Decent dark cranberry jelly hue with aromas of dark ripe blackberries, nuances of evergreen at the rim, savory spice
Palate--Nice cherry berry first impression with solid structure, angular due to its youth, but thickish texture. Needs to breathe as there's a lot there.
This Washington state Cab is robust, young, but with time should hold its ground. At $12 it is a value wine as I would expect from Columbia Crest wines. I'll update this review if it opens up... Raise a glass!
Palate--First impression is acidic and disappointing mouth feel, with bitter mid palate, dark berry fruit and a touch off putting.
This Trader Joe's offering at $10 was quite disappointing so we'll see how it does with our Sunday night pizza ritual. It is very young and having had wines from Tilia, this seems out of sorts so it may just need another year.
It was "OK" with our pizza but I won't be returning to this wine.
Light golden hue with very nice bouquet of ripe pear, vanilla, melon and the slightest touch of grass.
Palate--Bright pear first impression with hints of summer fruit on a lovely acidic base, and a finish of a (nice) kind of biter mid palate.
At $7 this is another ridiculous TJ's value selection. It is vastly different than our domestic S. Blancs lacking the intense "grassiness" that many of our west coast wines display but that is what makes wine so fascinating. This is a no brainer so "raise a glass!
Black cherry aromas on a ruby hue.
Palate--Watery with black cherry, and spice. Not much else to say.
$7 at trader Joes it worked well believe it or not with my homemade pasta with parmesan, and caraway.
If you're on a budget and you need wine this can get you by but better to raise a different glass.
Ruby hue with aromas of predominant black cherry, spice, hint of wood.
Palate--Flaccid first impression, with fatigued structure and exhausted finish. Palate is weak and while not showing the classic signs of "aging" this is definitely on its way out.
This is a Trader Joe's wine that has sold for as much as $35 but they are dumping it for $8. Probably precisely because it is meeting a quick demise. Below I have posted the same wine reviewed 2 years ago so you can see the effect of aging on this particular wine.
Same wine two years ago!
Quite a nice intense hue with aromas of dark plum, blackberry with a bouquet of gently spiced fruit and oak.
Palate--*a minerally first impression, with awkward mid palate, confused fruit and structure tightly wound and not very pleasant.
(This wine was just opened and needs to breathe. There seems to be potential here but out of the gate it is not impressive. I expect this to change.)
*After some "air time" and having with my dinner it is indeed a much better wine. And while I have written before regarding "food wines" versus "quaffing wines" (wines being drunk by themselves) it bears repeating. There are structural differences between the two styles of wine. With food wines, both the wine and food is enhanced by each other. Quaffing wines may be excellent with food but are also excellent sipping them all by themselves. And of course there are exceptions in both directions but this is the nut shell version.
Medium ruby hue with aromas of subdued red fruit that is confused with perhaps notes of strawberry with some spice on the rim.
Palate-- First impression is positive with vibrant acidity, big fruity middle which was hiding in the bouquet. Juicy structure with tart raspberry mid-palate and strawberry on the end.
I just grabbed this for dinner tonight because we having cheesy broccoli soup and I wanted Pinot Noir. Local liquor store had a good selection at various price points. At my desire price point I was hoping to find better than a sourced "california" on the label wine. Eureka, this North Coast AVA was $13 so I grabbed it. I like it and it should be nice with our dinner so raise a glass!
Palate--Balanced minerally acidic front with fruit galore touting, summer melon, citrus mouth feel stone fruit and a fleeting $14, No...non-vintage) was an over sight as I do not generally buy non-vintage wines. They are an amalgamation of any number of scattered remains of several years of grapes but I admit my first impression is quite good considering.
I paid $7 for this marked down from $14 and I admit it is drinkable and as a summer wine pool side chilled down, it would work. I will have it with a broccoli, pasta creation my wife is working on. For $7 what the heck? For $14--no.
Intense ruby and garnet hue with aromas of luscious dark berry fruit and plum. The swirl of this wine in the bowl even looks silky. A moments later a new layer of rose blossom arises.
Palate--The silky look on the swirl doesn't carry through on the palate, but an integrated and well crafted wine is mouth filling. Plenty of blackberry and plum but really simple. The finish of this is disappointing.418
Duckhorn makes very nice wines with better quality grapes coming from AVA's and hence a higher price for the wine. This is a California sourced creation meaning their grapes for this could have come from anywhere in the state. Such "sourced" wines are always much cheaper and this Duckhorn" is no exception. I paid $18 for this which I would NEVER pay for a sourced California wine. But since it was "Duckhorn" I gave it a shot. While it is better than your typical "sourced" wine it is over priced at $18.
I will have this my wife's seductive beef stew and it will enhance the stew as well as the stew enhancing the wine. I am glad I bought this but I wouldn't do it again.
Opaque garnet hue with slight bricking at the rim with aromas of cassis notes, blackberry with pie berries and savory spice.
Palate--slightly watery texture with the same flavors in the mouth as in the bouquet. Basically integrated with a nicely bitter hint at the edges of the tongue and a fleeting finish.
Previously reviewed just in June you will see a vastly different profile. Why? Could be my palate is a touch wonky having just had surgery and the effect of drugs or it could be that I suck as a reviewer. (Nah! Impossible) :)
Pale gold with aromas of pears, sweet cream and a touch of citrus.
Palate--Off dry with good acidity, (surprisingly good) subtle lemon core with pear notes, and an interesting mid palate with a finish that is subtle but pleasant.
This is a nominally made wine and while not offensive is a poor showing of how great rieslings can be.
I paid $6 for this Trader Joe's wine and it will improve with some chill on it. Pairing with a pork stir fry which will be OK.
Garnet hue with rustic cherry steel, and savory spice.
Palate--Really nice first impression with a relaxed structure, brimming with fruit and demanding you go back to the bottle.
This Trader Joe's selection was $8 and I will be buying more. It is a great pizza wine, light cheeses, or all by itself so raise a glass!
