Sea Sun Pinot Noir 2019This is a wine from Charlie Wagner, the son of Chuck Wagner from Caymus Napa Cabernet Sauvignon and the head of Wagner Family Wines.Joe Wagner, Charlie's younger brother, did Meiomi Pinot Noir before he sold it for a crazy amount of money.Jenny Wagner has a  wine brand that specializes in Merlot.This is A Wine Family.Charlie Wagner is also the winemaker for Mer Soleil, which does Chardonnay wines.Mer Soleil is French for Sea Sun.The Sea Sun Pinot Noir is a new style of California Pinot Noir which Joe Wagner's Meiomi Pinot leads.I am a huge fan of old-school California Pinot Noir, but I really, really like the Sea Sun Pinot Noir 2019. 2018 was the first vintage for this wine, but they got their act together in a hurry; this wine rocks!Check out www.cheapwinefinder.com for the review and all the details.

Honey Moon Viognier 2019This is a $5.99 Trader Joe's wine.This wine tastes delicious.Should $5.99 wines be enjoyable?In Europe, folks drink wine with every meal, a $5.99 wine is a bit expensive.But wait a minute, only $40 wines can start to be good, according to the wine press.Maybe, just maybe, you should taste the wine first and then decide.Check out www.cheapwinefinder.com for all the details.

The StoryThe Red Cloak Petite Sirah 2017 (ALDI)is a $6.99 ALDI exclusive sourced from grapes farmed in the Monterey County AVA inside the Central Coast AVA of California. ALDI virtually never issues any technical information concerning their wines, they tend to skip anything that will add to the price. But they are upping their label game, the Red Cloak can hold its own with any retail wine in that regard.The label shows someone (Little Red Riding Hood?) entering into a dark shadowy forest, it is a scene of mystery and foreboding. After I brought the bottle home it dawned on me why I was attracted to the label. We are all entering a time of uncertainty and foreboding, except we shouldn't be going to grandmother's house. A phone call or Facetime is probably the wiser healthier choice.Petite Sirah was created in France in 1880 by a man named Durif, he crossed Syrah with another grape (Pelsourin). The story I heard is that France in the 1800s had all sorts of problems with disease and insects in the vineyards. The entire vintages would be decimated. The Syrah grape in southeast France was having difficulties so Durif set out to make a Syrah-like grape that was hardy and disease resistant. The only problem was that by the time he came up with Petite Sirah the issues with Syrah cleared up.The grape never caught on in France but did make its way to California and Australia (where it is known as Durif). In California, the secret ingredient in many Red blends and is routinely used in Zinfandel wines. The Red Cloak Petit Sirah 2017 has a decent amount of aging for a $6.99 wine, you figure the grapes were harvested at the end of September 2017 and this is March 2020, so the wine had close to two and a half years to age. There is no mention of oak barrel aging (there is no mention of anything), but Petite Sirah can be tannic and need time to find its flavor balance.When you have no information concerning the making of wine, things such as the length of the aging process tell you a good deal about the wine. If you are making a bottle of wine to sell for 7 bucks you would design the winemaking process to have the wine come together fairly quickly. The sooner it is ready to sell the sooner the winery can recoup its investment. A $6.99 store brand wine may well indicate that the wine in question might have been intended to sell at a higher price. Without knowing more details it hard to know for sure, but guessing is part of the fun with these value-priced wines. The alcohol content is  13.5%.Red Cloak Petite Sirah 2017 (ALDI) Tasting NotesThe color is Thanksgiving cranberry red. The nose is really good, ripe red berries, a savory note, bacon fat, smoke, spice, dark chocolate, the nose hits above the wines price point. This is a medium to full-bodied wine with plenty of flavors and decent structure. It tastes of ripe raspberry, a dash of black pepper, spice, bitter dark chocolate, and soft, smooth plum. The mid-palate shows dusty tannins with a slightly rough edge (this is a good thing, the body of the wine can handle it), blueberry with a tiny bit of cream, and a late hit of exotic spice. The acidity is fine, this is a sipping wine, yes it will pair with pizza and burgers and do well. But this is more of a Netflix wine, it is tasty enough to exist on its own.The Summary The Red Cloak Petite Sirah 2017 (ALDI) is a well-made tasty wine. It will have you wondering why you don't drink more Petite Sirah. At $6.99 you can't go wrong.

The Story The Red Cloak Petite Sirah 2017 (ALDI)is a $6.99 ALDI exclusive sourced from grapes farmed in the Monterey County AVA inside the Central Coast AVA of California. ALDI virtually never issues any technical information concerning their wines, they tend to skip anything that will add to the price. But they are upping their label game, the Red Cloak can hold its own with any retail wine in that regard. The label shows someone (Little Red Riding Hood?) entering into a dark shadowy forest, it is a scene of mystery and foreboding. After I brought the bottle home it dawned on me why I was attracted to the label. We are all entering a time of uncertainty and foreboding, except we shouldn't be going to grandmother's house. A phone call or Facetime is probably the wiser healthier choice. Petite Sirah was created in France in 1880 by a man named Durif, he crossed Syrah with another grape (Pelsourin). The story I heard is that France in the 1800s had all sorts of problems with disease and insects in the vineyards. The entire vintages would be decimated. The Syrah grape in southeast France was having difficulties so Durif set out to make a Syrah-like grape that was hardy and disease resistant. The only problem was that by the time he came up with Petite Sirah the issues with Syrah cleared up. The grape never caught on in France but did make its way to California and Australia (where it is known as Durif). In California, the secret ingredient in many Red blends and is routinely used in Zinfandel wines. The Red Cloak Petit Sirah 2017 has a decent amount of aging for a $6.99 wine, you figure the grapes were harvested at the end of September 2017 and this is March 2020, so the wine had close to two and a half years to age. There is no mention of oak barrel aging (there is no mention of anything), but Petite Sirah can be tannic and need time to find its flavor balance. When you have no information concerning the making of wine, things such as the length of the aging process tell you a good deal about the wine. If you are making a bottle of wine to sell for 7 bucks you would design the winemaking process to have the wine come together fairly quickly. The sooner it is ready to sell the sooner the winery can recoup its investment. A $6.99 store brand wine may well indicate that the wine in question might have been intended to sell at a higher price. Without knowing more details it hard to know for sure, but guessing is part of the fun with these value-priced wines. The alcohol content is  13.5%. Red Cloak Petite Sirah 2017 (ALDI) Tasting Notes The color is Thanksgiving cranberry red. The nose is really good, ripe red berries, a savory note, bacon fat, smoke, spice, dark chocolate, the nose hits above the wines price point. This is a medium to full-bodied wine with plenty of flavors and decent structure. It tastes of ripe raspberry, a dash of black pepper, spice, bitter dark chocolate, and soft, smooth plum. The mid-palate shows dusty tannins with a slightly rough edge (this is a good thing, the body of the wine can handle it), blueberry with a tiny bit of cream, and a late hit of exotic spice. The acidity is fine, this is a sipping wine, yes it will pair with pizza and burgers and do well. But this is more of a Netflix wine, it is tasty enough to exist on its own. The Summary The Red Cloak Petite Sirah 2017 (ALDI) is a well-made tasty wine. It will have you wondering why you don't drink more Petite Sirah. At $6.99 you can't go wrong.

The StoryThe Trader Joe's Grand Reserve Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, actually the complete name includes Lot 96 and it is a Trader Joe's $12.99 exclusive wine. This wine is featured in Trader Joe's Fearless Flyer, but there is no mention of any technical details, is it 100% Cabernet Sauvignon? What are the rough details of the oak program? Nothing, but they do tell us it is from the Chalk Hill AVA.Chalk Hill is a relatively small sub-AVA located in the northeast corner of the Russian River AVA inside the Sonoma County AVA. While the Russian River AVA is a cool climate region well suited for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay the Chalk Hill AVA is warmer, harvest can occur several weeks earlier than the surrounding AVAs. This is a very hilly location and the soil is also unique, it is ancient volcanic ash, making this an attractive location for Cabernet Sauvignon.Typical Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon start at around $20 and can go up to two or three times that price. You do not normally see Chalk Hill AVA on the label of discounted contracted store brands. There are only 5 wineries setting up shop in Chalk Hill and the vineyards under cultivation is a fraction of the greater Russian River AVA.A couple of details of note concerning the Trader Joe's Grand Reserve Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 is that the bottle is a full size and weight Napa/Sonoma big boy Cabernet bottle and a real cork are used. I always keep my pulled corks for some unknown reason, I guess I will recycle them, but most are made of corks version of particle board or are some sort of synthetic. Real corks are rare in wine in the CheapWineFinder.com price range.Since $12.99 is a bump up from the usual $9.99 price of Trader Joe's Reserve wines. The cork and the bottle are typical of wine in the twenty dollars plus range, this may be a clue that the Chalk Hill Lot 96 may have been intended to sell for higher than its current price tag. I wouldn't think that Trader Joe's would mandate a real (and more expensive) cork or a heavy glass bottle that also adds to the price tag as an incentive to buy a $12.99 bottle of wine. You expect those details in a twenty-five dollar of wine.So, this is a Cabernet Sauvignon from a region that does not seem to sell off their excess grapes of finished wine to store brands with basic packaging that is above its price point. I am only playing detective here, I have no actual insight into the history of this Cab. But since store brands such as Trader Joe's have price advantages over retail wines, lower distribution costs and paying upfront for the bottles all add up to considerable cost savings. So, maybe this time this is an actual twenty buck wine selling for $12.99.I could easily be wrong and this is a $13 Cabernet Sauvignon selling for $12.99, but the clues left behind do say otherwise. The alcohol content is a ripe 14.5%.Trader Joe's Grand Reserve Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 Tasting NotesThe color is a jammy, opaque black cherry red. The nose is a combination of ripe blackberries and raspberries, herbs and menthol, followed by chocolate powder and soft vanilla. This is a wine that may be a little bit young, not that it does not have good flavor it just seems a little "tight". This Cabernet starts with smooth, ripe blackberry, black pepper, juicy raspberry, and slightly rough herbs.The mid-palate add tart cherry, orange zest, a lightly rugged edge to the tannins (something welcome in a full-bodied cabernet Sauvignon) and a late hit of cool blueberry. The acidity is nicely balanced and the finish mirrors the body of the wine and sticks around for a while.The Summary The Trader Joe's Grand Reserve Chalk Hills Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 is a tasty classic Califonia Cabernet Sauvignon. My advice is to buy a couple of bottles now (it will sell out and when it is gone it is gone for good) and stick them in a cool, quiet spot at home. Wait until after the 4th of July to pop the top and t...

The Story The Trader Joe's Grand Reserve Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, actually the complete name includes Lot 96 and it is a Trader Joe's $12.99 exclusive wine. This wine is featured in Trader Joe's Fearless Flyer, but there is no mention of any technical details, is it 100% Cabernet Sauvignon? What are the rough details of the oak program? Nothing, but they do tell us it is from the Chalk Hill AVA. Chalk Hill is a relatively small sub-AVA located in the northeast corner of the Russian River AVA inside the Sonoma County AVA. While the Russian River AVA is a cool climate region well suited for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay the Chalk Hill AVA is warmer, harvest can occur several weeks earlier than the surrounding AVAs. This is a very hilly location and the soil is also unique, it is ancient volcanic ash, making this an attractive location for Cabernet Sauvignon. Typical Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon start at around $20 and can go up to two or three times that price. You do not normally see Chalk Hill AVA on the label of discounted contracted store brands. There are only 5 wineries setting up shop in Chalk Hill and the vineyards under cultivation is a fraction of the greater Russian River AVA. A couple of details of note concerning the Trader Joe's Grand Reserve Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 is that the bottle is a full size and weight Napa/Sonoma big boy Cabernet bottle and a real cork are used. I always keep my pulled corks for some unknown reason, I guess I will recycle them, but most are made of corks version of particle board or are some sort of synthetic. Real corks are rare in wine in the CheapWineFinder.com price range. Since $12.99 is a bump up from the usual $9.99 price of Trader Joe's Reserve wines. The cork and the bottle are typical of wine in the twenty dollars plus range, this may be a clue that the Chalk Hill Lot 96 may have been intended to sell for higher than its current price tag. I wouldn't think that Trader Joe's would mandate a real (and more expensive) cork or a heavy glass bottle that also adds to the price tag as an incentive to buy a $12.99 bottle of wine. You expect those details in a twenty-five dollar of wine. So, this is a Cabernet Sauvignon from a region that does not seem to sell off their excess grapes of finished wine to store brands with basic packaging that is above its price point. I am only playing detective here, I have no actual insight into the history of this Cab. But since store brands such as Trader Joe's have price advantages over retail wines, lower distribution costs and paying upfront for the bottles all add up to considerable cost savings. So, maybe this time this is an actual twenty buck wine selling for $12.99. I could easily be wrong and this is a $13 Cabernet Sauvignon selling for $12.99, but the clues left behind do say otherwise. The alcohol content is a ripe 14.5%. Trader Joe's Grand Reserve Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 Tasting Notes The color is a jammy, opaque black cherry red. The nose is a combination of ripe blackberries and raspberries, herbs and menthol, followed by chocolate powder and soft vanilla. This is a wine that may be a little bit young, not that it does not have good flavor it just seems a little "tight". This Cabernet starts with smooth, ripe blackberry, black pepper, juicy raspberry, and slightly rough herbs. The mid-palate add tart cherry, orange zest, a lightly rugged edge to the tannins (something welcome in a full-bodied cabernet Sauvignon) and a late hit of cool blueberry. The acidity is nicely balanced and the finish mirrors the body of the wine and sticks around for a while. The Summary The Trader Joe's Grand Reserve Chalk Hills Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 is a tasty classic Califonia Cabernet Sauvignon. My advice is to buy a couple of bottles now (it will sell out and when it is gone it is gone for good) and stick them in a cool, quiet spot at home. Wait until after the 4th of July to pop the top and t...

The StoryThe JaM Butter Chardonnay 2018 is a brand that is part of the John Anthony Family of Wines. John Anthony is John A. Touchard out of Napa, California. JaM stands for John and Michelle Truchard. And this is a "lifestyle" brand of wines.This is a wine that I found (on sale( for $12.99 and a quick check of the web shows it selling for between $13 and $15. There is a stiff competition of your Chardonnay dollars at this price point. JaM is big on lifestyle marketing and no so good and where what and when of the winemaking. The JaM Butter Chardonnay 2018 is 100% Chardonnay and uses a special blend of oak barrels for aging.The tasting notes do not actually mention oak barrels, just that the Chardonnay is aged "in" oak which I figure means oak barrel aging. But that is kind of my complaint about their marketing materials, they do not really say much of anything on the technical side. They do know their intended market well and I imagine these are not the wine drinkers who get hung up on malolactic fermentation and "on lees"aging.But these are probably not the folks who are reading your technical/tasting notes either, so you can give us wine geeks a little something, too. What we are going to find out about the JaM Chardonnay we are going to get from the tasting experience. This is a very popular Chardonnay and the proof is always in the tasting anyway. The alcohol content is a stout for a Chardonnay 14.8%.JaM Butter Chardonnay 2018 Tasting NotesThe color is a clear, shiny, butter yellow, go figure. The nose is apples, melons, peach, pear, lemons, and honey, with a touch of spice and a floral edge. This is a full-flavored Chardonnay and not overly buttery. It has bright fruit (and citrus) flavors and is smooth almost silky. It starts with a stew of peach, apple, French vanilla, and lemon. The mid-palate offers that nutty, salty on lees thing, lime, crème brûlée, and caramel.The JaM Chard has that lip-smacking acidity that I enjoy, you will be reaching for another sip sooner than you think.  14.8% is a fairly high alcohol content for a Chardonnay, but the body of the wine carries it well, this is not a "hot" wine. The finish mirrors the body of the wine and fades before too long, but never completely disappears.The Summary I like big, full-flavored wines that still have balance and nuance and the JaM Butter Chardonnay is one of those wines. This is a very easy wine to like.

The Story The JaM Butter Chardonnay 2018 is a brand that is part of the John Anthony Family of Wines. John Anthony is John A. Touchard out of Napa, California. JaM stands for John and Michelle Truchard. And this is a "lifestyle" brand of wines. This is a wine that I found (on sale( for $12.99 and a quick check of the web shows it selling for between $13 and $15. There is a stiff competition of your Chardonnay dollars at this price point. JaM is big on lifestyle marketing and no so good and where what and when of the winemaking. The JaM Butter Chardonnay 2018 is 100% Chardonnay and uses a special blend of oak barrels for aging. The tasting notes do not actually mention oak barrels, just that the Chardonnay is aged "in" oak which I figure means oak barrel aging. But that is kind of my complaint about their marketing materials, they do not really say much of anything on the technical side. They do know their intended market well and I imagine these are not the wine drinkers who get hung up on malolactic fermentation and "on lees"aging. But these are probably not the folks who are reading your technical/tasting notes either, so you can give us wine geeks a little something, too. What we are going to find out about the JaM Chardonnay we are going to get from the tasting experience. This is a very popular Chardonnay and the proof is always in the tasting anyway. The alcohol content is a stout for a Chardonnay 14.8%. JaM Butter Chardonnay 2018 Tasting Notes The color is a clear, shiny, butter yellow, go figure. The nose is apples, melons, peach, pear, lemons, and honey, with a touch of spice and a floral edge. This is a full-flavored Chardonnay and not overly buttery. It has bright fruit (and citrus) flavors and is smooth almost silky. It starts with a stew of peach, apple, French vanilla, and lemon. The mid-palate offers that nutty, salty on lees thing, lime, crème brûlée, and caramel. The JaM Chard has that lip-smacking acidity that I enjoy, you will be reaching for another sip sooner than you think.  14.8% is a fairly high alcohol content for a Chardonnay, but the body of the wine carries it well, this is not a "hot" wine. The finish mirrors the body of the wine and fades before too long, but never completely disappears. The Summary I like big, full-flavored wines that still have balance and nuance and the JaM Butter Chardonnay is one of those wines. This is a very easy wine to like.

The StoryThe Corte Rossa Barolo 2015 is an $11.99 Trader Joe's import exclusive, 100% Nebbiolo grape from vineyards in the Barolo DOCG region of northwest Italy. The Barolo region in Italy bills itself as the King of Italian wine. Barolo wines typical sell for around forty dollars and the best offerings from the best estates can sell for hundreds of dollars. An $11.99 Barolo is extremely rare.The DOCG (the G stands for Guarantee)is the Italian wine governing body, they set and enforce the rules and regulations in the vineyard and wine production. In Barolo they are particularly strict, I went to a Barolo seminar where a winemaker told me that the estates have a limit on the number of bottles they can produce each vintage. If they cheat and surpass their quota the DOCG will make them sell the extra bottles as Table Wine (at a much lower price tag) under a separate label.This ensures that only the vineyard's best grapes are used and the limited quantity of production keeps the demand and the prices high. This means the grapes that are used for Barolo are the best grapes in the region. Most Estates have second and third labels that sell the excess grapes as Nebbiolo from Piedmont. So even grapes in an $11.99 Trader Joe's come from the elite Barolo vineyards.This is a 2015 vintage that is released for sale in 2020. The Corte Rossa Barolo 2015 was aged in oak barrels for three years which exceeds the DOCG regulations of a minimum of 18 months. This is a Barolo that came from the best vineyards and was produced with methods above and beyond the DOCG rules. I suspect that this is a negociant wine. A negociant is a wine dealer that buys excess wines from the vineyards in their area. They can either sell the purchased wine under their own label or blend the various vineyards into their own unique blend (still 100% Nebbiolo).Since you do not know a wines particulars a negociant succeeds by building trust with his customer.  The Corte Rossa Barolo 2015 is from a heavily regulated premier growing region and has the specification (ones we are aware of, anyway) of a typical far more expensive Barolo so we don't need too big of a leap of faith. Again, I do not know for certain that this Barolo is a negociant wine, but that is my best guess to explain the seriously low price.The Nebbiolo grape and Barolo wines, in general, are known for having a pretty good dose of tannins. Modern winemaking techniques have softened the effects of the tannins to match today's wine drinker. But, be warned the tannins may be a bit more than you are used to and if you regularly drink value-priced wines, three years aging in oak barrels will be a change. Some Barolo wines need an additional 10 years of bottle aging to calm down enough to be at their peak. Modern drink-it-now wines and wines that have seen years of oak barrel aging are two very different styles of wine. The alcohol content is 14%.Corte Rossa Barolo 2015 Tasting NotesThe color is a garnet red. The nose is raspberry and oak spice, cinnamon and vanilla, and smoke and cherry. This is a wine with dusty tannins, most modern wines do their best to minimize the tannins, but not here. This is a medium-bodied wine with sleek fruit flavors of black cherry, strawberry, sharp spice, black pepper, extracted blackberry, and tart cranberry. The mid-palate adds chocolate powder, and the tannins get really chewy of the mid-palate (a good thing), along with a late slap of red berries in cream.The acidity is well-balanced and the tannins added to the overall enjoyment of this Barolo if they were not in the mix you would have been cheated. Give this wine extra time to open up and you will be rewarded. It can be a little rough when it is "tight". I pulled the cork a couple of hours earlier and then poured my glass with an aerator and it still needed more time.The Summary The Corte Rossa Barolo 2015 is a no-brainer, it is $11.99, these are wines that can retail in the $40 to $60 r...

The Story The Corte Rossa Barolo 2015 is an $11.99 Trader Joe's import exclusive, 100% Nebbiolo grape from vineyards in the Barolo DOCG region of northwest Italy. The Barolo region in Italy bills itself as the King of Italian wine. Barolo wines typical sell for around forty dollars and the best offerings from the best estates can sell for hundreds of dollars. An $11.99 Barolo is extremely rare. The DOCG (the G stands for Guarantee)is the Italian wine governing body, they set and enforce the rules and regulations in the vineyard and wine production. In Barolo they are particularly strict, I went to a Barolo seminar where a winemaker told me that the estates have a limit on the number of bottles they can produce each vintage. If they cheat and surpass their quota the DOCG will make them sell the extra bottles as Table Wine (at a much lower price tag) under a separate label. This ensures that only the vineyard's best grapes are used and the limited quantity of production keeps the demand and the prices high. This means the grapes that are used for Barolo are the best grapes in the region. Most Estates have second and third labels that sell the excess grapes as Nebbiolo from Piedmont. So even grapes in an $11.99 Trader Joe's come from the elite Barolo vineyards. This is a 2015 vintage that is released for sale in 2020. The Corte Rossa Barolo 2015 was aged in oak barrels for three years which exceeds the DOCG regulations of a minimum of 18 months. This is a Barolo that came from the best vineyards and was produced with methods above and beyond the DOCG rules. I suspect that this is a negociant wine. A negociant is a wine dealer that buys excess wines from the vineyards in their area. They can either sell the purchased wine under their own label or blend the various vineyards into their own unique blend (still 100% Nebbiolo). Since you do not know a wines particulars a negociant succeeds by building trust with his customer.  The Corte Rossa Barolo 2015 is from a heavily regulated premier growing region and has the specification (ones we are aware of, anyway) of a typical far more expensive Barolo so we don't need too big of a leap of faith. Again, I do not know for certain that this Barolo is a negociant wine, but that is my best guess to explain the seriously low price. The Nebbiolo grape and Barolo wines, in general, are known for having a pretty good dose of tannins. Modern winemaking techniques have softened the effects of the tannins to match today's wine drinker. But, be warned the tannins may be a bit more than you are used to and if you regularly drink value-priced wines, three years aging in oak barrels will be a change. Some Barolo wines need an additional 10 years of bottle aging to calm down enough to be at their peak. Modern drink-it-now wines and wines that have seen years of oak barrel aging are two very different styles of wine. The alcohol content is 14%. Corte Rossa Barolo 2015 Tasting Notes The color is a garnet red. The nose is raspberry and oak spice, cinnamon and vanilla, and smoke and cherry. This is a wine with dusty tannins, most modern wines do their best to minimize the tannins, but not here. This is a medium-bodied wine with sleek fruit flavors of black cherry, strawberry, sharp spice, black pepper, extracted blackberry, and tart cranberry. The mid-palate adds chocolate powder, and the tannins get really chewy of the mid-palate (a good thing), along with a late slap of red berries in cream. The acidity is well-balanced and the tannins added to the overall enjoyment of this Barolo if they were not in the mix you would have been cheated. Give this wine extra time to open up and you will be rewarded. It can be a little rough when it is "tight". I pulled the cork a couple of hours earlier and then poured my glass with an aerator and it still needed more time. The Summary The Corte Rossa Barolo 2015 is a no-brainer, it is $11.99, these are wines that can retail in the $40 to $60 r...

The StoryThe Domaine Angelliaume Chinon 2018 is a $12.99 Costco wine. The winery is Domaine Angelliaume and the name of the wine is Domaine des Falaises which translates to English as Field or Place of the Cliffs which is the name of the estate vineyard that the Cabernet Franc grapes were farmed. The vineyards near the town of Chinon are situated on steep hills leading down to a river that runs through the Loire Valley in France.I mention the name of the winery and the wine name since when I researched this Chinon, most of what is available on the web had the name backward. Since the wine brand name had Domaine in the title most of the writer assumed that had to be the winery. This is a problem for French wines in the United States. In France wine is known by Estate name and location, as in Chinon means that the Red wine is going to be Cabernet Franc or the Right Bank in Bordeaux are going to be Merlot dominated blends near this village and maybe not so much for wine grown near that village. In France, the wine drinkers know this, it is part of their heritage. In the US folks who write about wine and should have a clue can not figure out which is the winery and which is the brand name.Chinon is a town in the Loire Valley that is famous for producing Cabernet Franc single varietal wines, though blending some Cabernet Sauvignon is approved by AOC rules. Chinon and the Loire Valley are located in west-central France, north of Bordeaux and west and south of Champagne. It is a picturesque and historically rich section of France and be on the look-out for the excellent Sauvignon Blanc from the region.The Domaine des Falasises is Domaine Angelliaume "young" Chinon, it is sourced for a vineyard with 40-year old vines and is fermented and aged in cement vats and it is micro oxygenated. Too much oxygen is bad for wine, but this technique adds a controlled dose of air to the wine. It softens the tannins and stabilizes the noes and color and allows the wine to come together quickly. It is a useful technique for drink-it-now wine.Concrete vats are common in France (also Spain) as fermentation and aging vessels. The advantages are that they last a long time and can be used over and over (they are lines to prevent the concrete from leeching into the wine). They are thick enough that the wine inside the vat is kept at a temperature and humidity that is not influenced by the outside air. Wine loves a stable climate and environment and cement vats offer a degree of insolation that steel tanks and wood barrels can not. The alcohol content is 12.5%.Domaine Angelliaume Chinon 2018 Tasting NotesThe color is a dark, bit still see-thru raspberry jelly red. The nose is bright, juicy, and spicey, there is jammy strawberry, exotic spice, soft herbs, black cherry, cinnamon, and orange zest. This is a flavorful Cabernet Franc that is surprisingly ripe and smooth. It starts with blackberry and licorice, a little sizzle from the spice (just a little), followed by sweet blueberry. The mid-palate adds tart cranberry, a light herbal edge, and ripe plum. The tannins are in the flavor mix, but are sweet and do not bite. The acidity brightens up the overall profile of the wine. The finish is sleek and lengthy.The Summary The Domaine Angelliaume Chinon 2018 is a tasty wine, it isn't too heavy, it is not too anything, it is simply a solid well-made Cabernet Franc. If you are intrigued by the Loire Valley and its wines, the twelve ninety-nine Costco Chinon is a pretty decent place to start. This is a young wine, the winery website says drink within 1 to 5 years, but really why wait 5 years. This is a drink-it-now Chinon, most of the Chinon you find on wineshop shelves are probably going to be the more expensive offerings with more complex winemaking procedures to justify the higher price. Start with the younger more affordable wines and work your way up. You never know, the young affordable wines may well be your favor...

The Story The Domaine Angelliaume Chinon 2018 is a $12.99 Costco wine. The winery is Domaine Angelliaume and the name of the wine is Domaine des Falaises which translates to English as Field or Place of the Cliffs which is the name of the estate vineyard that the Cabernet Franc grapes were farmed. The vineyards near the town of Chinon are situated on steep hills leading down to a river that runs through the Loire Valley in France. I mention the name of the winery and the wine name since when I researched this Chinon, most of what is available on the web had the name backward. Since the wine brand name had Domaine in the title most of the writer assumed that had to be the winery. This is a problem for French wines in the United States. In France wine is known by Estate name and location, as in Chinon means that the Red wine is going to be Cabernet Franc or the Right Bank in Bordeaux are going to be Merlot dominated blends near this village and maybe not so much for wine grown near that village. In France, the wine drinkers know this, it is part of their heritage. In the US folks who write about wine and should have a clue can not figure out which is the winery and which is the brand name. Chinon is a town in the Loire Valley that is famous for producing Cabernet Franc single varietal wines, though blending some Cabernet Sauvignon is approved by AOC rules. Chinon and the Loire Valley are located in west-central France, north of Bordeaux and west and south of Champagne. It is a picturesque and historically rich section of France and be on the look-out for the excellent Sauvignon Blanc from the region. The Domaine des Falasises is Domaine Angelliaume "young" Chinon, it is sourced for a vineyard with 40-year old vines and is fermented and aged in cement vats and it is micro oxygenated. Too much oxygen is bad for wine, but this technique adds a controlled dose of air to the wine. It softens the tannins and stabilizes the noes and color and allows the wine to come together quickly. It is a useful technique for drink-it-now wine. Concrete vats are common in France (also Spain) as fermentation and aging vessels. The advantages are that they last a long time and can be used over and over (they are lines to prevent the concrete from leeching into the wine). They are thick enough that the wine inside the vat is kept at a temperature and humidity that is not influenced by the outside air. Wine loves a stable climate and environment and cement vats offer a degree of insolation that steel tanks and wood barrels can not. The alcohol content is 12.5%. Domaine Angelliaume Chinon 2018 Tasting Notes The color is a dark, bit still see-thru raspberry jelly red. The nose is bright, juicy, and spicey, there is jammy strawberry, exotic spice, soft herbs, black cherry, cinnamon, and orange zest. This is a flavorful Cabernet Franc that is surprisingly ripe and smooth. It starts with blackberry and licorice, a little sizzle from the spice (just a little), followed by sweet blueberry. The mid-palate adds tart cranberry, a light herbal edge, and ripe plum. The tannins are in the flavor mix, but are sweet and do not bite. The acidity brightens up the overall profile of the wine. The finish is sleek and lengthy. The Summary The Domaine Angelliaume Chinon 2018 is a tasty wine, it isn't too heavy, it is not too anything, it is simply a solid well-made Cabernet Franc. If you are intrigued by the Loire Valley and its wines, the twelve ninety-nine Costco Chinon is a pretty decent place to start. This is a young wine, the winery website says drink within 1 to 5 years, but really why wait 5 years. This is a drink-it-now Chinon, most of the Chinon you find on wineshop shelves are probably going to be the more expensive offerings with more complex winemaking procedures to justify the higher price. Start with the younger more affordable wines and work your way up. You never know, the young affordable wines may well be your favor...

The StoryThe Henri Gaillard Provence Rose' 2018 ($9.99 at Costco) is a blend of Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault, and Mourvèdre from vineyards in the Cotes de Provence AOC of the Provence region in the south of France. The Cotes de Provence is the largest growing region in Provence. The different regions in Provence tend to feature different grapes or blends in their Rose', so the wines can vary from region to region.This is a $9.99 Costco wine though it does not seem to be a Costco exclusive. I checked the internet and it seems this Rose' is available elsewhere selling for about 15 dollars. I would imagine that most wine shops will not bother to stock a wine that Costco has for 1/3 less.The Henri Gaillard Provence Rose' 2018 is one of Les Grands Crus labels they have wine from virtually every region in France, Italy, along with wines from Germany and New Zealand. If you want an imported wine they got you covered.Henry Gaillard is an actual person, he is a long time wine broker from Provence with deep ties to the growers of the region. As a wine broker rather than a winery, he purchases the grapes and contracts with wineries to produce the Rose'. With wine who you know is as important as what you know, so a well-connected wine broker can produce excellent wine for a fair price.In past years there has been a Provence wine roadshow that would have a tasting in Chicago. There would be 30 or 40 producers showing two or three wines each. Provence Rose' is uniformly excellent. But the one thing I came with is that the more affordable value-priced Rose' was so enjoyable that there was little reason to drink more up-scale Rose'.Young, bright, fresh, fruit-forward Rose' is extremely appealing, and these inexpensive Provence Rose' tasted of the South of France in summer in a bottle. Not that the more costly bottles were not terrific, they were delicious, it is just that when it comes to Rose' more is not always better.Rose' has had a spike in popularity in the last few years, it seems that everybody brought a Rose' to the market. Many of the newer Rose' was a Rose' of a single grape, such and a Rose' of Pinot Noir or a Rose' of Sangiovese, which is fine. But the Rose' from Provence are blends which can add complexity and depth to the wine. With a blend, the winemaker can pinpoint exactly what they are trying to achieve. Since Rose' is what the winemakers of Provence do, they are skilled at blending and the making of Rose'. The alcohol content is 13%.Henri Gaillard Provence Rose' 2018 Tasting NotesThe color is a more amber or maybe apricot shade of pink. The nose is subtle, the aromas do not jump out of the glass, you have to concentrate, there are dried strawberry bits, Anjou pear, delicate spice, oranges, cherry hard candy, and light floral note. This is a medium-bodied Rose' with a nice blend of smooth and tart sensations.It starts with rounded, almost creamy black cherry, then tangerine, melon, lemon, spice, and tart strawberry. The mid-palate offers that salty, nutty "on lees" thing, along with a late hit of unsweetened pineapple. This is a Rose' so there are no tannins to speak of and the acidity is the kind that compels you to take another sip (as if you needed to be prodded). The finish is full and the acidity allows the finish to roll on for some time.The Summary The Henri Gaillard Provence Rose' 2018 is a tasty, well-made Rose'. I was getting a little over-Rose'd, they were everywhere. I know I lighter-bodied wine is great for the summer, but it isn't too hot for Red wine that often and when the weather gets oppressively hot, I do have airconditioning. It is not like anyone actually needs Rose'. The Henri Gaillard reminded me what I liked about Rose', who cares what the temperature is outside. Drink Rose' because it tastes great.

The Story The Henri Gaillard Provence Rose' 2018 ($9.99 at Costco) is a blend of Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault, and Mourvèdre from vineyards in the Cotes de Provence AOC of the Provence region in the south of France. The Cotes de Provence is the largest growing region in Provence. The different regions in Provence tend to feature different grapes or blends in their Rose', so the wines can vary from region to region. This is a $9.99 Costco wine though it does not seem to be a Costco exclusive. I checked the internet and it seems this Rose' is available elsewhere selling for about 15 dollars. I would imagine that most wine shops will not bother to stock a wine that Costco has for 1/3 less. The Henri Gaillard Provence Rose' 2018 is one of Les Grands Crus labels they have wine from virtually every region in France, Italy, along with wines from Germany and New Zealand. If you want an imported wine they got you covered. Henry Gaillard is an actual person, he is a long time wine broker from Provence with deep ties to the growers of the region. As a wine broker rather than a winery, he purchases the grapes and contracts with wineries to produce the Rose'. With wine who you know is as important as what you know, so a well-connected wine broker can produce excellent wine for a fair price. In past years there has been a Provence wine roadshow that would have a tasting in Chicago. There would be 30 or 40 producers showing two or three wines each. Provence Rose' is uniformly excellent. But the one thing I came with is that the more affordable value-priced Rose' was so enjoyable that there was little reason to drink more up-scale Rose'. Young, bright, fresh, fruit-forward Rose' is extremely appealing, and these inexpensive Provence Rose' tasted of the South of France in summer in a bottle. Not that the more costly bottles were not terrific, they were delicious, it is just that when it comes to Rose' more is not always better. Rose' has had a spike in popularity in the last few years, it seems that everybody brought a Rose' to the market. Many of the newer Rose' was a Rose' of a single grape, such and a Rose' of Pinot Noir or a Rose' of Sangiovese, which is fine. But the Rose' from Provence are blends which can add complexity and depth to the wine. With a blend, the winemaker can pinpoint exactly what they are trying to achieve. Since Rose' is what the winemakers of Provence do, they are skilled at blending and the making of Rose'. The alcohol content is 13%. Henri Gaillard Provence Rose' 2018 Tasting Notes The color is a more amber or maybe apricot shade of pink. The nose is subtle, the aromas do not jump out of the glass, you have to concentrate, there are dried strawberry bits, Anjou pear, delicate spice, oranges, cherry hard candy, and light floral note. This is a medium-bodied Rose' with a nice blend of smooth and tart sensations. It starts with rounded, almost creamy black cherry, then tangerine, melon, lemon, spice, and tart strawberry. The mid-palate offers that salty, nutty "on lees" thing, along with a late hit of unsweetened pineapple. This is a Rose' so there are no tannins to speak of and the acidity is the kind that compels you to take another sip (as if you needed to be prodded). The finish is full and the acidity allows the finish to roll on for some time. The Summary The Henri Gaillard Provence Rose' 2018 is a tasty, well-made Rose'. I was getting a little over-Rose'd, they were everywhere. I know I lighter-bodied wine is great for the summer, but it isn't too hot for Red wine that often and when the weather gets oppressively hot, I do have airconditioning. It is not like anyone actually needs Rose'. The Henri Gaillard reminded me what I liked about Rose', who cares what the temperature is outside. Drink Rose' because it tastes great.

The StoryThe Trader Joe's Reserve Monterey Pinot Noir 2018 lot #191 is a $9.99 Trader Joe's exclusive produced for them by an unspecified winery from grapes farmed in the Monterey County AVA inside the Central Coast AVA of California. The listed producer, Ashford Court, also is the name used for Trader Joe's Cotillion Pinot Noir.If you are familiar with Trader Joe's wines the Cotillion Pinot has the label that is a drawing of what looks like a party from the 1700s only the guests are animals not human and they are wearing masks portraying different animals than themselves. It is one of my favorite Trader Joe's labels and also a very consistent and very drinkable Pinot Noir.This is a wine that is featured in the February Trader Joe's Fearless Flyer and TJ's usually gives a few details on the featured wines, but not for the TJ's Reserve Pinot. The most interesting tidbit that provided is that the wine came from a trusted partner who usually makes more expensive wines. That does not tell us much since Trader Joe's has over the years used many top-notch producers for their wines and basically, all of them typically produce wine that sells for more than TraderJoe's wines.Monterey may not be the first California AVA you think of when you consider Pinot Noir, but it is the largest grower of Pinot Noir in California. There is a spot in the Pacific Ocean not far from the Monterey coast that is the coldest of all Ocean water along the California Coast. That cold water provides many locations in Monterey County with the cool nights and the foggy cool mornings that Pinot Noir vines crave.The tasting notes on the front label mention spice and vanilla, both of those flavors are associated with aging wine in French oak. They make no mention of oak barrels or any other oak aging method, but I wouldn't be surprised if French oak barrels were used. French oak barrels can cost one thousand dollars each and that is a significant cost for value-priced wine to absorb.But store contract wines and especially Trader Joe's who sell a good deal of wine, have a cost advantage over regular retail wine shops. They typically pay for the wine upfront which allows them to negotiate a better price than retail brands. And contract wines do not need all of the services wine distributors provide and that too provides savings, so a $9.99 may be the equal of a retail brand wine selling for several dollars more.Plus these Trader Joe's Reserve and Grand Reserve wines tend to be one-offs, special purchases and not yearly available wines. These one-time purchase wines have been wines that under different circumstances would sell for a good deal more. Not always, sometimes they are wines that should sell for about the price they do, but sometimes you get a wine that may usually sell for twice the price. The alcohol content is a slightly hot 13.8%.Trader Joe's Reserve Monterey Pinot Noir 2018 Tasting NotesThe color is a clear, shiny, see-thru garnet red. The nose is very spicy, usually, you get cherries and herbs, but here spice takes the lead. Followed by cherry, faint mushroom, soft herbs. The spices are both baking spice and hot candy spice. This is a Pinot Noir with a smooth silky mouthfeel up front and then a sharp slap of that hot candy spice, this is a Pinot with a unique flavor profile. It starts with smooth black cherry, black pepper, vanilla, and Altoid's spice candy.The mid-palate adds milk chocolate and tart cherry, with a bit of the "on lees" salty cashews after a few sips that thing. The tannins are sweet, and the acidity allows the flavors to unfold. The finish is full and does not let go.The Summary  Trader Joe's Reserve Monterey Pinot Noir 2018 Lot 191 is an interesting Pinot Noir. Well worth trying, it hits above its price tag. After a few sips that major spice thing calms down and the smooth back cherry and milk chocolate thing take over. If you gor ten bucks and are in a Pinot Noir kind of mood give it...

The Story The Trader Joe's Reserve Monterey Pinot Noir 2018 lot #191 is a $9.99 Trader Joe's exclusive produced for them by an unspecified winery from grapes farmed in the Monterey County AVA inside the Central Coast AVA of California. The listed producer, Ashford Court, also is the name used for Trader Joe's Cotillion Pinot Noir. If you are familiar with Trader Joe's wines the Cotillion Pinot has the label that is a drawing of what looks like a party from the 1700s only the guests are animals not human and they are wearing masks portraying different animals than themselves. It is one of my favorite Trader Joe's labels and also a very consistent and very drinkable Pinot Noir. This is a wine that is featured in the February Trader Joe's Fearless Flyer and TJ's usually gives a few details on the featured wines, but not for the TJ's Reserve Pinot. The most interesting tidbit that provided is that the wine came from a trusted partner who usually makes more expensive wines. That does not tell us much since Trader Joe's has over the years used many top-notch producers for their wines and basically, all of them typically produce wine that sells for more than TraderJoe's wines. Monterey may not be the first California AVA you think of when you consider Pinot Noir, but it is the largest grower of Pinot Noir in California. There is a spot in the Pacific Ocean not far from the Monterey coast that is the coldest of all Ocean water along the California Coast. That cold water provides many locations in Monterey County with the cool nights and the foggy cool mornings that Pinot Noir vines crave. The tasting notes on the front label mention spice and vanilla, both of those flavors are associated with aging wine in French oak. They make no mention of oak barrels or any other oak aging method, but I wouldn't be surprised if French oak barrels were used. French oak barrels can cost one thousand dollars each and that is a significant cost for value-priced wine to absorb. But store contract wines and especially Trader Joe's who sell a good deal of wine, have a cost advantage over regular retail wine shops. They typically pay for the wine upfront which allows them to negotiate a better price than retail brands. And contract wines do not need all of the services wine distributors provide and that too provides savings, so a $9.99 may be the equal of a retail brand wine selling for several dollars more. Plus these Trader Joe's Reserve and Grand Reserve wines tend to be one-offs, special purchases and not yearly available wines. These one-time purchase wines have been wines that under different circumstances would sell for a good deal more. Not always, sometimes they are wines that should sell for about the price they do, but sometimes you get a wine that may usually sell for twice the price. The alcohol content is a slightly hot 13.8%. Trader Joe's Reserve Monterey Pinot Noir 2018 Tasting Notes The color is a clear, shiny, see-thru garnet red. The nose is very spicy, usually, you get cherries and herbs, but here spice takes the lead. Followed by cherry, faint mushroom, soft herbs. The spices are both baking spice and hot candy spice. This is a Pinot Noir with a smooth silky mouthfeel up front and then a sharp slap of that hot candy spice, this is a Pinot with a unique flavor profile. It starts with smooth black cherry, black pepper, vanilla, and Altoid's spice candy. The mid-palate adds milk chocolate and tart cherry, with a bit of the "on lees" salty cashews after a few sips that thing. The tannins are sweet, and the acidity allows the flavors to unfold. The finish is full and does not let go. The Summary  Trader Joe's Reserve Monterey Pinot Noir 2018 Lot 191 is an interesting Pinot Noir. Well worth trying, it hits above its price tag. After a few sips that major spice thing calms down and the smooth back cherry and milk chocolate thing take over. If you gor ten bucks and are in a Pinot Noir kind of mood give it...

The StoryThe Global Adventure Series Chianti 2018 is a $4.99ALDI exclusive sourced from vineyards in the Chianti DOCG region of Tuscany in Italy. There are two DOCG Chianti regions, Chianti Classico and just plain Chianti (there are sub-regions). The Classico Chianti is the original DOCG region and has a black rooster on the neck of the bottle. Italy has wine governing organizations, DOCG and DOC that are tasked with enforcing rules and regulations to ensure quality and promote the wines.The Global Adventure Series Chianti  2018 is designated a DOCG wine, which is the highest classification and has the strictest rules for farming grapes and wine production. How a wine conformed to the rules and was shipped thousands of miles and still only sells for $4.99, I don't know. But this wine is representative of the wines that Italians drink with each daily. Few people spend more than the equivalent to ten dollars for a bottle to share at their meal. The Italians take their value-priced everyday wine very seriously.ALDI is well regarded in Europe (and Australia, too) as the destination for bang-for-the-buck cheap wine. The term cheap wine around here is not in any way derogatory, we are quite fond of the stuff. As a value-priced wine destination, ALDI has built relationships with some of the best value producers in Europe. ALDI wine wines awards on a regular basis and an ALDI wine going viral and selling out in hours are not unusual.I checked the CheapWineFinder archives and found this is the 4th $4.99 ALDI Chianti DOCG wine we have reviewed over the years. A quick check showed that I thought they were pretty good and hit harder than their price tags. So, it seems ALDI is experienced and getting super value priced DOCG Chianti right.Chianti DOCG needs to be a minimum of 70% Sangiovese, there are several approved blending grapes but the bottle does mention what is in the bottle. The rules call for this level of wine to be aged for at least 6 months and that is about all I know about the technical aspects fo this wine. The alcohol content is a reasonable 12.5%.Global Adventure Series Chianti 2018 Tasting NotesThe color is clear, see-thru cherry red with some black highlights. The nose is subtle, this wine a little stingy with its aromas, there is cherry, a little spice, herbs, a whiff of smoke, and faint prune. This is a medium-bodied dry red with nice rounded mouthfeel and a solid pull from the tannins.It starts with blackberry, sour cherry, strong black pepper, and a decent slap of spice. The mid-palate adds dusty dark chocolate (not sweet), jammy raspberry, and a sharp edge from the tannins. Most wines today do their best to limit the tannins, but with a rustic Chianti DOCG, tannins are welcome. The acidity is balanced, this isn't a super favorable wine, but it does have decent structure. The finish is fairly soft but does linger.The Summary The Global Adventure Series Chianti 2018 is crying out for a pizza, delivery or a good frozen pie, it isn't fussy. This is not a wine that you would peg for a five buck wine. Pair it with almost anything with red sauce and it will do well. My very favorite Chianti is Chianti Classico, the ones with the black rooster on the label. The best ones are delicious, but this little unassuming 5 buck Chianti DOCG has a place. There is nothing wrong with being a go-to pizza wine. You do not want to pair a pizza with a wine that costs more than the pizza. This wine provides a proper entree to wine balance.

The Story The Global Adventure Series Chianti 2018 is a $4.99ALDI exclusive sourced from vineyards in the Chianti DOCG region of Tuscany in Italy. There are two DOCG Chianti regions, Chianti Classico and just plain Chianti (there are sub-regions). The Classico Chianti is the original DOCG region and has a black rooster on the neck of the bottle. Italy has wine governing organizations, DOCG and DOC that are tasked with enforcing rules and regulations to ensure quality and promote the wines. The Global Adventure Series Chianti  2018 is designated a DOCG wine, which is the highest classification and has the strictest rules for farming grapes and wine production. How a wine conformed to the rules and was shipped thousands of miles and still only sells for $4.99, I don't know. But this wine is representative of the wines that Italians drink with each daily. Few people spend more than the equivalent to ten dollars for a bottle to share at their meal. The Italians take their value-priced everyday wine very seriously. ALDI is well regarded in Europe (and Australia, too) as the destination for bang-for-the-buck cheap wine. The term cheap wine around here is not in any way derogatory, we are quite fond of the stuff. As a value-priced wine destination, ALDI has built relationships with some of the best value producers in Europe. ALDI wine wines awards on a regular basis and an ALDI wine going viral and selling out in hours are not unusual. I checked the CheapWineFinder archives and found this is the 4th $4.99 ALDI Chianti DOCG wine we have reviewed over the years. A quick check showed that I thought they were pretty good and hit harder than their price tags. So, it seems ALDI is experienced and getting super value priced DOCG Chianti right. Chianti DOCG needs to be a minimum of 70% Sangiovese, there are several approved blending grapes but the bottle does mention what is in the bottle. The rules call for this level of wine to be aged for at least 6 months and that is about all I know about the technical aspects fo this wine. The alcohol content is a reasonable 12.5%. Global Adventure Series Chianti 2018 Tasting Notes The color is clear, see-thru cherry red with some black highlights. The nose is subtle, this wine a little stingy with its aromas, there is cherry, a little spice, herbs, a whiff of smoke, and faint prune. This is a medium-bodied dry red with nice rounded mouthfeel and a solid pull from the tannins. It starts with blackberry, sour cherry, strong black pepper, and a decent slap of spice. The mid-palate adds dusty dark chocolate (not sweet), jammy raspberry, and a sharp edge from the tannins. Most wines today do their best to limit the tannins, but with a rustic Chianti DOCG, tannins are welcome. The acidity is balanced, this isn't a super favorable wine, but it does have decent structure. The finish is fairly soft but does linger. The Summary The Global Adventure Series Chianti 2018 is crying out for a pizza, delivery or a good frozen pie, it isn't fussy. This is not a wine that you would peg for a five buck wine. Pair it with almost anything with red sauce and it will do well. My very favorite Chianti is Chianti Classico, the ones with the black rooster on the label. The best ones are delicious, but this little unassuming 5 buck Chianti DOCG has a place. There is nothing wrong with being a go-to pizza wine. You do not want to pair a pizza with a wine that costs more than the pizza. This wine provides a proper entree to wine balance.

The StoryThe Federalist Lodi Zinfandel 2016 is 100% Zinfandel sourced from three different sub-AVAs of the Lodi AVA which is inside the Central Valley AVA. Most of the California wine you drink comes from the Central Coast AVA (Paso Robles, Santa Barbara, and others) and the North Coast AVA (Sonoma, Napa, etc..) and they are all coastal or mountain growing regions. Lodi is south and east of Napa and would be too far inland to grow grapes, the Bays to the east of San Fransico extend far enough inland that the resulting delta and river valleys allow cool ocean air to reach the vineyards.There are many wineries inside the Central Valley but most are small, boutique size, while Lodi has the weather and the terrain to mass-produce wine. Lodi is warmer than most of the coastal growing regions and their wines tend to be produced in a ripe, fruit-forward style, but nothing too out of place with the rest of California wine. Lodi is well known for the Zinfandel grape (though Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay are quickly becoming favorites), especially with many "old vine" vineyards. The Federalist Lodi Zinfandel 2016 is one of the few ZIns you will find without "old vine" on the label.The Federalist line of wines, they have 3 Zinfandels, a couple of Cabs, 2 Red blends and a Chardonnay are part of Terlato Wines. Terlato is the folks who brought you Pinot Grigio with Santa Margarita. Before they broke Pinot Grigio in the United States, it was just another one of Italy's 100s of White grape varietals. So if you are a Pinot Grigio fan, say "Thank you Terlato".I am a fan of Lodi Zinfandel, it's my go-to AVA, Sonoma, Napa Valley, and Paso Robles all make great Zins, but dollar for dollar I will take Lodi. The blocks of grapes from the different vineyards were fermented separately to allow the final blending to be performed with precision. This Zinfandel was aged in American oak barrels for 12 months with 25% new barrels the rest used. With Red wine, you can get some information on how the wine is produced with how long the wine is barrel-aged and how much new oak is used. A wine that is aged for a full year with a significant amount of new oak has to have the body and the forceful flavor to match up with the oak influence. That would indicate that the winemaker did the techniques to fully extract the tannins, flavors, and aromas from the grapes. A lighter-bodied wine with an extended oak aging period will take a long time to meld the flavors, so the winemaker has to match the grape extraction with the oak aging. Inexpensive Red wines typically have short oak aging periods, if it is oak-aged at all, so a less complicated winemaking style can be used. It keeps costs down and allows the wine to be released for sale sooner. But that is not the case with the Federalist Zinfandel and most of my other favorite Zins. These Zinfandels tend to be made in the same style as expensive wines, but since Zinfandel is popular and Lodi is a less costly growing region and many of these wines are mass-produced the cost is reasonable, a quick check of the web showed prices from $12 to $16. The alcohol content is a stout 14.5%.Federalist Lodi Zinfandel 2016 Tasting NotesThe color a clean, clear and still see-through cherry jelly red. The nose is ripe and spicey, there is jammy black cherry, oak spice, herbs, smoke from the BBQ grill, black pepper, faint chocolate, and plum. This is a Zinfandel that evolves on your palate, it starts off simple, then blossoms.  It tastes of strawberry and candy spice, followed by milk chocolate, pepper, tea, and ripe plum. The mid-palate shows licorice, sour cherry, and a salty sensation and adds to along finish. The mouthfeel is smooth and the tannins are sweet. The acidity is hidden by the body of the wine but does give the flavors ample space to unfold.The Summary With George Washington on the label, I should have showcased this Zinfandel on Presidents Day.

The Story The Federalist Lodi Zinfandel 2016 is 100% Zinfandel sourced from three different sub-AVAs of the Lodi AVA which is inside the Central Valley AVA. Most of the California wine you drink comes from the Central Coast AVA (Paso Robles, Santa Barbara, and others) and the North Coast AVA (Sonoma, Napa, etc..) and they are all coastal or mountain growing regions. Lodi is south and east of Napa and would be too far inland to grow grapes, the Bays to the east of San Fransico extend far enough inland that the resulting delta and river valleys allow cool ocean air to reach the vineyards. There are many wineries inside the Central Valley but most are small, boutique size, while Lodi has the weather and the terrain to mass-produce wine. Lodi is warmer than most of the coastal growing regions and their wines tend to be produced in a ripe, fruit-forward style, but nothing too out of place with the rest of California wine. Lodi is well known for the Zinfandel grape (though Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay are quickly becoming favorites), especially with many "old vine" vineyards. The Federalist Lodi Zinfandel 2016 is one of the few ZIns you will find without "old vine" on the label. The Federalist line of wines, they have 3 Zinfandels, a couple of Cabs, 2 Red blends and a Chardonnay are part of Terlato Wines. Terlato is the folks who brought you Pinot Grigio with Santa Margarita. Before they broke Pinot Grigio in the United States, it was just another one of Italy's 100s of White grape varietals. So if you are a Pinot Grigio fan, say "Thank you Terlato". I am a fan of Lodi Zinfandel, it's my go-to AVA, Sonoma, Napa Valley, and Paso Robles all make great Zins, but dollar for dollar I will take Lodi. The blocks of grapes from the different vineyards were fermented separately to allow the final blending to be performed with precision. This Zinfandel was aged in American oak barrels for 12 months with 25% new barrels the rest used. With Red wine, you can get some information on how the wine is produced with how long the wine is barrel-aged and how much new oak is used.  A wine that is aged for a full year with a significant amount of new oak has to have the body and the forceful flavor to match up with the oak influence. That would indicate that the winemaker did the techniques to fully extract the tannins, flavors, and aromas from the grapes. A lighter-bodied wine with an extended oak aging period will take a long time to meld the flavors, so the winemaker has to match the grape extraction with the oak aging. Inexpensive Red wines typically have short oak aging periods, if it is oak-aged at all, so a less complicated winemaking style can be used. It keeps costs down and allows the wine to be released for sale sooner. But that is not the case with the Federalist Zinfandel and most of my other favorite Zins. These Zinfandels tend to be made in the same style as expensive wines, but since Zinfandel is popular and Lodi is a less costly growing region and many of these wines are mass-produced the cost is reasonable, a quick check of the web showed prices from $12 to $16. The alcohol content is a stout 14.5%. Federalist Lodi Zinfandel 2016 Tasting Notes The color a clean, clear and still see-through cherry jelly red. The nose is ripe and spicey, there is jammy black cherry, oak spice, herbs, smoke from the BBQ grill, black pepper, faint chocolate, and plum. This is a Zinfandel that evolves on your palate, it starts off simple, then blossoms.  It tastes of strawberry and candy spice, followed by milk chocolate, pepper, tea, and ripe plum. The mid-palate shows licorice, sour cherry, and a salty sensation and adds to along finish. The mouthfeel is smooth and the tannins are sweet. The acidity is hidden by the body of the wine but does give the flavors ample space to unfold. The Summary With George Washington on the label, I should have showcased this Zinfandel on Presidents Day.