The Ferrari-Carano Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 2014 is sourced from 3 estate vineyards in the Anderson Valley AVA of Mendocino County, just north of Sonoma and west of Napa in Northern California. Ferrari-Carano is one of Sonoma Counties leading Estates, but they own three “ranches” in Anderson Valley. Anderson Valley is located just 10 miles from…
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The Trader Joe’s 2013 Grand Reserve Meritage Napa Lot 63 2013 is a $12.99 TJ’s blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec (these are 5 of the 6 grapes approved for Bordeaux Red blends, the only grape missing is Carménère) sourced from vineyards somewhere in the Napa Valley of California. When dealing with…
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The Vigilance Cimarron 2014 is 79% Syrah, 8% Grenache, 7% Mourvedre, and 6% Petite Verdot sourced from vineyards located in several AVAs inside the Lake County AVA which is inside the larger North Coast AVA of Northern California. Lake County is north of Napa, Mendocino is north and west and Sonoma is south and west. A…
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The Jellybean Cabernet Sauvignon is a non-vintage 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wine sourced from vineyards in Spain. You may not think of Spain when you think Cabernet Sauvignon, but the planting of Cab Sauv vines is trending upwards as Spain expands in the global wine market. Also, as a result, some of the indigenous, traditional, local grape varietals…
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The Fort Cellars North Coast Merlot 2012 is a $4.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive, produced by DNA Vineyards who also make Babble and Benefactor wines for TJ’s. The North Coast AVA consists of Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Mendocino County, Lake County, Marin County and Solano County, this AVA runs for 100 miles up the Pacific Coast and…
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The 2011 Four Vines Truant Old Vine Zinfandel is 90% Zinfandel, 7% Barbera and 3% Petite Sirah sourced mainly from the Lodi, Paso Robles and Mendocino AVA’s. Here is a brief run down on “old vine” Zinfandel in California, it was first planted by Italian immigrant farmers in the late 1800s as a taste…
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The 2012 Gnarly Head Pinot Noir is sourced from vineyards in Monterey, the North Coast AVA (includes Mendocino, Napa Valley, Sonoma And Lake County) as well as vines from Lodi. Delicato Family Vineyards, the makers of Gnarly Head as well as BraZin, Bota Box and others is located in Lodi, California. The name Gnarly…
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The 2012 Steppingstone North Coast Rocks White is a blend of Chardonnay and Muscat Canelli (the exact percentages for the blend is their little secret). The North Coast AVA incorporates 46 sub AVA’s, which include Napa Valley, Mendocino, Sonoma Coast among others. Muscat Canelli is an ancient grape varietal and is the grape all the…
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The 2012 Line 39 North Coast Petite Sirah is sourced from grapes grown in vineyards in the North Coast AVA. The North Coast AVA is located north of San Francisco and includes Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and 43 other AVA’s. Petite Sirah (also known as Durif) is a hybrid created in France in the 1800s, a…
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The 2011 Rickshaw Cabernet Sauvignon is 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc sourced from vineyards in Napa Valley, Sonoma, Paso Robles and Mendocino. Rickshaw Wines are sourced from up to 24 different lots of grapes (different vineyards, different sections of a vineyard, aged for varying times in new or used oak barrels),…
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The 2012 The Press Sauvignon Blanc is sourced from sustainably grown vineyards located in Mendocino County in Northern California. The Press is a label owned by the H. A. Oswald family who own and operated Husch Vineyards who produce Estate bottled wines in the Anderson Valley of Mendocino County, though The Press is not listed…
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The 2011 Pennywise Petite Sirah is 86% Petite Sirah, 8% Merlot and 6% Tannat (a blending grape originally from the Northern Rhone in France, it gives the wine a red berry flavor, dark purple color and adds structure) sourced from vineyards in 58% Lodi, 20% Mendocino, 12% Clarksburg and 10% Paso Robles. Pennywise is a…
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The 2010 Climber Sauvignon Blanc is 80% Sauvignon Blanc, 12% Riesling, 7% Viognier and 1% Muscat Blanc sourced from organic and sustainable vineyards (though this is not a certified organic wine) in Mendocino and other Central Coast AVA’s. In California, if one grape varietal comprises 75% of the grapes used in the bottle, they can…
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The Rack & Riddle Blanc de Blanc (White from White, meaning White wine made from Chardonnay grapes) is a non vintage Bubbly sourced from contracted vineyards in California’s North Coast AVA. The North Coast AVA encompasses 6 counties and 47 AVA’s, including Napa Valley, Sonoma and Mendocino. Rack & Riddle is a custom Sparkling wine…
Read MoreThe Black Ridge Vineyards Pinot Noir is mostly Pinot Noir blended with a little bit of Syrah and sourced from vineyards in Mendocino, Monterey and Sonoma. This is a non-vintage wine produced by ADS Wines to retail for under 10 bucks. There are 3 Black Ridge Pinots on the market, one from New Zealand, a…
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 2008 Castle Rock Napa Valley Merlot is sourced from several Napa Valley vineyards. Castle Rock has an interesting approach to producing wine, they do not own their own vineyards, but have long term contracts with vineyards all over California, Oregon and Washington. The don’t produce just one Merlot, but 3 Merlot’s from Napa, Mendocino…
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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…
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The 2010 Babble Red Wine is a $6.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive sourced from grapes grown in Mendocino County, California. The blend is 36% Petite Sirah, 26% Syrah, 17% Merlot, 10% Carignane, 10% Grenache and 1% Malbec. Babble is produced by DnA Vineyards (owner and winemaker is Dennis Patton), who is a custom winemaker, tell him…
Read MoreThe 2008 Little Stone Vineyards Petite Sirah is sourced from grapes grown in California’s North Coast. The North Coast is composed of 6 counties (Napa, Lake and 4 others) and 44 grape growing AVA’s (including Napa Valley, Mendocino, Sonoma). Little Stone Vineyards is a “virtual winery,” Larry Palmerson a wine professional from the Chicago area,…
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The 2010 Uppercut North Coast Sauvignon Blanc is 100% Sauvignon Blanc sourced from vineyards in the Mendocino and Lake County grape growing AVA’s of Northern California. This wine was vinted and bottled by Uppercut Wines of Sonoma, California, “vinted and bottled” legally indicates that the listed winery made less than 25% of the wine and…
Read MoreThe 2010 Honey Bunch Chardonnay is a $5.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive sourced from vineyards in California’s North Coast, which encompass 6 Northern California Counties and 46 grape growing AVA’s including Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino. The back labels says this wine was produced by Sugar Pie Honey Bunch Cellars, which tells you more about what song…
Read MoreThe 2009 Dreaming Tree Crush Red Blend is a part of a project between Dave Matthews (of the Dave Matthews Band) and Simi Winery Winemaker Steve Reeder. Dave Matthews is not new to wine, he founded Blenheim Vineyards, located near Charlottesville, Va., in 2000. The Crush Red Blend is 67% Merlot and 33% Zinfandel sourced…
Read MoreThe 2010 Sugar Pie Red Wine is a Trader Joe’s $5.99 exclusive, sourced from grapes grown in the North Coast of California, which encompasses 48 wine growing AVA’s, including Napa Valley, Sonoma and Mendocino. The label says this wine was produced by Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch Cellars. Trader Joe’s does not give out much information on…
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