Send us Fan Mail Fancy Flock Sauvignon Blanc 2020-Aldi $4 Sauv Blanc From Spain-Any Good? Contrary to popular belief, people in places in Europe who traditionally drink wine with every meal drink cheap local wine. Wine marketing wants you to think that no wine under $20 could belong on the dinner table. In practice that…
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The Locations “E” (Spain) Red Blend is a blend of Garnacha, Tempranillo, Monastrell, and Carinena, grown from vineyards in Priorat, Jumilla, Toro, Rioja, and Ribero del Duero. If you noticed, grapes from Priorat go into Priorat wines, grapes from Jumilla go into Jumilla wines, etc., etc., etc. That is – until Dave Phinney decided to do Spanish…
Read MoreSend us Fan Mail Neleman All Day Long Organic Sauvignon Blanc 2024 This is a sustainably farmed, certified organic, vegan-friendly Sauvignon Blanc from Costco. It is sourced from a winery in the Valencia DO in northeast Spain. Yes, it is a value-priced Sauv Blanc, just like thousands of others. But this Valencia Sauvignon Blanc is…
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The Neleman All Day Long Organic Sauvignon Blanc 2024 is a $7.99 Costco wine. The Neleman winery website does not show this wine as one of its core wines, so this may be a Costco exclusive. The Story Neleman Winery is located in the Valencia DO of eastern Spain. It is certified sustainably farmed and…
Read MoreSend us Fan Mail Kirkland Signature Carneros Pinot Noir 2024 This wine has been available at Costco for several vintages. Carneros Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are seldom inexpensive, except if they are for Costco or Trader Joe’s. Carneros wines get pricey. There are no “bad” vineyards in Carneros; virtually all of them have expensive wines….
Read MoreSend us Fan Mail Foggy Veil Paso Robles Grenache 2023 This is a wine from the Miller Family Vineyards, which includes the Central Coast Wine Services. The Miler Family owns some of the elite vineyards in the Central Coast AVA. They also, though, their various companies produced some of Trader Joe’s best exclusive wines. This…
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The Foggy Veil Paso Robles Grenache 2023 is a $5.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive. A Check of the California Wine Cola Registry shows Miller Family Wines as the Producer. The Story The Miller Family have been farming in California since the 1940s and have had vineyards since the 1970s. They own some of the most highly…
Read MoreSend us Fan Mail 90+ Cellars Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 Check out the podcast for a description of 90+ Cellars business mode;, it is an important part of the story. 90+ Cellars do not create their own wines they buy wine from existing wineries. There fore all of 90+Cellars wines are good wines and…
Read MoreSend us Fan Mail Trader Joe’s Grand Reserve Sonoma County Brut This is a Bubbly from Trader Joe’s in the wrong time of the year. Sparkling wine traditionally is popular in November and December, the Holidays! The Trader Joe’s Grand Reserve Sonoma County Brut and Rosé dropped in June. Withe all the turmoil in the…
Read MoreSend us Fan Mail Marqués de la Concordia Cava MM Special Selection Brut 2022 This is a Bubbly from the heart of Cava country about 40 miles south of Barcelona. It is from a producer whoa has made Cava since the 1880s. As a vintage Cava, it is from a vintage in the vineyard that…
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The Marqués de la Concordia Cava MM Special Selection Brut 2022 is a Costco $12.99 import, Sparkling wine from Eastern Spain. The Story The Marqués de la Concordia has been in business since 1882 and has holdings in both Rioja and the Penedes (Cava). Their Estate in the Penedes, in the town of San Sadurni…
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Send us Fan Mail Magus Dark Garnacha This is a $6.99 Costco wine that seems to be a wine selling for $18 to $24 elsewhere. Garnacha is a sleek, dark, rich wine that does not need oak aging. Miles Davis, in 1974, released a live album from Carnegie Hall entitled Dark Magus. Is there a…
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The Magus Dark Garnacha is currently on offer from Costco for $6.99. It does not look to be widely available outside of Costco, but prices fall between $18 and $24. The Story The Magus Dark Garnacha is from Bodegas Valdeorite in the Extremadura DO, inside the greater Ribera del Guadiana DO in North-West Spain, near…
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Send us Fan Mail Ruta 49 Albarino 2024 This is a wine from a family-owned winery in Northwest Spain, the traditional home of the Albariño grape. This wine sells for $9.99 at Trader Joe’s but is often twice as much in palces trader Joe’s does not serve. Albarino is one of the great White wines…
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The Ruta 49 Albarino 2024 is selling for $9.99 at Trader Joe’s and between $15 and $20 in areas not served by a Trader Joe’s store. The Story The Ruta 49 Albarino 2024 is a wine produced by Viña Cartín, a family-owned winery in the Rías Baixas wine region in Northwest Spain. This is the…
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The Campo Viejo Cava Brut is a wine I found selling for $7.99, but it should be available around 10 most places. Campo Viejo is one of the brands in the Pernod Richard portfolio. The Story The Campo Viejo winery is located in the Rioja region of Spain, near the border with France. This Cava…
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Send us Fan Mail A skull on the label and real structure in the glass—this $7.99 Trader Joe’s classic surprised us in the best way. We uncork Dearly Beloved I The Red 2023 and follow the clues: who makes it now, why the blend works, and how Lodi’s delta breezes turn a hot inland zone…
Read MoreSend us Fan Mail Discover a true hidden gem from the Aldi wine aisle – their Specially Selected Cote de Provence Rosé 2024 that delivers authentic French quality at a remarkable $10 price point. This isn’t just another budget wine; it carries the prestigious AOP certification, confirming it meets the highest French standards for vineyard…
Read MoreSend us Fan Mail Venture into the effervescent world of traditional Spanish sparkling wine with an affordable gem that punches well above its $11.99 price tag. The Cune Cava Brut from Catalonia delivers the elegance and complexity you’d expect from wines twice its price, all while telling a fascinating story of Spanish winemaking heritage. This…
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The Cune Cava Brut is a non-vintage traditional-method sparkling wine from the Penedès region of northeastern Spain. Cune is a label from the CVNE winery, which was founded in 1879. The Story CVNE is an acronym for Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España, which translates to Wine Company of Northern Spain. A mixup caused their…
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Send us Fan Mail Something extraordinary has landed at Trader Joe’s, and wine lovers should take immediate notice. The Co-Pilot Carneros Napa Pinot Noir 2023, adorned with its charming label featuring a dog in a World War II fighter pilot helmet, sells for a shocking $7.99—a price point that simply shouldn’t be possible for a…
Read MoreSend us Fan Mail Ever stumbled upon a wine that makes you wonder why you hadn’t discovered it sooner? That’s exactly what happened when I uncorked the Tarongino Frizzante with Valencia Oranges from Trader Joe’s. This Spanish treasure proves that wine innovation doesn’t need to abandon tradition. Built on a foundation of Muscat de Alexandria—one…
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The Tarongino Frizzante with Valencia Oranges is priced at $12.99 at Trader Joe’s. This is a wine produced in Spain, and a quick internet search reveals that Trader Joe’s may hold the US distribution rights. The Story The Tarongino Frizzante with Valencia Oranges is a Bubbly infused with 100% Valencia orange juice from an orchard…
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The Rosé al day 2023 is a wine I found selling for $9.99; it is a Rosé of Grenache sourced from grapes in the IGP Pays D’Oc growing area of the Languedoc in southeast France. Enjoying Rosé al day has never been easier with this affordable option! The Story The Rosé all day 2023 is…
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Send us Fan Mail Explore the innovative world of wine, focusing on Dave Phinney’s Locations NZ Sauvignon Blanc. This episode delves into winemaking without borders, affordability, and the unique flavor profile that makes this wine a must-try. • Introduction to the podcast and the featured wine • Background story of winemaker Dave Phinney • Discussion on the…
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