Toad Hollow Unoaked Chardonnay 2019 – Affordable, Interesting, Whimsical, Excellent Ok, students…today's lesson is California Chardonnay. No, not the oak barrel Chardonnay, unoaked Chardonnay. The Toad Hollow Unoaked Chardonnay 2019 is one of the original unoaked Chardonnay. It sees no oak, no “on lees” (check out www,cheapwinefinder.com to see what that is all about). But…
Read More
The Toad Hollow Unoaked Chardonnay 2019 subtitled Francine’s Selection is sourced from long-term contracts with family-owned vineyards in Mendocino County AVA in Northern California. Toad Hollow winery was founded in 1993 by Todd Williams and Rodney Strong. Rodney Strong had been a Broadway choreographer and owned a winery bearing his name. Todd Williams passed away…
Read MorePodcast: Play in new window | Download () | Embed
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Pandora | Podcast Index | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS
Tabor Hill Blueberry Demi-Sec – Fruit Wine With A Difference. I am from Chicago, so I knew a few things about Michigan wine. They used to have a Chicago Tasting event every year, and each year the wine got better and better. I was a fan, but I didn't know anything about fruit wine. Southwest…
Read More
The Tabor Hill Blueberry Demi-Sec is a mix of a White wine blend and blueberry wine from a winery in Southwest Michigan that has produced different types of wine for over 50 years. The White wine is Tabor Hill Classic Demi-Sec, a blend of Vidal, Vignoles, Riesling, Traminette, Seyval, and Gewürztraminer grapes. Demi-Sec translates to…
Read MorePodcast: Play in new window | Download () | Embed
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Pandora | Podcast Index | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS
Firesteed Oregon Pinot Noir 2019 – A Value Priced Taste Of Oregon This a $17 wine on Firesteed's website or an $11.99 wine at Trader Joe's. The label also says Oregon rather than Willamette Valley. Are these warning signs? Nope, it tastes great; a classic Pinot Noir produced in the Burgundian style. Is that a…
Read More
The Firesteed Oregon Pinot Noir 2019 is a taste of Oregon Pinot, sourced from several AVAs inside the state. The Oregon version of wine from California simply California on the label as the place of origin. When folks think of Oregon Pinot Noir, they usually think of Willamette Valley, but there is more to Oregon…
Read MorePodcast: Play in new window | Download () | Embed
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Pandora | Podcast Index | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS
Bear Bros Sauvignon Blanc 2020 – An Inexpensive But Interesting ALDI Sauv Blanc Covid has completely messed up wine in 2021. Shutdowns have closed wineries and disrupted distribution. The Bear Bros Sauvignon Blanc 2020 is a rare new release. I expect an avalanche of wine in the fall, but every new wine is greatly appreciated…
Read More
The Bear Bros Sauvignon Blanc 2020 is a $7.99 ALDI exclusive made for them by a large family-owned winery based in Monterey, California. The origin of the grapes on the label says California, which means the Central Coast AVA and/or the North Coast AVA or Central Valley AVA. ALDI sells several wines made by this…
Read MorePodcast: Play in new window | Download () | Embed
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Pandora | Podcast Index | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS
Le Grand Verre 2020 – Boutique Single Serving Bottle French Wines Single serving, double glass unbreakable 6.3-ounce bottles (a standard pour is 5 ounces) French Boutique Estate wines… organic Chardonnay and Rosé from a female winemaker in the Languedoc. Small estate Rosé from Bandol in Provence. Cru Bordeaux Red from the Hait-Medoc. These are not…
Read More
The format for this review is going to be different, we typically give our attention to one wine, but the Le Grand Verre 2020 is not about one individual bottle of wine. Instead, the name translates to “the big glass” and is a hand-picked line of single-serve bottles of boutique, small-batch French Estate wines. The…
Read MorePodcast: Play in new window | Download () | Embed
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Pandora | Podcast Index | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS
Decoy Brut Cuvée – The Perfect July 4th Bubbly Decoy was once Duckhorn Vineyards 2nd label; while still a part of the Duckhorn family, it is now its own brand. The Decoy Brut Cuvée is in its first year of release. A brand new Bubbly, and it is delicious. They use Napa Valley oak barrel…
Read More
The Decoy Brut Cuvée is a blend of 49% Pinot Noir, 47% Chardonnay, and 4% Pinot Meunier sourced from vineyards in several locations in California. Decoy is one of Duckhorn Vineyards’ wines; they are a high-end winery founded by Dan and Margret Duckhorn in 1976. The Decoy line of wines started as Duckhorn’s second line…
Read MorePodcast: Play in new window | Download () | Embed
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Pandora | Podcast Index | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS
High Guard Chardonnay 2019 – TJ's $6.99 Tuesday Night Chardonnay Can $6.99 get you a tasty wine with quality oak barrel flavors? Yes, it can! Ain't Trader Joe's great? $6.99 barely gets you a passable cup of coffee, and Trader Joe's is rocking a quality Chardonnay. We are living in extraordinary times where good wine…
Read More
The High Guard Chardonnay 2019 is a $6.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive sourced from vineyards located in several California AVA’s. This is a wine produced for Trader Joe’s by a custom wine company making wine for TJ’s for several years. I read that half of the wineries in California are faux-wineries, meaning that they do not…
Read MorePodcast: Play in new window | Download () | Embed
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Pandora | Podcast Index | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS
African Hills Cape Town Sauvignon Rosé 2020 – ALDI Sauvignon Blanc Rosé? Would a Rosé by any other name taste just as sweet? Yeah, I am stealing from Shakespeare? He won't tell. Check out the www.cheapwinefinder.com review for all the details. Is this a fancy Rosé? Or is this a Sauvignon Blanc from Cape Town,…
Read More
The African Hills Cape Town Sauvignon Rosé 2020 is a $6.99 ALDI import wine from the Cape Town growing region of South Africa. The Rosé is a blend of 93% Sauvignon Blanc and 7% Cabernet Sauvignon. Fun Wine Fact: Sauvignon Blanc is the genetic parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. Ok, here is a Rosé refresher. Rosé…
Read MorePodcast: Play in new window | Download () | Embed
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Pandora | Podcast Index | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS
Ok, this is an easy one. A Cheapwinefinder tip is to drink Garnacha. Grenache wine. Another Cheapwinefinder tip is to follow the Importer. This wine pushes both of those buttons, Check out www. cheapwinefinder.com for all the details. Check us out at www.cheapwinefinder.com or email us at [email protected]
Read More
The Evodia Garnacha 2018 is sourced from 40 to 100-year-old vines in vineyards located in the foothill of the Sierra Santa Cruz Mountains in the Calatayud region in northeast Spain. This is a wine that sells for around $10 and is a perennial 90+ point wine. It has been a bang-for-the-buck favorite for years. Here…
Read MorePodcast: Play in new window | Download () | Embed
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Pandora | Podcast Index | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS
Studio By Miraval Rosé 2020 – Budget-Friendly Rosé From Brad & Angelina A wine from the south of France and not a Provence wine? Yes, this is a taste of the south of France Rosé. But with Miraval's winemaker. Maybe not AOC estate grapes; this is an IGP wine, but with a top-notch winemaker. Good…
Read More
The Studio By Miraval Rosé 2020 is a blend of Cinsault, Grenache, Rolle, and Tibouren grapes sourced from various vineyards in the French Riviera in the south of France. The French Riviera includes the Cote d’Azur and the well-known Cotes d Provence wine regions. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie own Miraval; even after the divorce,…
Read MorePodcast: Play in new window | Download () | Embed
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Pandora | Podcast Index | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS
Villa Borghetti Grigio Luna Pinot Grigio 2020 – TJ's Italian Summer Cooler $5.99 from Trader Joe's, it is a DOC wine from the Delle Venzie region of northeast Italy. Alto Adige is the most famous and pricey Pinot Grigio region in Italy, and Delle Venzie is just south of there. This is a summer cooler,…
Read More
The Villa Borghetti Grigio Luna Pinot Grigio 2020 is a $5.99 import Trader Joe’s exclusive sourced from vineyards in the Delle Venzie DOC of Northeast Italy. The Delle Venzie region specializes in White wine grapes and grows German grape varietals and Italian, but is best known for Pinot Grigio. The Villa Borghetti Grigio Luna Pinot…
Read MorePodcast: Play in new window | Download () | Embed
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Pandora | Podcast Index | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS
A 14.99 at Trader Joe's, a typical Diamond Mountain Cabernet, sells for between $55 and $350. Is this a $55 Cab selling for $14.99? Probably not. Those wines have a price based on the reputation of the winery that made them. This is a mystery wine. Does that mean this wine does not taste good?…
Read More
The Trader Joe’s Platinum Reserve Diamond Mountain District Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 is a $14.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive; this is also Lot #92, which may be important in this series of wines. For the last six months, TraderJoe’s has offered a line of small-batch wines featuring grapes from premier Napa Valley sub-AVA’s. Are these wines…
Read MorePodcast: Play in new window | Download () | Embed
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Pandora | Podcast Index | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS
Beaujolais Rosé all day. This is an excellent, well-made, rather tasty, $7.99 ALDI French wine. An AOC Beaujolais wine, nothing fancy, bi Beaujolais Villages or Cru, but again it is selling for only $7.99. For all the tasting notes and information, check out www.cheapwinefinder.com. This may be my favorite Rosé so far this summer! Check…
Read More