Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California ($9.99 @Trader Joe’s, California) 2018 Trader Joe’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Wahluke Slope, Columbia Valley, Washington ($9.99 @Trader Joe’s, California) There’s a scene in the movie The Jerk, starring Steve Martin as..well, … Read moreA Trio of Tasty Trader Joe’s Wines for Your Labor Day Soiree
Fast facts: 2018 Kirkland Signature Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley, Sonoma Valley, California ($9.99 @ Costco, California – Item #223343) Long term readers may have detected a slight bias we have in favor of Sonoma Valley vs. Napa Valley. There is no disputing that both Valleys produce world class wines, but the sheer diversity that … Read moreA Nice $9.99 Sonoma/Alexander Valley Cabernet from Costco – Perfect for Food
Fast facts: 2018 Trader Joe’s Platinum Reserve Meritage, Rutherford, Napa Valley, California ($14.99 @Trader Joe’s, California) Readers that have been following us for a while have seen prior reviews of Meritage bottlings here before. Frankly, it is rare to find a Meritage that disappoints. I think it has something to do with the flexibility … Read moreA Blockbuster Meritage from the Trader Joe’s Wine Lotto – You Can’t Win if you Don’t Play!