Psydr Short & To-The-Point Wine Reviews
Below are reviews of fun little finds purchased locally. The typical cost per bottle is $10 or less, and the label probably has a little more pizazz than your traditional Barolo. But don't judge the bottle by the label. These reviews are personal and certainly non-professional evaluations of wines we've tried. Enjoy!
February 24, 2008
February 23, 2008
2005 Blackstone Pinot Noir
YEAR: 2005WINERY: Blackstone
FLAVOR: Red, Pinot Noir
ORIGIN: California, USA
PURCHASED: Seattle, WA
AMOUNT: $8
NICKNAME: "Blackstone Pinot Noir"
Labels: 2 STAR, 2005, Blackstone, Pinot Noir, Red, USA
1 Reviews:
-
At
February 23, 2008 at 10:09 PM ,
psydr said...
-
2 OUT OF 5 STARS
Another really sweet wine. Tons of berries present. Again, toooooo much. Not smooth. Why can't we chill on the additives and just produce a good, palatable wine?
This is a conundrum for me. Personally, I love Pinot Noirs. This just isn't one of them.
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
2005 Columbia Crest Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon
YEAR: 2005WINERY: Columbia Crest
FLAVOR: Red, Merlot & Cabernet Sauvignon
ORIGIN: Washington, USA
PURCHASED: Seattle, WA
AMOUNT: $9
NICKNAME: "Columbian Blend"
Labels: 2005, 3 STAR, Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Crest, Merlot, Mixed Varietal, Red, USA
1 Reviews:
-
At
February 23, 2008 at 10:24 PM ,
psydr said...
-
3 OUT OF 5 STARS
Good showing. I've always been pleased with Columbia Crest. However, this blend just didn't do anything for me. The bottle is of their Two Vines offering. In this case, nothing special.
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
2 Reviews:
-
At
February 23, 2008 at 10:40 PM ,
psydr said...
-
1 OUT OF 5 STARS
This is a bad, bad wine. And I don't mean that in the good way. This stuff is thicker and sweeter than molasses. Honestly, it was difficult to swallow. It's a good thing the sink drain is only a few feet away. This bottle will not be finished by yours personally. I'm pretty sure the toilet will see the end of this offering.
The reason I didn't give this bottle a ZERO: Because it's not quite as bad as the worst wines I've tried. But I would NEVER serve this stuff to anyone I didn't despise.
Usually I apologize to a winery I give such a low rating to, but in this case I'm not going to... A ONE is not a ZERO. -
At
May 9, 2009 at 12:39 PM ,
said...
-
Wow, clogging the sink drain. Funny. Hey, review some white wines.
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
1 Reviews:
-
At
February 24, 2008 at 3:18 PM ,
psydr said...
-
3 OUT OF 5 STARS
A bit sweet, but a good wine. Berries and plumb are the predominant flavors here. The resulting fluid is a bit thick for my taste but not offensive. The bottle went down quite easily with the ribs I devoured alongside...
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
2006 Mad Housewife Cabernet Sauvignon
YEAR: 2006WINERY: Mad Housewife
FLAVOR: Red, Cabernet Sauvignon
ORIGIN: California, USA
PURCHASED: Seattle, WA
AMOUNT: $8
NICKNAME: "Mad Housewife Cabernet"
Labels: 2006, 3 STAR, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mad Housewife, Red, USA
2 Reviews:
-
At
February 23, 2008 at 10:31 PM ,
psydr said...
-
3 OUT OF 5 STARS
Pretty good for a Cabernet. Certainly a hint (or more) of cherry here. Good job. Just not terribly exciting. You know what I mean. Sometimes you taste a wine and say, "this is it." And, sometime you don't. Besides, average isn't a bad thing. -
At
March 24, 2008 at 8:20 PM ,
Jay said...
-
3 out of 5 stars
Maybe 4 really. This one is pretty good, I guess. I find myself usually thinking..."Eh, sure. It's wine." This one is pretty tame, not terribly exciting, but it seems that may be what I like. Smooth and unoffensive. I can dig it.
It went well with my mixed up dinner of chicken satay and fajita chicken frozen pizza.
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
1 Reviews:
-
At
February 24, 2008 at 3:25 PM ,
psydr said...
-
3 OUT OF 5 STARS
I believe this is the first Spanish wine reviewed here. Not bad. There are several Spanish wines I enjoy, but typically they fall into a different price category than the bottles found in this blog. I'm a big fan of the Riojas. However, this wine will do. We'll call it an average Spanish red.
Chao!
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
2006 Borsao Red Wine
YEAR: 2006WINERY: Borsao
FLAVOR: Red, 80% Garnacha, 20% Tempranillo
ORIGIN: Spain
PURCHASED: Seattle, WA
AMOUNT: $7
NICKNAME: "Borsao Red"
Labels: 2006, Borsao, Grenache, Mixed Varietal, Red, Spain, Tempranillo, UNRATED
February 20, 2008
2006 Smoking Loon Cabernet Sauvignon
YEAR: 2006WINERY: Smoking Loon
FLAVOR: Red, Cabernet Sauvignon
ORIGIN: California, USA
PURCHASED: Seattle, WA
AMOUNT: $9
NICKNAME: "Smoking Loon Cabernet"
Labels: 2006, 3 STAR, Cabernet Sauvignon, Red, Smoking Loon, USA
2 Reviews:
-
At
February 21, 2008 at 8:28 PM ,
psydr said...
-
3 OUT OF 5 STARS
Decent Cabernet. Very smooth and breathes well. The first and the last glass were equally tasty. Not terribly fruity, but there is some hint of cherry or maybe even raspberry...
I feel comfortable recommending this wine, but there are many others I would suggest you try first. But don't hesitate to pick up a bottle at the store. You should enjoy. -
At
August 14, 2008 at 9:01 PM ,
Pastor's Perspective said...
-
4 OUT OF 5 STARS
Thank you for your favorable review! This bottle has quickly become one of our family favorites to pour for our guests. Thanks too for helping me identify the interesting & enjoyable mixture of flavors.
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
1 Reviews:
-
At
February 23, 2008 at 4:31 PM ,
psydr said...
-
2 OUT OF 5 STARS
A little too earthy for me. Tastes a lot like wood and not necessarily the oak variety. Not sure what's going on here. I just don't particularly like it.
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
2003 Snoqualmie Syrah
YEAR: 2003WINERY: Snoqualmie
FLAVOR: Red, Syrah
ORIGIN: Columbia Valley, USA
PURCHASED: Seattle, WA
AMOUNT: $8
NICKNAME: "Snoqualmie Syrah"
3 Reviews:
-
At
February 20, 2008 at 10:05 PM ,
psydr said...
-
3 OUT OF 5 STARS
More Snoqualmie goodness. Not going to be one of my favorites, but a very good wine. Poured a glass of this Syrah, no one is going to complain. -
At
March 26, 2008 at 11:01 PM ,
Jay said...
-
1 out of 5 STARS
Well....I kind of liked the label anyway. It's not often that I don't finish a bottle in a sitting. Just out of principal and polished it off the next day but I didn't enjoy it any more on the second try. -
At
September 11, 2008 at 9:54 PM ,
psydr said...
-
3 OUT OF 5 STARS
On revisit of this wine, I'd like to give it a slightly more robust review. This is a very good Syrah. I can't quite give it a 4 STAR rating, but it's close. There are some great earthly tones here, and a very smooth palate of cherry and raspberry. Very nice indeed. Certainly worth your consideration.
And, as Jay pointed out, the label "pops." I do like it. It has a certain simpleness to it and an elegant use of color without going overboard...
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
1 Reviews:
-
At
February 20, 2008 at 12:28 AM ,
psydr said...
-
2 OUT OF 5 STARS
Just not very good. Not smooth. No real taste to mention... and not in a good way. Sometimes lack of flavor is okay. In this case, NO. There's just something icky about this wine.
That said, I don't think it will offend most. Therefore the 2 STAR rating. It's just not very tasty.
And, given it was a $17 bottle on sale for $10, I really can't recommend it. I've sampled better bottles here on this blog for less than $5. So, given that information, you make the decision to buy it or not.
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
February 19, 2008
2004 Five Rivers Merlot
YEAR: 2004WINERY: Five Rivers
FLAVOR: Red, Merlot
ORIGIN: Central Coast, USA
PURCHASED: Seattle, WA
AMOUNT: $9
NICKNAME: "Five Rivers Merlot"
1 Reviews:
-
At
February 19, 2008 at 10:44 PM ,
psydr said...
-
2 OUT OF 5 STARS
Not so good. Not terrible. A strong flavor of wood but not necessarily oaky. What else could it be? I don't know. Regardless, there's no real reason to even try this wine. It's just not worth the effort.
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
1 Reviews:
-
At
February 19, 2008 at 10:21 PM ,
psydr said...
-
0 OUT OF 5 STARS
This wine is absolutely terrible, horrible, awful. It was so disgusting that I couldn't finish the first glass... and I really, really tried.
I placed it aside for a few hours in hope that time would breathe some non-wretched flavor into this unforgettable stew of ghastliness. No luck! Still intolerable.
Disappointing considering I gave their Cabernet Sauvignon a 4 STAR rating recently. I expected more. I don't know what else to say.
Sorry Llama.
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
February 13, 2008
1 Reviews:
-
At
February 14, 2008 at 12:30 AM ,
psydr said...
-
3 OUT OF 5 STARS
Again, another good showing for Red Truck. My only complaint regarding this bottling is its sweetness. I don't mind sweet, but I don't want to still be pondering it two minutes beyond my last swallow. This wine is a bit heavy on the sugar if you know what I mean. I feel the need to brush my teeth twice before hitting the sack. Make sense?
It's a good wine though. Especially if you're in the mood for a leggy/thick, sweet Merlot with a strong taste of plumb. At least that is what I extract from my sampling.
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
1 Reviews:
-
At
February 13, 2008 at 11:42 PM ,
psydr said...
-
2 OUT OF 5 STARS
Found this wine in a small grocery mart on the way to work this morning. Honestly, it's not too hot. Bitter for a Shiraz. Not my fav.
However, you do get a liter-o-wine for your 10 bucks. That's like 33% more!
Still, I'll pass... Too bad. I liked the label quite a bit. Black & white. Simple.
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
February 10, 2008
2006 Alice White Cabernet Shiraz
YEAR: 2006WINERY: Alice White
FLAVOR: Red, 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Shiraz
ORIGIN: South Eastern Australia
PURCHASED: Seattle, WA
AMOUNT: $7
NICKNAME: "Alice White Blend"
Labels: 2006, 4 STAR, Alice White, Australia, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mixed Varietal, Red, Shiraz
1 Reviews:
-
At
February 10, 2008 at 7:44 PM ,
psydr said...
-
4 OUT OF 5 STARS
Alice White is on a roll. These are good wines. This is just a tad bit more tart than the plain ol' Shiraz, but still very good. For $7 at your local convenience store, these wines are a steal.
Keep up the good work Alice!
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
1 Reviews:
-
At
February 10, 2008 at 6:27 PM ,
psydr said...
-
4 OUT OF 5 STARS
An excellent earthy wine. A term not normally associated with good wine. But, in this case, it is. I very much liked the dark cherry and almost dirty flavor in this Barolo. Very, very nice. Rich in taste. Yet smooth, so as not to offend. This wine would perfectly accompany any steak or lamb shank recipe.
Another incredible wine from the Piedmonte region. Having traveled to Italy on several occations in the past, and having been given the opportunity to sample numerous vintages and medleys of the Nebbiolo grape, I'm convinced there are no bad wines originating from this region. Maybe that comment is just in my blood.
Again, this bottle broaches our $10 theoretical ceiling... but who cares. It's an awesome wine. Buy it and enjoy it!
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
February 6, 2008
1 Reviews:
-
At
February 6, 2008 at 10:46 PM ,
psydr said...
-
2 OUT OF 5 STARS
Honestly, this wine just isn't very good. I found it very bland with a hint of icky in the background. Don't get me wrong. It wasn't terrible. And considering it's $4/bottle cost it's probably some sort of bargain...
There are better $3 bottles out there, so why buy this one?
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
2005 Red Truck Red Wine
YEAR: 2005WINERY: Red Truck
FLAVOR: Red, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Franc, & Mourvedre
ORIGIN: California, USA
PURCHASED: Seattle, WA
AMOUNT: $7
NICKNAME: "Red Truck Red"
Labels: 2005, 3 STAR, Cabernet Franc, Mixed Varietal, Mourvedre, Petite Sirah, Red Truck, Syrah, USA
1 Reviews:
-
At
February 6, 2008 at 9:43 PM ,
psydr said...
-
3 OUT OF 5 STARS
Another very good wine from Red Truck. For lack of a better description, there's a ton of BERRY in this wine. I mean a ton. That said, it's not overwhelmingly sweet. It's quite good. No bitter what-so-ever. No earthly aftertaste. Just berry without being overly sweet or thick like syrup.
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
2006 Caravaggio Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
YEAR: 2006WINERY: Caravaggio
FLAVOR: Red, Montepulciano
ORIGIN: Abruzzo, Itally
PURCHASED: Seattle, WA
AMOUNT: $5
NICKNAME: "Caravaggio Montepulciano"
Labels: 2006, 3 STAR, Caravaggio, Italy, Montepulciano, Red
4 Reviews:
-
At
February 6, 2008 at 8:37 PM ,
psydr said...
-
3 OUT OF 5 STARS
This is your standard Montepulciano, though I've certainly had better. Upon first taste, there's your standard glimpse of bitter followed by an oaky, charcoal smoothness. A very good drinking wine which went especially well with my pasta this evening. -
At
March 12, 2009 at 1:02 PM ,
Linda said...
-
Hi Where did you buy this Caravaggio? I have a friend that is searching for this wine, i cannot find it for him!!
Thanks! -
At
March 13, 2009 at 12:20 AM ,
psydr said...
-
Oh, my. That was over a year ago. I'm not exactly sure where or if it's even still available. Perhaps QFC or Safeway. Or I might have picked it up at Trader Joe's.
Hope that helps. Good luck. -
At
January 18, 2011 at 1:54 PM ,
said...
-
you may pick this wine up at any trader joes in wa or ca
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
February 5, 2008
2004 Rock Rabbit Shiraz
YEAR: 2004WINERY: Rock Rabbit
FLAVOR: Red, Shiraz
ORIGIN: California, USA
PURCHASED: Seattle, WA
AMOUNT: $10
NICKNAME: "Rock Rabbit Shiraz"
1 Reviews:
-
At
February 5, 2008 at 9:39 PM ,
psydr said...
-
5 OUT OF 5 STARS
This is a delicious wine. Another great find. Of course, it's price borders our theshold here. Not that we haven't broken it before.
A strong taste of cherry here for sure. More obvious than I've ever tasted after a single swallow. Certainly cherry. Not just fruity.
Okay, here's a conundrum: The front of the bottle clearly states the varietal to be Shiraz. Yet the vintage is of California... making it a Syrah. Then, on the back of the bottle, the statement is Syrah. A little weird I say.
Confusing? Yes. But given the nature of things and that these grapes were harvested in California, we have to call this a Syrah... right?
Regardless of Rabbit's confusion, most importantly, you should go out and pick up a bottle of this wine. It's yummy!
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
February 3, 2008
1 Reviews:
-
At
February 4, 2008 at 10:31 AM ,
Jay said...
-
3 out of 5 Stars
This one is pretty tame. Unoffensive but not terribly exciting. Really no complaints tho. For a $3 investment and sitting at home with a movie I'd drink it again.
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
February 2, 2008
Mattie's Perch Cabernet Shiraz
YEAR: None Given, Purchased 2008WINERY: Mattie's Perch
FLAVOR: Red, Cabernet Sauvignon & Shiraz
ORIGIN: South Eastern Australia
PURCHASED: Seattle, WA
AMOUNT: $7
NICKNAME: "Koala Blend"
Labels: 3 STAR, Australia, Cabernet Sauvignon, Maggie's Perch, Mixed Varietal, Red, Shiraz
1 Reviews:
-
At
February 2, 2008 at 4:59 PM ,
psydr said...
-
3 OUT OF 5 STARS
Another decent wine. Smooth and supple. I don't really have anything good or bad to say about this wine. It had a good flavor, just not inspiring. Not sweet. Not too bitter.
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
1 Reviews:
-
At
February 2, 2008 at 3:19 PM ,
psydr said...
-
3 OUT OF 5 STARS
Smooth and basic. My first sip had a slight tart aftertaste, but those which followed did not. The label is a bit cheesy, but what's in a label? This is a good wine.
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
1 Reviews:
3 OUT OF 5 STARS
There's wood involved in this wine. Certainly an oak flavor. Pretty good stuff. Just not fantastic. I don't even feel like giving it a FOUR. I guess I'd give it a 3.5 since I really feel it's just above average. But "no." THREE stars is what they get.
Word.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]