The Stark Raving Malbec is a non-vintage wine imported from Argentina by Rosenblum Cellars. Rosenblum Cellars has been around since 1978 and they are one of the first wineries to bring Zinfandel wines to the forefront. The Stark Raving line of wines is their entry level “brand” wine and unlike many “brand” wines, these wines…
Read MoreThe Flame Lily California Red 2010 is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Syrah sourced from vineyards in 40% Monterey (in the Central Coast AVA) and 60% Lodi Delta (at the North end of the Central Valley, east of San Francisco). Flame Lily is a label owned by Sutter Home Wines who are…
Read MoreThe 2011 Dearly Beloved I Thee Red is a Trader Joe’s $7.99 exclusive (last years Forever Red sold for $6.99) sourced from Merlot, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Syrah and Cabernet Franc farmed in the Central Coast grape growing AVA of California. The 2009 Dearly Beloved Forever Red was produced by Mendocino Wine Group, who make Parducci Cellars…
Read MoreThe 2010 Mark West California Pinot Noir was sourced mainly from vineyards in Central Coast AVA (primarily Monterey and Santa Barbara) along with grapes from Mendocino, Sonoma County and Lodi grape growing AVA’s. Then to give the wine a little extra shine, they blend in Pinot Noir from their more expensive bottlings, 5% from Santa…
Read MoreThe 2011 Noble Vines 446 Chardonnay is a single vineyard, single vineyard section (maybe), single Chardonnay grape clone wine, that just happens to list for $12.99. Nobles Vines is one of the many labels produced by Delicato Family Vineyards and the grapes are sourced from Block 46 of Delicato Family Vineyards 5,000 acre San Bernabe…
Read MoreThe 2009 Emerald Bay Cabernet Sauvignon is 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot sourced from grapes grown in several vineyards in California’s Central Coast AVA. Emerald Bay is the value entry level label for Chateau Julien, a family owned and operated winery since 1982, located in Carmel in the Monterey AVA. There isn’t a fancy…
Read MoreThe Cameron Hughes Lot 313 California Field Blend is composed of 71% Zinfandel, 10% Petite Sirah, 10% Syrah and 9% Carignane, along with very small amounts of indigenous Italian grape varietals grown the Lodi AVA inside the Central Coast AVA in California. The label shows California as the origin of the grapes, which means the grapes…
Read MoreThe 2010 Cycles Gladiator Lodi Cabernet Sauvignon is 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot and 5% Petite Sirah sourced from vineyards located in the Lodi AVA inside the Central Coast AVA of California. Cycles Gladiator is one of the labels owned by Hahn Estates, Monterey, California. Cycles Gladiator was the brand name for a French bicycle…
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The 2010 Mirassou Pinot Noir is sourced from grapes grown in several California grape growing AVA’s, with some of the grapes coming from Sonoma and Monterey. The Mirassou family have been growing grapes and producing wine since 1854, they are the first to introduce Pinot Noir grapes to California and were among the first to…
Read MoreThe Stark Raving Red is a non vintage blend of 34% Tannat, 28% Zinfandel, 18% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petite Sirah and 6% Other (why do they just say “other,” it’s not a field blend, they know what grapes they purchased) sourced from 80% Central Coast AVA and 20% Lodi AVA (which is inside…
Read MoreThe 2010 The Original Darkhorse Chardonnay is $7.99 Trader Joe’s wine, but it does not seem to be a TJ’s exclusive and is available on the web for the same price. The Original Darkhorse is one of E & J Gallo’s 58 brands. I have high hopes for this Chardonnay, we posted the Darkhorse Cabernet…
Read MoreThe 2010 Wente Vineyards Morning Fog Chardonnay is sourced from Wente Estate vineyards located in Livermore Valley AVA and the San Francisco Bay AVA of California’s Central Coast AVA. Wente Vineyards is the oldest continuously family owned and operated winery in America (founded in 1883). In 1913, Ernest Wente imported Chardonnay vines from France and…
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The Frey Vineyards Natural White Organic Table whine is a non-vintage blend of Chenin Blanc (grown in certified organic vineyards in Butte County, which is near the Sierra Foothills and is included in the Central Coast AVA) and Chardonnay (sourced from certified organic vineyards in the Mendocino AVA, Frey Vineyards is located in Mendocino). Frey…
Read MoreThe 2010 Edna Valley Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc is sourced from grapes grown in several sections of the Paragon vineyard located in the Edna Valley AVA which is inside the San Luis Obispo County AVA which in turn is part of the Central Coast AVA in California. The Edna Valley Sauvignon Blanc can be found on…
Read MoreThe 2010 Robert Mondavi Private Selection Sauvignon Blanc is sourced from vineyards in the Central Coast AVA, primarily Monterey County. The front label says California which indicates the grapes can be sourced from more than one AVA, but only Central Coast grapes were used and the 2011 label has been redesigned and now shows Central…
Read MoreThe Pepperwood Grove Pinot Noir is a non-vintage (grapes grown in two or more different years blended together) wine sourced from vineyards in the Central Valley of Chile. Pepperwood Grove is one of the labels owned by Don Sebastiani and Sons who operate as negociants, they buy grapes from all over the world and have their…
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The 2011 Acre Russian River Valley Chardonnay is a $7.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive. There is or at least was an Acre Wine Company that produce wines sourced from the Central Coast (the wines they make list for 3 times as much), and this bottle shares their bottle graphics, a silk screened grape vine, but this…
Read MoreThe Rex-Goliath Cabernet Sauvignon is a non vintage wine sourced from more than one California grape growing AVA. About ten years ago Rex-Goliath was a pretty reliable supermarket wine, back then it was Hahn Estates entry level wine sourced from grapes grown in Monterey and the Central Coast. The brand has since been sold off…
Read MoreThe 2010 Beck Zweigelt is sourced from 4 Biodynamic vineyards each in one of the main grape growing areas/communes (Gols, Halbturn, Winden and Apetlon) in Burgenland, eastern Austria. This region is the warmest in Austria and the vineyards are located on the eastern side of Lake Neusiedl. The Zweigelt grape was created by Fritz Zweigelt…
Read MoreThe 2011 Trader Joe’s Vinas Chilenas Merlot is a Trader Joe’s $3.99 exclusive. The wine is produced by Videma from grapes grown in Chile’s Central Valley. Videma’s vineyards are under the control of the Tarapaca Group, which includes noted winemaker Paul Hobbs. The Tarapaca Group instituted the “Ultra Premium Oenological Center,” with the goal to…
Read MoreThe 2010 Fadeway Pinot Noir is a $8.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive, sourced from vineyards in the Santa Maria Valley AVA in California’s Central Coast. The Santa Maria Valley AVA spans parts of both Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo County, the climate is cool and Pinot Noir does well there, they have been growing…
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The 2010 Comique Révolution Blanc is a Trader Joe’s ($4.99) exclusive sourced from grapes grown in California’s Central Coast. Produced by the Central Coast Wine Warehouse, they produce several dozen wine labels, along with custom wines (and a steady stream of Trader Joe’s wines) and they own some of the best vineyards in the Central…
Read MoreThe 2009 Liberte‘ Cabernet Sauvignon is a Trader Joe’s ($9.99) exclusive made by Familia Nueva from grapes grown in Paso Robles, California. Familia Nueva is a label owned by Ancient Peaks Winery and the packaging here is a step or two up from the usual ten dollars wines. The bottle is a heavy Cabernet bottle…
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