Cheap Wine Reviews

Pizzolato Fields Organic Brut Prosecco

The Pizzolato Fields Organic Brut Prosecco is sourced from Glera grapes grown in certified organic Estate vineyards in the Prosecco DOC region of Veneto in northeast Italy. This Bubbly is organic, Vegan-friendly, non-GMO, and reasonably priced (a quick check of the web saw prices mainly in the $10 range).  Prosecco is produced with the Charmat Method, this is…

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Spartico Organic Cabernet Sauvignon Tempranillo 2015

The Spartico Organic Cabernet Sauvignon Tempranillo 2015 is a 50/50 blend from certified organic vineyards in the Utiel-Requena region (inside of Valencia Province) of western Spain. Utiel-Requena has a wine history dating back to Roman times. The Spartico has no detectable sulfites. Sulfites are added to wine to help it age and keep it fresh, but the Spartico Organic…

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Biokult Grüner Veltliner 2015

The Biokult Grüner Veltliner 2015 is certified organic, certified biodynamically grown, and Non-GMO, sourced from vineyards in Burgenland area (inside Niederösterreich state) of eastern Austria. Grüner Veltliner is a grape that is grown almost exclusively in Austria. This Gruner is aged for 7 months in stainless steel tanks. It is an expensive and time-consuming process to have your vineyards…

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Pontificis GSM 2014

The Pontificis GSM 2014 is a blend of 40% Grenache, 33% Syrah and 27% Mourvedre, sourced from vineyards in the Languedoc region of France and is a $6.99 Trader Joe’s import exclusive. The GSM blend is one of the classic Red wine blends from the southern Rhone Valley in France and the Chateauneuf-du-pape region in…

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Bota Box Nighthawk Black

 The Bota Box Nighthawk Black is a blend of Zinfandel, Syrah and Petite Sirah sourced from vineyards in more than one California grape growing AVA and is available in a 3 liter box (four 750 ml Bottles) or 500 ml Tetra pack. Bota Box is part of Delicato Family Wines (Lodi, Ca.), they produce Gnarly…

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VINTJS Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2015

The VINTJS Willamette Valley Pinot Noir is a $8.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive sourced from grapes grown by a large Willamette Valley, Oregon grower and produced for TJ’s by ABJ Wines (probably a shell company) from Geyserville, California. This is a negociant wine (meaning they buy surplus wine from existing wineries and sell under their own…

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Barefoot Cabernet Sauvignon

The Barefoot Cabernet Sauvignon is a non-vintage wine sourced from vineyards in Argentina, there is also a little Aspiran Noir blended in. Aspiran Noir is a grape founded mainly in the Languedoc region of France and it adds some color, a perfumed nose and a little flavor. Barefoot is E and J Gallo’s line of…

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Benedetto Chianti DOCG 2015

The Benedetto Chianti DOCG 2015 is an ALDI $4.99 import exclusive. Benedetto translates to “blessed” in Italian and this Chianti is Sangiovese with maybe a little Canaiolo blended in from grapes grown in the Chianti region of Tuscany in Italy. If you are not familiar with Italian wine a DOC is approximately the same as…

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Barefoot Pinot Grigio

The Barefoot Pinot Grigio (with maybe some Muscat of Alexandria and Viognier blended in) is sourced from vineyards from more than one state, the label says American wine. Barefoot wines have been around in form or another since 1965 but really took off after E and J Gallo purchased the company in 2005.  These are…

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Barefoot Merlot

The Barefoot Merlot is a non-vintage wine sourced from vineyards in various parts of California. Barefoot is one of the value priced brands from E & J Gallo (the largest family owned winery in the US). This is not one of those wines that has a great back story. This is mass-produced, well-priced wine, in…

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CHILL – An International Wine & Culinary Event

This Thursday, November 10th, come out to Chicago’s iconic Merchandise Mart to eat, drink and be altruistic at The 10th Annual LuxeHome CHILL. It is the international wine and culinary event of the season! Why? Well, not only do you get to chat with and sample signature dishes from over 50 distinguished Chicago chefs paired…

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13th Annual San Diego Wine + Food Festival

One of the largest and most popular wine and food festivals in the country – The San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival – is set to start this month for its 13th exciting year. Get your tickets NOW right here and come party at one of the most talked about celebrations of everything food…

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Angels & Cowboys Rosé 2015

The Angels & Cowboys 2015 Rosé is a deliciously dry rosé of Grenache, Merlot, Verdot (the petit kind) and Grenache Blanc sourced from three distinct AVAs in Sonoma County, California – Carneros, Alexander Valley, and Dry Creek Valley. This rosé is one of my faves for a few reasons. Reason #1 – she has a familiar…

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CWF Chef Tanya’s Cajun White Castle Burger – Chicago | For the Love of the Slider

Tanya Baker, 28, is the Executive Chef of Chi-town’s beautiful Boarding House Restaurant, as well as our gourmet guide to the city, its secrets, and its subtleties. Drawing inspiration for her take on the slider doesn’t seem too difficult, as Baker instinctively reflects on her Korean mother’s passion for cooking while channeling her Louisiana-bred father’s zest for Cajun style.

In this episode, we watch in awe as Tanya combines Chicago-fresh ingredients like shrimp from a favorite local market and spicy Cajun flavors to create her own Original Slider.

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Director – Marc Kharrat (@marckharrat)
Producer – Alex Wirtzer (@wirtzer)
Host – Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick)
Cinematographer – Sean O’ Brien (@seanmobrien)
Editor – Brian Robertson
Colorist – Tawan Bazemore (@tawanbazemore)
Sound Mixer – Christian O’Keefe

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Harken Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2015

The Harken Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2015 is sourced from grapes taken from vineyards in the Arroyo Seco AVA – inside the Monterey AVA, which is in turn inside the Central Coast AVA. Got that? It is located in a valley off of Monterey Bay in a climate dominated by cool Pacific Ocean breezes. One thing…

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Windy City Wine Festival 2016

The Windy City Wine Festival is coming to Grant Park on September 9 and 10… here is a link for more information and tickets:  WINDY CITY WINE FESTIVAL  It’s an outdoor end-of-the-summer celebration and what I love about it isn’t necessarily the wine (but the wine is important). First, the site is ideal. The event wraps…

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Broken Clouds Chardonnay 2014

The Broken Clouds Chardonnay 2014 is an $8.99 ALDI exclusive sourced from vineyards in the Sonoma Coast AVA north of San Francisco. Normally when checking the internet for information about an ALDI wine there is virtually nothing to be found, maybe a bottle shot and a vague sentence. But with the Broken Cloud wine, ALDI has vineyard photos…

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Diseño Old Vine Malbec 2014

The Diseño Old Vine Malbec 2014 is a collaboration by 2 Wineries (both unnamed) in the Uco Valley and the Lujan de Cuyo Valley (both high-altitude growing areas) in the Mendoza region of Argentina. Diseño is one of Constellation Brands family of wines, they include Kim Crawford, Mark West, Mouton Cadet, Rex Goliath, Robert Mondavi, Ravenswood and many others….

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Brancott Estate Marlborough Pinot Noir 2013

The Brancott Estate Marlborough Pinot Noir 2013 is sourced mainly from 2 Estate vineyards, the Fairhall and Kaituna vineyards (here is a wine where Estate on the label actually means something), along with grapes from the Awatere Estates, all located in the Marlborough growing region on the northern tip of the South Island of New Zealand. This…

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DeLoach California Chardonnay 2014

The DeLoach California Chardonnay 2014 is sourced from vineyards in the delta region of California. Which include Clarksburg and Lodi, they a warm weather growing region, but they are in line with the San Francisco Bay and receive cooling winds in the morning and evening. DeLoach is one of the labels for the Boisset Collection, a family owned business that has properties…

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Angeline Vineyards Pinot Noir 2015

The Angeline Vineyards Pinot Noir 2015 is sourced from multiple AVA’s in California, but mainly from the Central Coast and the Northern Coast. The Angeline line of wines is the everyday value brand for family owned (since 1990) Martin Ray Wines and Courtney  Benham Wines (he is the owner). The 2015 vintage showed the effects of…

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Robert Mondavi Heritage Red Blend 2013

The Robert Mondavi Heritage Red Bland 2013 is a blend of 64% Syrah, 31% Merlot, 3% Zinfandel, 1% Thompson Seedless, and 1% Petite Sirah sourced from 82% Monterey County, 13% Paso Robles, 3% Valley South, and 2% Santa Barbara County, all of these inside the larger Central Coast AVA in California. Most table grapes (the ones you…

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Firefly Ridge The Red Flash 2014

The Firefly Ridge The Red Flash 2014 is a blend of Petite Sirah, Merlot, and Zinfandel sourced from vineyards in more than one California grape growing AVA. Firefly Ridge is a label produced by The Wine Group whose wines include, Benzinger, Concannon, Cupcake, Fisheye, Franzia, and MD 20/20, along with several others. This brand isn’t listed…

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Cono Sur Reserva Especial Pinot Noir 2014

The Cono Sur Reserva Especial Pinot Noir 2014 is 100% Pinot Noir sourced from 2 estate vineyards in the San Antonio Valley region of Chile. San Antonio Valley is the newest growing region in Chile, the vineyards are located on the coast near the Pacific Ocean. The ocean winds provide a cool climate, rainfall is sparse…

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Los Andicos Malbec 2015

The Los Andicos Malbec 2015 is a $6.99 ALDI import exclusive sourced from vineyards in the Mendoza Province of Argentina. Mendoza produces most of the wine coming out of Argentina, it includes some of the highest altitude vineyards in the world. Because of the lofty altitudes, the vines receive hours of intense sunlight and the higher elevations keep most…

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