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!
YEAR: 2007Labels: 2 STAR, 2007, France, Georges Duboeuf, Mixed Varietal, Red
YEAR: 2005Labels: 2005, 4 STAR, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Merlot, Mixed Varietal, Red, Spain, Tempranillo, Tomas Cusine
psydr said...
4 OUT OF 5 STARS
This is a very good Spanish offering. It really is. Being an accidental purchase, I was taken a little by surprise. When I placed the vessel in my basket at the store I could not find a price listed anywhere. But having grabbed it from the "lower" shelf with the rest of my sub-ten-buck purchases, I just assumed it was similarly priced. However, upon scanning the item during self-checkout I found the bottle to be priced closer to $14, but the clerk gave me a $2 break since the price was not clearly marked. Sweet!
This is a wonderful blend with a strong Tempranillo base. The other key varietal in my opinion is the Merlot. It's addition really smooths out the tannins in the Tempranillo and Garnacha. The nose is mainly berry with a hint of smokey residue. While the palate portrays blackberry and raspberry I would not call it overly fruity by any means. And then there's a little bite in the end. A good bite though. Just enough of one to let you know it means business. Some other reviews have listed this trait as spicy. At least I believe that is what they're referring to. What do I know???
So, we all know red wines go well with red meat. No other red in my experience has proven this to be more so. There's just something about it that REALLY compliments a thick, juicy, delicious fillet. I don't know exactly how to describe it, but I think you'll understand if you give this vino a try. It's almost a dirty, gritty flavor that is very, very good and carnal.
With just the slightest bit less bite in the end, this wine would be perfect, and I would grant it a 5 STAR rating. As is, I'm officially listing this as a 4.9 STAR. I'm excited to try future vintages from Tomas.
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YEAR: 2003Labels: 1 STAR, 2003, Cabernet Sauvignon, Hoodsport, Merlot, Mixed Varietal, Red, USA
psydr said...
1 OUT OF 5 STARS
Wow! Another crappy wine. This is not a good start for Hoodsport. I can take a hint. I promise not to buy another...
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YEAR: 2007Labels: 0 STAR, 2007, Lemberger, Merlot, Mixed Varietal, Red, USA, Working Girl Wines
psydr said...
0 OUT OF 5 STARS
This is cran-raspberry juice with a wine label slapped on it. Nothing more. Seriously, I'm appalled someone actually decided to bottle this stuff and SELL it (as wine). It is no wonder I found it on sale for $9.99 marked down from $15.99. I can't imagine anyone was willing to pay such a hefty fee for such swill. At least not more than once. The first round of buyers were suckered, plain and simple. I'm curious as to what percentage of these sales ended up poured down the drain. Surely none have finished a bottle. Not without gagging.
Perhaps this IS a breakfast wine. It might be a decent replacement for orange juice on occation... Well, not really. It's just terrible. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say this is the worst wine I've reviewed to date.
Barf!
said...
Is it me? Or does it seem like all these Zero Star wines look like the winery paid more attention to designing an attractive label than they did making a drinkable wine?
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psydr said...
2 OUT OF 5 STARS
A little dusty for my taste. Earthy yet tart. Similar in palate to a Malbec. A little dirty tasting if you will. And the slight dark bitters from the Merlot show as well.
This wine is unsweet and seems not quite ready for harvest. The danglies could've used a bit more time on the vine perhaps. This is the type of wine that does show promise, but as is, it's just not very good.
That said, I am curious about the Carmerene. Let's see what else comes about.
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YEAR: 2006Labels: 2006, 3 STAR, Goats do Roam, Mixed Varietal, Red, South Africa
psydr said...
3 OUT OF 5 STARS
Plum. Tons of plum.
While the blend is not listed, if I were to guess, I'd say Shiraz was the predominant varietal. It has the same sweet characteristics and color. The nose, however, is of plum. Smooth. No bitter tannins. And a slight fruity aftertaste.
A decent wine from South Africa. I'm tempted to give it 4 STARS, but I just can't.
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YEAR: 2006Labels: 2006, 3 STAR, Grenache, Mixed Varietal, Red, Red Guitar, Spain, Tempranillo
psydr said...
3 OUT OF 5 STARS
This one is a surprise. At first whiff I was sure I was to be disappointed. Nope. This is a good wine. The nose betrayed it's actual character by releasing a scent of sweet, sweet licorice. Not being a licorice fan, I'm usually immediately turned off by such wines. But this one wasn't so bad. In fact, I rather enjoyed it. It was a tad sweet and a bit leggy. And there IS a hint of anise in the palate. However, it wasn't overpowering, and the hint of pepper helped dull down the sweet. Overall it was a good balance. If you enjoy licorice, then this is the bottle for you. I see no reason not to purchase this wine. It's a good bottle to "throw in the mix" every now and then...
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YEAR: 2006Labels: 2006, 4 STAR, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Mixed Varietal, Petite Sirah, Red, The California Wine Party, USA
psydr said...
4 OUT OF 5 STARS
Good nose. Maybe slightly sweet in smell. Dark and slightly clouded. Not the clearest of beverages. Good flavor though. Not bad at all for a cheap wine. Surprisingly, there is very little aftertaste. For some reason I was betting on a bit of the bitters after swallowing. Maybe because the color was a little off. Or maybe is was something I sensed in the aroma. Either way, I couldn't have been more wrong. This wine starts off smooth and finishes in exactly the same way. Some might describe it as having a slightly watered down feeling, but personally, I just think it's a nice, smooth vino. I tend to prefer a thinner wine at times. They just seem more refreshing.
Anyway, this is a good buy and can be found at your local Trader Joe's. Pick up a bottle and let me know what you think.
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YEAR: 2007Labels: 2007, 4 STAR, Mixed Varietal, Mourvedre, Red, South Africa, Syrah, The Wolftrap, Viognier
psydr said...
This is a very nice wine. There's a slightly woody/oak palate with a bouquet of cherry and other red berries. Smooth going down, and a nice color. Not too shabby. It even complimented the stir fry I wokked up for dinner this evening. In general this is a good purchase. And even though it's a tad over our proverbial $10 ceiling, I would recommend it to any of you wishing to try a wine from South Africa.
This is our first South African wine review. They're off to a good start!
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YEAR: 2004Labels: 2 STAR, 2004, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Mixed Varietal, Red, Silver Lake, Syrah, USA
psydr said...
2 OUT OF 5 STARS
Semi-tart. Not very interesting in general. Vanilla. Perhaps a bit overdone. Smells of bad vino, but I don't think it's corked.
Don't know what else to say. I guess I'd just avoid from purchasing in the future. But don't get me wrong. It's not terrible. I just don't like it.
I'd rather go play with my new iPhone than spend any more time on this wine...
said...
They got it down on the newer vintages 4 star
said...
most of us know what a cork is.
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YEAR: 2006Labels: 2006, 4 STAR, Cortijo III, Grenache, Mixed Varietal, Red, Spain, Tempranillo
psydr said...
4 OUT OF 5 STARS
Not bad. In fact, quite good. This is a more-than-drinkable wine. There's a bit of tannin here but no real bitter aftertaste. Smooth.
My first sniff revealed a bit more acidity than I would prefer, but the first taste quickly made me forget. This wine is full of flavor. There's a good mix of berries here: Raspberry, blackberry, and cherry. Not overwhelming. Just good.
I certainly recommend you pick up a bottle. I am positive you'll be pleased.
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YEAR: 2005Labels: 2005, 3 STAR, Big House Red, Mixed Varietal, Red, USA
psydr said...
3 OUT OF 5 STARS
Cherry and Blackberry here with a stringent woody aftertaste. Decent stuff though. I wouldn't refuse it, and I'd purchase a bottle or two for a impromptu party.
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YEAR: 2005Labels: 2005, 3 STAR, Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Crest, Merlot, Mixed Varietal, Red, USA
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.
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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!
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YEAR: 2006Labels: 2006, Borsao, Grenache, Mixed Varietal, Red, Spain, Tempranillo, UNRATED
YEAR: 2006Labels: 2006, 4 STAR, Alice White, Australia, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mixed Varietal, Red, Shiraz
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!
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YEAR: 2005Labels: 2005, 3 STAR, Cabernet Franc, Mixed Varietal, Mourvedre, Petite Sirah, Red Truck, Syrah, USA
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.
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YEAR: None Given, Purchased 2008Labels: 3 STAR, Australia, Cabernet Sauvignon, Maggie's Perch, Mixed Varietal, Red, Shiraz
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.
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YEAR: 2006Labels: 2006, 3 STAR, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Mixed Varietal, Red, Snoqualmie, USA
psydr said...
3 OUT OF 5 STARS
A good blend. Merlot and Cabernet blends tend to compliment very well. These varietals tend to be on opposite ends of the grape spectrum for me. Therefore, the combination of both tends to produce a somewhat medium flavor. Merlot will cancel the bitter of Cabernet, while Cabernet tends to tone down the sweetness of Merlot. Overall, I would say this is a good wine. I almost gave it 4 stars...
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YEAR: None Given, Purchased 2008Labels: 4 STAR, Dog Tail, Mixed Varietal, Red, USA
psydr said...
4 OUT OF 5 STARS
Okay, I might get some flak for rating this wine a 4. Have you tried it? It's good! I really enjoyed it. It might be a tad on the sweet side for some folks, but the fruity flavor was a welcome accent over some of the very bitter wines I've tasted as of late. And we all know how bitter cheap wines can be...
It's got a colorful label paying homage to the canines who freely roam the vineyard and a twist-off cap! What more could you want in a wine?
After a little searching on the internet, the detail of the varietals was found to be Cabernet Sauvignon (92%), Cabernet Franc (6%), and Souzao (2%).
If your pallet tends towards the sweeter end of the vino spectrum, pick up a bottle of Fire Hydrant and give it a shot. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
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1 Reviews:
2 OUT OF 5 STARS
Thin. Sweet. Light body. But the nose is obnoxious. Terrible really. I can't quite describe it. Annis maybe. Some sort of awful cherry concoction.
I do like the thin, crispness of the vino, and the flavor isn't bad. I just can't stand the smell. I'm pretty sure I've never been so offended by a wine's nose. If you can get past that, then this is a passable wine.
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