The Taranatas Sparkling White is certified organic and vegan-friendly, produced from 50% Macabeo and 50% Airén grapes in the Utiel-Requena region of Valencia in eastern Spain, just west of the Mediterranean Ocean. The Macabeo grape is one of the 3 grapes (Xarel-lo and Parellada are the other 2) traditionally used in the making of Cava Sparkling wine…
Read More
The Tarantas Tempranillo 2012 is 100% Tempranillo sourced from certified organic vineyards in the Utiel-Requena DO of Valencia in eastern Spain (not far from the Mediterranean). Tarantas is made by Bodegas Iranzo one of the oldest wine estates in Spain, records show an estate on this site since the 1300s and the current estate dates to…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
The VINTJS Mendocino County Carignane 2013 is a Trader Joe’s exclusive (I found it for $4.99, but it seems to have sold for $8.99 a few months ago). Carignane (sometimes spelled with an “e” sometimes without) is a grape widely planted in Spain and in the Languedoc region of France. It was only a few years ago that…
Read More
The Vin du Sud Collection Domaine de Courtal Fitou 2013 is part of a 4-pack of 375ml (half bottles) featuring 3 Red wines and 1 White wine from different growing areas inside the Languedoc region of southwest France. The Languedoc is the region where the everyday wines or the more affordable wines are produced. Fitou AOP…
Read More
This is something a little different. It is a 4 bottle sampler pack of wine from the Languedoc. The bottles are 375ml, which equals a half bottle or 2 full glasses. There is one White wine, a Muscat from the Minervois AOC and 3 Red blends, one from Fitou AOC, another simply from the Languedoc…
Read More
The Liquid Geography Mencia Rosado 2015 is a dry Rose’ wine sourced from 53 year old vines in the Bierzo DO (north of the eastern boundary of Portugal) of Castilla y Leon of northwest Spain. The vineyards practice organic farming methods. Mencia is a Red grape that is indigenous to the area and Bierzo has a wine…
Read More
The Santa Monica Brut Cava produced from vineyards in the Penedes DO of the Catalonia region (near Barcelona) in Spain. This Sparkling wine uses the traditional Cava grapes, Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel.lo. Cava is produced with the same methods as used in Champagne, which is where the grape juice is fermented twice. The first time fermentation…
Read More
The Beso de Vino Old Vine Garnacha 2014 (translates to kiss of wine) is sourced from 40 year old vines grown near the town of Aguarón in the Carinena DO of the Aragon Province in northeast Spain. This is a wine that you should be able to find for ten dollars or less, but it…
Read More
The Segura Viudas Brut Cava is a blend of 50% Macabeo, 35% Parellada, and 15% Xarello (these are the grapes traditionally used in making Cava) sourced from vineyards in the Penedes district of the Catalonia region of Spain (near Barcelona). There has been an estate on the Segura Viudas property since the 1000s and grapes…
Read More
The Artesa Carneros Chardonnay 2013 is sourced 80% from Artesa estate vineyards and 20% purchased from neighboring vineyards. The Carneros AVA is half in Sonoma and half in Napa (Artesa is located in southern Carneros on the Napa side) and is a cool climate growing region that specializes in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Artesa (means…
Read More
The La Granja 360 Cava Brut is a $6.99 Trader Joe’s import exclusive, 70% Xarel-lo and 30% Parellada (these, along with Macabeo, are the grapes traditionally used in Cava) sourced from vineyards in the Penedes district of Catalonia (near Barcelona) in northeast Spain. The La Granja 360 Cava is made by Parxet, who have produced…
Read More
The 2011 Viña Fuerte Tempranillo Crianza is a $4.99 ALDI’s import exclusive, bottled by Bodegas Isidro Milagro using grapes grown in the La Mancha DO (a DO is similar to an AVA in California, it delineates the boundaries of a wine region and provides rules and regulations) of central Spain. La Mancha is a huge…
Read More
The 2014 La Granja 360 Verdejo Viura is a $4.99 Trader Joe’s import exclusive, 70% Verdejo and 30% Viura grown in the vineyards of Bodegas Avelino Vegas around the town of Santiuste in the Castilla y Leon region in northeast Spain. Verdejo is a grape that has been farmed in Spain for over a thousand…
Read More
The JOYA Sangria White is 100% Airén grape with “all natural essences of fresh Mediterranean fruit” sourced from vineyards in the Castilla-LaMancha region of Spain. Airén is a grape that is almost exclusively grown in Spain and not too long ago was the most planted grape in world, today it is the 3rd most planted…
Read More
JOYA Sangria Red is a blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha and Bobal sourced from vineyards around the town of La Puebla De Almoradiel in the province of Toledo, inside the Castilla-LaMancha region of Spain. You are probably familiar with Tempranillo and Garnacha, Bobal is a grape native to Spain that traditionally has been used for producing…
Read More
The Segura Viudas Gran Cuvée Reserva Brut is a blend of 85% Macebeo and Parellada (these, along with Xarel.lo, are the grapes traditionally used in the production of Cava), plus 15% of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grown in the Penedès region of Spain. The Segura Viudas property has been an estate since the 1000’s and…
Read More
The Torres Altos Ibericos Crianza 2011 is 100% Tempranillo sourced from Torres estate vineyards (they own 1,000s of acres of vines) on the Iberian Peninsula in the Rioja region of Spain. Torres is a large family owned winery and vineyards, founded in 1870. Spanish wine is classified by the length of time the wine is…
Read More
The Bodegas Ontanon Reserva 2005 is 95% Tempranillo and 5% Graciano grown in Estate vineyards (Tempranillo in the La Pasada vineyard and the Graciano in the La Montesa vineyard) in the southern Rioja region of Spain. The Graciano grape is primarily grown in Rioja as a blending grape, it adds color and aging properties. Bodegas…
Read More
The Altovinum Evodia 2013 is 100% Garnacha sourced from vineyards in the Calatayud DO of the Aragon region of northeast Spain. This region is to Garnacha what Lodi in California is to Zinfandel, which is the home of a myriad of old vine grapes farmed in an area that does not always get the respect…
Read More
The Celler del Roure Cullerot Blanco 2012 is an unusual blend of Verdil, Pedro Ximenez, Macabeo and Chardonnay sourced from an estate vineyard located near the town of Moixent in Valencia, Spain. Verdil is a grape indigenous to the region that was nearly extinct, there are only a little over 100 acres of these vines…
Read More
The Herencia Altes Garnacha Blanca 2014 is sourced from estate vineyards near the village of Batea in the Terra Alta DO of southeast Catalonia in Spain. Garnacha Blanc is a White grape that is related to the Red Grenache/Garnacha grape, it is possibly a mutation of the Red grape. Terra Alta (translates to High Land)…
Read More
The Bucamel Blanco Chardonnay 2013 is sourced from a Bodegas Tierras de Orgaz vineyard located on a hillside outside the town of Los Yebens in the Castilla-La Mancha region of Spain. This Chardonnay is designated a Vinos de la Tierra de Castilla wine, which is like IGT wines from Italy and Vin de Pays wines…
Read More