Fast facts: 2019 Kirkland Signature Gigondas, Gigondas, France ($14.99 @ Costco, California – Item # 1134102) I am blaming the warping of time on Covid, but when I recently spied this in my local Costco my first thought was: “didn’t we just review the 2018 vintage?” The answer was no, we reviewed it some … Read moreGee, Gigondas! That’s French for High QPR!
Fast facts: 2019 Ile de Conas Rouge Soupplesse, Pays d’Oc, France ($7.99 @ Trader Joe’s, California) You could go down a rabbit hole learning about “dried grape wines” which have literally been around since antiquity, but we hope to spare you from needing to do so. That is, unless you are itching to! … Read moreA Delightful French Wine, Which Borrows from Italian Winemaking Traditions
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
Fast facts: 2015 Barreri & Rovati Barbaresco Riserva, Barbaresco, Italy ($19.99 @ Trader Joe’s, California) In the region of Piedmont in Northern Italy, the Nebbiolo grape stands high above the rest. The Nebbiolo grape produces powerful wines. has two personalities—the dark, brutish wines of Barolo (which stand up to long aging better) and the … Read moreBa Ba Bah Ba Ba Barbaresco – on a Budget!
Fast facts: 2020 Trader Joe’s Reserve Chalone Pinot Noir, California ($9.99 @ Trader Joe’s, California) Astute readers may recall that once before (July of 2021 to be precise) we annointed a different wine as the best $10 Pinot Noir in America. But you may recall that one was from Costco. Nonetheless, this one may … Read moreIs this the Best $10 Pinot Noir in America?
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: 2020 Trader Joe’s Diamond Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District, Napa Valley, California ($19.99 @Trader Joe’s, California) Some of you may be familiar with unoaked Chardonnay bottlings. These are wines that are not fermented or aged in oak casks. Most Chardonnay is. The winemaker’s motivation is to let the resulting wine … Read moreJonesing for a Great Napa Cab? Look to Trader Joes’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: 2020 Ocean View Pinot Noir, San Luis Obispo County, California ($14.99 @Trader Joe’s, California) 2019 Opolo Summit Creak Vineyard Zinfandel, Paso Robles, California ($12.99 @Costco, California) We say “finally” in our subject line not to imply that we have been keeping you waiting for our red wine picks for the Thanksgiving holiday, … Read moreFinally, a Pair of Thanksgiving Red Wines – one each from TJs and Costco
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