Send us Fan Mail Chandon California Brut-Do You Really Need The French Stuff? Chandon in 1974 was one of the first Champagne Houses to establish a California outpost. The Chandon California Brut list is for $26, but during the Holidays I found it for $15. Are California grapes really that much worse than Champagne grapes?…
Read MoreSend us Fan Mail Kirkland Signature Gigondas 2021-Cru Wine For $13.99! Gigondas is one of the 8 Southern Rhone Valley (France) Cru Regions. It is second to Chateauneuf du Pope in importance and it is a region that makes wines that sell for hundreds of dollars. The winemaker is a third-generation from Chateauneuf du Pope…
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The Photograph North Coast Sauvignon Blanc 2021 is sourced from vineyards in the Sonoma and Napa AVAs, the list price is around $13, but I found it on sale at Target for $8.99. It was a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy in 2023 and received 92 points. This brand from Vintage Wine Estates offers 34 different…
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Send us Fan Mail Photograph North Coast Sauvignon Blanc 2021-Forget NZ-Here Is to Cali Sauv Blanc This is a wine I bought on sale at Target for $8.99 it was on sale for $4 off. I bought it because it was on sale. It turns out this is a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy of 2023 …
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I think the Trading Post by Trader Joe’s Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 is a $19.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive. I say I think because I can’t find a single mention of this wine on the internet. I do not recall another “by Trader Joe’s” wine before, typically the wines in this price range are Patinum…
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Send us Fan Mail Trading Post by Trader Joe's Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2022- $20 Trader Joe's Napa I have never heard of a” by Trader Joe's” wine, in the past they were all Platinum or Diamond Reserve wines. So what is the deal here is this a new wine program by Trader Joe's or…
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The Peirano Estate Illusion Red Blend 2021 blends Old Vine Zinfandel, Merlot, Petite Sirah, and Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from estate vineyards in the Lodi AVA. Peirano Estate is a family-owned vineyard and winery, the family has grown grapes since the 1880s. Lance Randolph (4th generation) and his daughter Alexis Randolph (5th generation) make the wine….
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Send us Fan Mail Peirano Estate Illusion Red Blend 2021-The Bang For The Buck Is no Illusion This is an Old Vine Zinfandel-based Red Blend from a family-owned Lodi AVA winery that has been growing grapes since the 1880s. The blend has zinfandel, merlot, petite sirah, and cabernet sauvignon. It is delicious, there is a…
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The Poppy Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay 2019 is a wine I found for $13.99 and it is the house brand for Monterey Wine Company, a custom wine producer. This is a single vineyard wine with grapes from the Poppy Hillside Vineyard. The Santa Lucia Highlands AVA is located on the western foothills of the Salinas…
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Send us Fan Mail Poppy Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay 2019- Single Vineyard-3 Production Techniques-Under $15 This is a Chardonnay sourced from a single vineyard in an elite (Santa Lucia Highlands) growing region. Using 3 production techniques most wines use one! Selling for under $15. This is a brand you should know! For further information check…
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The Trader Joe’s Platinum Reserve Sonoma County Brut Sparkling Wine-2023 Edition is a $14.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive featuring a blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and a little bit of Pinot Meunier which is a classic Champagne blend. This Sparkling wine was “produced and bottled by” (that means they made this Bubbly) Rack and Riddle of…
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Send us Fan Mail Trader Joe's Platinum Reserve Sonoma County Brut Sparkling Wine-2023 Edition-Tis The Bubbly Season This is TJ's $14.99 Sonoma Bubbly. The Fearless Flyer says it is equal to Bubbly selling for far more. Is it? That is hard to say without tasting all the comparable Sparkling wines at the same time., But…
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The Skull Red Wine 2021 is organic and blends 60% Zinfandel, 30% Petite Sirah, and 10% Mission sourced from Mendocino and Santa Barbara vineyards. This brand is from Patrick Cappiello (who owns Monte Rio Cellars) and Pax Mahle (Pax Wines). Patrick Cappiello is an ex-skate punk, hence the Skull imagery, and an award-winning Sommelier who…
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Send us Fan Mail Skull Red Wine 2021-Organic-Bespoke+Skulls I have never had a bad Skulls/Skeleton wine. This is a Red Blend from a famous Sommelier and one of the leading Syrah wine producers in California. It is a small-production wine that is essentially hand-made and I found selling for $15. Not all value-priced wine is…
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The Trader Joe’s Grand Reserve Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2022 Lot 124 is a $12.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive. Unlike most Trader Joe’s Reserve wines, we know who produced this Pinot Noir. The back label says this wine was: Produced and Bottled” by DW Hinman Cellars. Doyle Hinman planted his first grapes in 1972 and by…
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Send us Fan Mail Trader Joe's Grand Reserve Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2022 Lot 124-$13 and Real Good This is a Pinot noir from someone with 50 years of experience in the Oregon Wine Industry. He was one of the first people to plant vines. He owned one of the best-selling wineries. Today he is…
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The Elouan Oregon Chardonnay 2020 is one of the brands from Copper Cane, the wine company owned by Joe Wagner who is part of the Wagner family of Caymus fame. Joe Wagner is the son and you should know him from Meiomi wines which he founded and sold for 1/3 of a billion dollars. The…
Read MoreSend us Fan Mail Elouan Oregon Chardonnay 2020-From The Man Who Brought You Meiomi Pinot Noir This is an Oregon Chardonnay from Joe Wagner, a member of the Wagner family who is 6th generation in Napa Valley, they are best known for Caymus wines. Joe Wagner is one of the sons and he is known…
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The Trader Joe’s Platinum Reserve Carneros Pinot Noir 2021 is a $14.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive. There was a 2020 Vintage TJ’s Platinum Reserve Carneros Pinot which also sold for $14.99. This seems to be a reoccurring Thanksgiving wine. The Carneros AVA is located on the San Pablo Bay, east of Oakland, and about half of…
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Send us Fan Mail Trader Joe's Platinum Reserve Carneros Pinot Noir 2021- The Best $15 Pinot Nour? There was a Trader Joe's Platinum Carneros Pinot Noir 2020 which was not too far off from the 2021 vintage. Carneros does not do value-priced wine, it is a high-end growing region. The Trader Joe's Platinum Reserve wines…
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The Trader Joe’s Reserve Santa Ynez Valley GSM 2022 is a Trader Joe’s $9.99 exclusive. The blend is 47% Mourvedre, 34% Syrah, and 19% Grenache, so it is an MSG blend. The Santa Ynez Valley is located in southern Santa Barbara County, between 2 mountain ranges. The western part of the valley gets cool Pacific…
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Send us Fan Mail Trader Joe's Reserve Santa Ynez Valley GSM 2022-Rhone Valley By Way of Santa Barbara California A GSM wine and this is an MSG wine, is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre. It is the classic Red Blend of the Southern Rhone Valley in Southern France. This version is from Santa…
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The Burlwood Brut Sparkling Wine is a $4.95 Aldi exclusive made by some part of E & J Gallo Winery, any time you see Modesto, California on the back label you can bet that Gallo made the wine. Gallo also produces Andre Champagne and Barefoot Bubbly lines, all in the same general price range. The…
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Send us Fan Mail Burlwood Brut Sparkling Wine-Aldi-The Best 5 Buck Bubbly-Give a Listen This is a $4.95 wine from Aldi, E & J Gallo makes it. they also make Andre's Champagne (not really) and Barefoot Bubbly. Five buck bubbly can't possibly be any good, well check out https://cheapwinefinder.com/ and listen to the podcast and find…
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The Cameron Hughes Russian River Pinot Noir 2018 Lot 947 is a Nogociant wine, you should be able to find it for around $19. A negociant is a French wine company that goes to wineries and makes a deal to buy excess wine. It is all very hush-hush, nobody is to know who the winery…
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