2006 Redwood Creek Pinot Noir
YEAR: 2006WINERY: Redwood Creek
FLAVOR: Red, Pinot Noir
ORIGIN: Pavia, Italy
PURCHASED: Seattle, WA
AMOUNT: $7
NICKNAME: "Redwood Noir"
Labels: 2006, 4 STAR, Italy, Pinot Noir, Red, Redwood Creek
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!
June 9, 2008
YEAR: 2006WINERY: Redwood Creek
FLAVOR: Red, Pinot Noir
ORIGIN: Pavia, Italy
PURCHASED: Seattle, WA
AMOUNT: $7
NICKNAME: "Redwood Noir"
May 10, 2008
2006 Santa Cristina Sangiovese
YEAR: 2006WINERY: Santa Cristina
FLAVOR: Red, Sangiovese
ORIGIN: Tuscany, Italy
PURCHASED: Seattle, WA
AMOUNT: $8
NICKNAME: "Santa Cristina Sangiovese"
Labels: 1 STAR, Italy, Red, Sangiovese, Santa Cristina
1 Reviews:
-
At
May 10, 2008 at 3:50 PM ,
psydr said...
-
1 OUT OF 5 STARS
Two lowly reviews for Sangiovese thus far. Since I know there are Sangioveses I enjoy, I'm not letting these two bottles get me down. When I was in Tuscany I certainly had several bottles of Sangiovese and Chianti which I absolutely adored. This offering from Santa Cristina is not one of them.
This particular bottle tasted sour to me. Almost as if I had stuck a dandelion in my mouth and started to chew. Well, maybe not quite that sour, but you get the idea.
This vintage has been put on my list of "do nots." I'm going to pass the rest of the bottle off on my friends this evening during our bbq...
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
May 7, 2008
2006 Aquila d'Oro Toscana
YEAR: 2006WINERY: Aquila d'Oro
FLAVOR: Red, Sangiovese
ORIGIN: Tuscany, Italy
PURCHASED: Trader Joe's, Seattle, WA
AMOUNT: $4
NICKNAME: "Aquila Toscana"
Labels: 1 STAR, 2006, Aquila d'Oro, Italy, Red, Sangiovese
2 Reviews:
-
At
May 9, 2008 at 6:17 PM ,
psydr said...
-
1 OUT OF 5 STARS
Yuk! This vino just stinks. It's bitter and loaded with tannins. There's no reason to ever throw down hard-earned case for this bottle... at least not for drinking. It's a very shallow, uneventful wine which I'll more-than-likely never purchase again... not even for $4.
This is hard to believe, but this wine is not worth $4. I wouldn't spend more than $2 if I were you. If you can find it for that, and you could care less what your vino tastes like, then go for it.
Usually the $3 and $4 bottles at our local Trader Joe's are more than worth the money, but not this guy. I say to TJ's, "send it back!" -
At
February 16, 2009 at 10:48 PM ,
said...
-
If indeed I "could care less" what my vino tastes like, then am I not by definition someone who cares what my wine tastes like? Why would you recommend to me a wine which you think "just stinks"?
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
May 6, 2008
1 Reviews:
-
At
May 6, 2008 at 9:24 PM ,
psydr said...
-
2 OUT OF 5 STARS
I didn't particularly enjoy this Montepulciano. The palate was a bit more dirty than your standard bottle. I could almost feel the grit between my teeth, though there was no physical manifestation of such.
The color was clear. The nose was heavy, heavy with something I can't quite place. Not unpleasant. Yet, not pleasing. It's an organic scent and not chemical. I just can't get a fix on it at the moment.
Let's move on. There's better wines to spend time reviewing.
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
April 13, 2008
1 Reviews:
-
At
April 13, 2008 at 7:10 PM ,
psydr said...
-
4 OUT OF 5 STARS
This is a pretty darn good Valpolicella. A bit dry, but very good. Dark cherry and oak flavors. No bitter aftertaste. Smooth going down. A very earthy wine. Nice.
I was a little apprehensive about such an inexpensive Valpolicella. But it was good. I'm looking forward to continuing through this vessle of goodness with my upcoming meal of smoked salmon over penne with a light cream sauce!
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
March 25, 2008
2005 Michele Chiarlo Barbara d'Asti
YEAR: 2005WINERY: Michele Chiarlo
FLAVOR: Red, Barbara
ORIGIN: Piedmonte, Italy
PURCHASED: Trader Joe's, Seattle, WA
AMOUNT: $10
NICKNAME: "Chiarlo Barbara"
1 Reviews:
-
At
March 25, 2008 at 5:44 PM ,
psydr said...
-
5 OUT OF 5 STARS
An excellent Barbara and for only 10 bucks if you can believe that. Hurray for TJ's for bringing us yet another great wine from the Piedmonte.
This wine would go well with practically any food you were to throw at it while at the same time making that food better. The palate is simple and smells delicious. A very, very smooth wine with virtually no aftertaste minus the slightest hint of oak just to let you know how it was aged... And aged properly it was.
2005 was a magnificent year for Chiarlo. I'll be scooping up several more of their varietals in the near future. However, first I will be heading back to Trader Joe's to acquire a few more bottles of this stuff. I love it!
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
March 18, 2008
1 Reviews:
-
At
March 18, 2008 at 11:27 PM ,
psydr said...
-
4 OUT OF 5 STARS
This is a damn good wine. Personally, I was incredibly surprised to find a Barbera for under $10. From Alba, in the region of Piedmonte, this is a great wine. Eat with steak. Eat with pasta made by a redhead. Anything red is good with this bottle. I just can't believe I found a bottle for $7! Cheers to Trader Joe's.
Now, don't get too excited. It's by FAR not the best Barbera I've consumed. But for under $10 it IS. Who sells a Barbera for less than $10? Well, Trader Joe's. That's who.
What is it I want to see in my near future? A bottle of Barolo for $10 or less. Please, please let it be. Yeah, right. One day. We ALL hope for it. While we're at it, let's hope for under-twenty Nebbiolo and/or Gatinnara.
Of course the day THAT happens dogs and cats will be sleeping together and I won't actually have to travel to the wine store to purchase a bottle of my favorite vino. My favorite bottles will just start appearing before each meal via some sort of teleportation device... Ah, welcome good "vino" future. Welcome.
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
March 16, 2008
1 Reviews:
-
At
March 16, 2008 at 4:44 PM ,
psydr said...
-
4 OUT OF 5 STARS
Of course this was a good wine. It's from Piedmonte - home to the grandest grape known to mankind - the Nebbiolo.
While Barbara is no Nebbiolo, it IS a very tasty varietal if aged appropriately in oak. Coming from Alba, one of the smaller producers of Barbera, this particular bottle is an excellent example of what can be achieved with a Barbara.
Yum!
This bottle is almost double our theoretical maximum here on my blog. But I've been reconsidering my price ceiling. I may just raise the bar to $20 to allow for reviews of a greater percentage of wines I enjoy... I'd like to hear some feedback on that...
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
February 10, 2008
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
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]
January 4, 2008
1996 Travaglini Gattinara
YEAR: 1996WINERY: Travaglini
FLAVOR: Red, Gattinara (Nebbiolo)
ORIGIN: Piedmonte, Italy
PURCHASED: Seattle, USA
AMOUNT: $30
NICKNAME: "Psydr's Personal Favorite"
Labels: 1996, 5 STAR, Gattinara, Italy, Nebbiolo, Red, Travaglini
1 Reviews:
-
At
January 7, 2008 at 6:26 PM ,
psydr said...
-
5 OUT OF 5 STARS
I just love this stuff. Honestly, I'm not exactly sure why. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact my family is from Piemonte and it's in my genes. I don't know.
Gattinaras, Barolos, and Barbarescos have always held the top positions of my personal wine list. The Nebbiolo grape has been used to produce some fabulous red wines... and grappas. Yours truly has been known to put down an entire bottle of Grappa di Barolo in an evening while sitting on the Tuscan hillside.
If you have the opportunity, please try a bottle of Gattinara. They're not that difficult to obtain and certainly well worth the effort.
I hear your rants now: "This is more than a $10 bottle of wine." I'm aware. But it's my favorite. And this is my blog... I may occasionally list a bottle above the $10 mark. It's okay.
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
1 Reviews:
4 OUT OF 5 STARS
I was a little surprised by this wine. Considering where it was purchased and the amount paid, I mostly expected a mouthful of tar and ash. Instead, I was treated with the smooth, sweet taste of dark cherries. I really did enjoy this bottle. The aroma was quite pleasant, and the color very good.
Overall, I fully recommend you try this cheap wine from Italy. Now for the best part: Head on over to your local 711 to pick one up...
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]