Celler la Bollidora Terra Alta (CLB) 2009 (about $14)

About the Wine:  This is a Spanish red blend of some form.  The back label helpfully informs us that it is "Red Wine" using red lettering to do so, just to eliminate any doubt. 

About THIS Wine:  It is crimson red in the glass with a pink rim.  The nose reveals the wine's high alcohol content but notes of cedar and red fruit still come through.  The palate is very saucy with fairly round tannins and a lot of spice along with red and dark fruit that lingers in a short, plum finish.

Drinking This Wine:  This one could definitely use some food but nothing very heavy.  Honey glazed ham, Italian sausage, or a lighter lasagna would all pair well with this wine.

Overall Impression:  This is not a wine that will impress anyone but it is easy drinking and would go well with a casual meal.  This one is good for the price.

Mayro Montepulciano D'Abruzzo 2010 (about $10)

About the Wine:  Montepulciano is one of the most pedestrian of all wines.  The ten dollar price tag on this one is not unusual and the wines themselves tend to be fruit forward and easy drinking. 

About THIS Wine:  In the glass is a dark, opaque red with a crimson rim.  Cedar, earth, and green onions are present on the nose.  The tannins on the palate are a bit sharp but not so much so that the wine is really unpleasant.  The tannins even out in a nice red fruit finish.

Drinking This Wine:  This definitely needs food.  This is a good pizza wine.

Overall Impression:  Not great but not terrible and the price is right.  This one is reasonable for the price.

Bere Toscana 2009 (about $13)

About the Wine:  The Wine Hipster has recently changed jobs, to start work at a different wine store.  This is good because it means there is a whole new inventory to try.

About THIS Wine:  It is ruby red in the glass with a pink rim.  The nose is a bit tight but bramble berry and cranberry come through fairly strongly.  Red fruit is dominant on the palate with spicy notes in the mid palate.  The finish is dry with very light notes of dark chocolate.

Drinking This Wine:  This would do well with anything meaty.  Pasta with meat sauce seems especially promising.

Overall Impression:  Nothing spectacular, but not bad either.  This an easy drinking wine and it is cheap enough.  This wine is good for the price.

L'Expression de La Croix Lartique Bordeaux 2009 (about $17)

About the Wine:  2009 is a great vintage for Bordeaux, possibly the best ever.  Unfortunately, great vintages tend to lead to soaring prices.  This will either be a great wine at a good price or a ten dollar bottle that someone is trying to turn a ridiculous profit on.

About THIS Wine:  The center is dark red with a violet rim.  A rich blend of cooking spice defines the nose, though hints of sour cherry a present.  The palate is a little tight and comes through with a jumble of red fruit, though dry cherry does stand out and notes of green pepper balance out the fruit.  Red fruit and spice linger in a dry finish.

Drinking This Wine:  I had with a hamburger and it was divine.

Overall Impression:  This drinks like a twenty-five dollar bottle and a few years of proper storage would probably make it drink like forty.  This one is a good value.

Silver Palm Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 (about $18)

About the Wine:  A growing problem in the red wine market it that some products are so successful that makers go through their stock too fast and end up releasing wines before they are ready in order to feed market demand.  2010 is shaping up to be a pretty good year for California Cabernet in the sense that when they are ready, 2010 Cabernets will be very good.  Unfortunately, many of them are not ready.  We will see if this one might is the exception.

About THIS Wine:  A violet rim surrounds a purple center.  Cedar is strong on the nose with prominent notes of forest floor.  The front palate is nutty with sharp acidity in the mid palate ending in a dry raspberry finish.

Drinking This Wine:  This could work as a sipping wine and it would go well with venison or seasoned red meat.

Overall Impression:  The palate is still a little tight and underdeveloped.  Put this is a cellar for two years and it will be fantastic.  For now it's blunt and overpriced.

Louis Latour Pinot Noir 2010 (about $14)

About the Wine:  Burgundy is the birthplace of Pinot Noir and many of the world's best Pinot Noirs still come from there.  Cote d'Or is the premiere region for both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay within Burgundy.  At this price point the wine is almost certainly made from castoff grapes from around the region rather than from a single vineyard or from a collection of the better grapes available.  It is still an opportunity to experience the terroir of one of the world's best appellations on a hipster budget.

About THIS Wine:  It is very light in the glass, almost pink.  The nose is musky and the palate is very light but oddly firm and tannic.  Notes of cherry are present, but the tannins really define this wine in both palate and finish.

Drinking This Wine:  This is very much a food wine.  It would be excellent with honey roasted chicken and might even work with fried chicken.

Overall Impression:  This is definitely not the most accessible wine but it is a good representation of Old Word Pinot Noir.  At fourteen dollars a bottle it is good for the price.

Milcampos Tempranillo NV (about $14)

About the Wine:  It is not generally an encouraging sign when wines are not vintaged.  The changes from year to year are quite noticeable due to weather conditions in which grapes are grown and also due to things like how old the aging barrels are and any number of other variables that affect the process.  However unvintaged wine is not always bad.  Some wine makers prefer to blend a few vintages to get the best qualities of each year in the same way that grape varietals are traditionally blended to get the best of each.

About THIS Wine:  The center is purple and fades to a violet rim.  Jammy red fruit is prominent on the nose with hints of clove.  Thick, syrupy red fruit defines the palate.  On the first sip I got an intense raspberry finish but on subsequent sips the finish was dry.

Drinking This Wine:  It gave me a craving for red beans and rice.

Overall Impression:  I first tasted this wine (though almost certainly a different vintage or combination thereof) when I was new to wine and I very much liked it.  This is a nice entry level wine and as that it is good for the price.  For someone who more of a seasoned drinker it would be a little overpriced.

Clos Robert Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 (about $14)

About the Wine:  2007 was the best year in the last decade and maybe ever for California Cabernet.  2008 was a very good year, especially for those who prefer a dryer, steak wine style cab, but '08 will also be compared to '07 and will thus always been under appreciated.  This is great news for someone looking for a good value.

About THIS Wine:  It is red in the glass with no distinct rim.  Cherry, caramel, smoke, and oak make up a pleasantly complex nose.  The palate delivers a lot of jammy cherry with a dry finish.  I did not get the complexity in the palate that I found on the nose.

Drinking This Wine:  Definitely a steak wine.  This one is a good representation of its vintage.

Overall Impression:  I have had better for the same price but I have also had worse.  This wine is reasonable for the price.

Camp du Rouss Barbera d'Asti 2007 (about $16)

About the Wine:  I picked this up when I interviewed at a posh wine shop a while back.  It took a while to find anything in my price range but even the most upscale stores apparently have to cater to us peasants.  Barbera is a very robust Italian red.  I have enjoyed Alba Barberas greatly but have been less thrilled with offerings from Asti.  Perhaps this one will break the trend and perhaps not.

About THIS Wine:  In the glass it is opaque with a dark purple rim.  The nose is thick with jammy raspberry and currant with notes of forest floor.  The palate is jammy, almost creamy with intermingled notes of red fruit and dark fruit.  Supple tannins round out the finish, which is not nearly as dry as I would expect from this type of wine.

Drinking This Wine:  It's pretty good as a sipping wine but it is divine with spaghetti and meatsauce and would probably do well with any Italian red sauce dish.

Overall Impression:  The wine is very good and the price is reasonable.  This one is good for the price.

Chateau de Grandchamp Montagne Saint-Emilion 2009 (about $20)

About the Wine:  Saint Emilion is a subregion of Bordeaux, one of the classic French appellations.  Saint-Emilions can run into dozens or hundreds of dollars in cost, so this could be a very good deal.

About THIS Wine:  The center is dark red with a pink rim.  The legs run down like maple syrup.  Raspberry, dark cherry, cassis, and oak are all present on the nose.  Thick, creamy red fruit defines the palate with a dry finish.  The wine tastes good now but I expect that a few years in a cellar would do it some good.  The price range I deal with doesn't include a lot of age worthy wines but this one is a good candidate.

Drinking This Wine:  Too dry and tannic for a sipping wine, this one would do well with roast duck, steak and onions, or lamb.

Overall Impression:  Great wine, good price.  This one is good for the price.

Gilgal Chardonnay 2009 (about $15)

About the Wine:  Israeli wine is an interesting animal.  Most of the areas where the grapes are cultivated did not come under Israeli control until 1967, so the growing regions are relatively young.  This makes it something of a hipster paradise since there are many new takes on old varietals and they are almost always reasonably priced.

About THIS Wine:  The wine is amber in the glass with no distinct rim.  Cream and mineral notes are prominent on the nose.  The palate is thick, rich, and buttery with prominent citrus.  Buttery notes blend with minerality for an interesting finish.

Drinking This Wine:  This is the perfect Kosher wine for lobster.  (The Wine Hipster is not an observant Jew and his grasp of Kosher laws may be a bit vague.)  It would also go very well with chicken.

Overall Impression:  I have had twenty dollar bottles that were not nearly as good.  This one is a steal.

HaSod Shiraz 2010 (about $10)

About the Wine:  There are different levels of Kosher wine.  Basic Kosher is acceptable to most people who keep Kosher at any time other than Passover.  Kosher for Passover is acceptable on Passover.  Mevushal is a distinction for wine that has been intentionally cooked as a form of ritual purification and it the only wine that Hasidic (Chasidic?  Hassidic?) Jews will drink.  Assessments of mevushal wines range from "No difference in taste," to "Undrinkable."  We will see what the case is with this wine.

About THIS Wine:  The wine is purple in the glass with strong notes of tomato, cooking spice, and green pepper on the nose.  Green pepper and red fruit make up the palate.  The finish is flat and kind of unpleasant, perhaps as a result of the cooking.

Drinking This Wine:  This is definitely steak wine.  The finish is too harsh for sipping.

Overall Impression:  This is not a great bottle but neither is it terrible and the price is certainly right.  For anyone buying for religious reasons it is a good value.  For the rest of us it is reasonable for the price.

Casa d'Orsini Pinot Grigio NV (about $10)

About the Wine:  Pinot Grigio is normally grown in the more northerly reaches of Italy.  A southern Pinot Grigio promises a hotter growing season and perhaps a sweeter wine.  The importer assured me that this is a 2011 but neither of us could find it on the bottle.

About THIS Wine:  The wine is straw colored in the glass.  Pine wood is prominent of the nose and soft citrus defines the palate.  Light acidity is present on the finish.

Drinking This Wine:  Being less sharp and acidic than most Pinot Grigios this one could work as a sipping wine.  It would also go well with white fish.

Overall Impression:  This is not a bad bottle of wine and it is dirt cheap.  This one is good for the price.

Nicolas Vouvray 2011 (about $13)

About the Wine:  Vouvray is a name for late harvest Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley.  Chenin Blanc has become more or less the official grape of South Africa and is also cultivated in California.  California Chenin Blanc has never really caught on and South African wines in general have struggled recently, so momentum may be shifting back to France.

About THIS Wine:  The wine is dark, almost amber in the glass.  Honeydew and floral notes make up the nose.  The palate is slightly tart with prominent notes of apricot.  The finish is mildly acidic.

Drinking This Wine:  This wine has a little too much acidity for a sipping wine.  It work well with spicy chicken or grilled chicken.

Overall Impression:  The wine is good but very simple.  This strikes me as ten dollar bottle.  At thirteen it is a little overpriced.

Antano Rioja Reserva 2007 (about $13)

About the Wine:  Shipping wine is a tricky thing.  It is very easy for cooling units to fail or for delays in customs to allow storage containers to be open long enough for wine to get cooked.  A contact in the business told me that this had happened with this shipment.  It was not a commentary on the wine, just a statement that the particular batch in the store where I work had been ruined due to circumstances beyond the winemaker's control.

About THIS Wine:  A ruby red center fades to a clear rim.  The nose is bold and rich with lots of cherry and cassis with hints of forest floor.  Layers of thick coffee and red fruit make up an interesting and complex palate.  Firm tannins and dark fruit round out the finish.

Drinking This Wine:  This wine is good by itself but I think it would be better with lamb.

Overall Impression:  It is important to remember that wine aficionados, especially those who make their living in the business, can be as full of it as anyone else.  This wine is great and would not be overpriced at twenty dollars.  At thirteen it is a great value.

Cartlidge & Browne Cabernet Sauvignon North Coast 2010 (about $14)

About the Wine:  The number of growing regions within California can get pretty dizzying, especially since established regions like Napa often have subregions that help a wine drinker pin down the terroir that most agrees with their palate.  North Coast is a very vague designation, which means that both bargains and dogs come from there.

About THIS Wine:  A violet rim surrounds a dark purple center.  Jammy pomegranate defines the nose.  That flavor delivers on the front palate but quickly gives way to a lot of green pepper.  The green pepper lingers in a finish that is more acidic than I would normally expect from a Cab, or any red for that matter.

Drinking This Wine:  It is too acid and the flavor too unpleasant for a sipping wine.  It could work with lamb or sirloin steak.

Overall Impression:  I have had ten dollar Cabs that were significantly better.  This one is badly overpriced.

Chateau du Hureau Tuffe Cabernet Franc 2010 (about $19)

About the Wine:  Cab Franc is traditionally the third grape in red Bordeaux blends.  More difficult to cultivate and not as bold as Cabernet Sauvignon, it is just now starting to come into its own as a single varietal in the American market.

About THIS Wine:  The center is light purple with a violet rim.  Dark fruit, especially plum defines the nose with pleasant herbal notes.  The front palate is very light but the wine thickens in the mid palate for a very rich and layered experience.  The finish is mildly dry with lingering green herbs.

Drinking This Wine:  This would be good as a sipping wine but it would be better with steak.

Overall Impression:  This wine is pricey but it is extremely good.  At nineteen dollars a bottle it is reasonable for the price.

Opula Toscana 2010 (about $13)

About the Wine:  I have written before about super Tuscans, red blends by Italian makers who refuse to accept the traditions and standards of Italian wine making.  This is a super Tuscan by Da Vinci, an established Chianti brand that is distributed by Gallo which means the maker is a very mainstream rebel.

About THIS Wine:  The center is dark red with a pink rim.  Earth and herbs are prominent on the nose.  Jammy red fruit is strong and fairly sharp on the palate.  Red fruit and spice make up a pleasant finish.

Drinking This Wine:  This wine is bold but not overly dry and as such could work as a sipping wine.  It would also go well with meaty lasagna.

Overall Impression:  The wine is good and the price is reasonable.  This one is good for the price.

Edna Valley Merlot 2010 (about $12)

About the Wine:  Merlot has seen a decline in popularity in recent years.  It is too dry to be accessible to the novice drinker and many seasoned drinkers preferred the bold complexity of a good cab.  That is a shame because at certain occasions there is nothing like a good Merlot.

About THIS Wine:  The red center fades to a pink rim, a bit light for a Merlot.  Green pepper dominates the nose, though strong raspberry notes are also present.  The green pepper delivers on a palate that is spicy and tastes of red meat.  Red fruit and spice make up an easy finish.

Drinking This Wine:  It could work as a dry sipper or as a steak wine.  It is versatile.

Overall Impression:  The wine is good, versatile, and cheap.  It would not be overpriced at fifteen dollars a bottle.  At twelve this one is a good value.

Choclat Rouge NV (about $11)

About the Wine:  This is a chocolate wine from Gallo.  One of the most popular posts ever on this blog was for another Gallo wine called Liberty Creek Chocolate Red, which you can read here.  In the interest of traffic, and despite my better judgement, I am trying another of their chocolate products.

About This Wine:  Looks pretty much like a glass of Yoohoo and smells like it.  The palate tastes like cherry chocolate cordials.

Drinking This Wine:  I'm pretty sure this was not meant to be a food wine.

Overall Impression:  You could probably get a similar result by mixing Yoohoo and Everclear, which I in no way endorse.  (But if you do try doing that please tell us about it in the comments.)  This stuff actually isn't too bad but it is a little overpriced.  I can't see paying more than eight or nine bucks for it.

OZV Old Vine Zinfandel 2009 (about $15)

About the Wine:  Zinfandel is one of the strangest of all wines.  It ranges from syrupy sweet to painfully dry.  This is one of my favorite varietals but buying a new one is always a risk.

About THIS Wine:  The center is dark purple with a violet rim.  Jammy red fruit dominates the nose and is complimented by notes of spice.  The palate is very rich with lots of mocha and cream with a whipped cream finish.

Drinking This Wine:  Sipping wine all the way.  The palate is not really sweet but it is definitely not dry and does not compliment any particular food.

Overall Impression:  Wine snobs and novices alike can enjoy this wine and it is a nice bridge between sweet and dry.  This wine would not be at all overpriced at twenty-five a bottle.  At fifteen it is a steal.

Domaine Saint-Felix Saint Chinian 2009 (about $15)

About the Wine:  Saint Chinian is a relatively recent sub appellation in southern France.  This particular wine is an organic Rhone style blend.

About THIS Wine:  The crimson center fades to a pink rim.  The nose has prominent sour cherry that I would associate with Pinot Noir, but there are also strong notes of earth and spice making for a more robust smell.  Licorice and spice make a very bold and pleasant palate that ends in a syrupy cherry finish.

Drinking This Wine:  Very versatile.  This could work as a sipping wine or pair with roast duck, ham, or pot roast.

Overall Impression:  The wine is good and the price is reasonable.  A wine of this quality would be good for this price in any case and the fact that it is organic makes it a good value.

Tenimenti Ca'Bianca Moscato d'Asti 2010 (about $14)

About the Wine:  The trend toward flavored and colored Moscatos seems to be dying (oh please, let it be dying.  I'm so tired of pink Moscato, red Moscato, and flavored Moscato.)  This is an example of a more classic Italian sweet white.

About THIS Wine:  It clear in the glass.  Peach nectar defines the nose and delivers on the palate, which is very sweet and slightly tart.  Sweet citrus lingers in the finish.

Drinking This Wine:  Patio pounder or a dessert wine.  This is not something you have with dinner.

Overall Impression:  This is an excellent Moscato and the price is not excessive.  This one is reasonable for the price.

Innocent Bystander Moscato 2011 (about $14)

About the Wine:  Australia is best known for Shiraz but something like a hundred and fifty varietals grow there, including Moscato.

About THIS Wine:  It is a pinkish peach color and is slightly effervescent.  Sweet and sour fruit defines the nose.  Tart watermelon is prominent on the palate which ends in a finish reminiscent of a watermelon Jolly Roger.

Drinking This Wine:  Sipping wine all the way.

Overall Impression:  Not bad, but a little expensive for what it is.  This wine is good but overpriced.

Veuve Aubert Aine Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2010 (about $13)

About the Wine:  Pinot Noir has been grown in the Burgundy region of France since forever, basically.  Bourgogne Rouge, or Red Burgundy is simply Pinot Noir from that region and the French government has long taken steps to prevent other red varietals, particularly Gamay, from being too closely associated with the region.  Red Burgundy is known for its full, earthy qualities.

About THIS Wine:  It is very light in the glass, even for a Pinot Noir.  I would describe the color as hot pink.  Velvety dark fruit makes up a pleasant nose.  The palate is mild with prominent flavors of strawberry ending is a raspberry finish.

Drinking This Wine:  This would make a pleasant sipping wine and it could go well with grilled chicken.

Overall Impression:  This is nothing like a traditional Burgundy Pinot Noir but it is very pleasant.  This wine is good for the price.

Damilano Nebbiolo D'Alba 2009 (about $16)

About the Wine:  Nebbiolo is the grape used to make the Barolo wine.  A decent Barolo goes for at least forty dollars so this is either the deal of the century or a disappointment waiting to happen.

About THIS Wine:  It is red in the glass with a pink rim, a coloration similar to good Pinot Noir.  The nose is complex with almond, cedar, hints of spice and notes of earth and dried fruit.  My initial reaction was that it smelled like a super villain's lair.  It is distinctive, is what I'm trying to say.  The palate is thick and defined by soft tannins.  The finish is dry and lingering.  A curious nutty flavor and texture lingers through the whole experience.

Drinking This Wine:  Enjoy with heavy pasta, baked ham, or other hearty meat dishes.  Definitely not a sipping wine.

Overall Impression:  This is pretty spectacular for its price.  This one is an absolute steal.

Haraszthy Zinfandel 2009 (about $16)

About the Wine:  I selected this Zinfandel through the tried and true method used by wine drinkers everywhere: it had a label I really liked.  Look at the cute bear!  This is a link for the winery website http://haraszthyfamilycellars.com/

About THIS Wine:  It is ruby in the glass with a pink rim, very light for a Zinfandel.  The juice for Zinfandel wine is often left to macerate until it is black as night.  Intensive research, done by reading the back of bottle, indicates that this maker only makes Zinfandel so I assume that the light color was not some kind of accident.  The nose is fairly alcoholic, though sour cherry and raspberry do come through.  Zins tend to be high in alcohol and this one is over fifteen percent by volume, explaining the strong nose.  The palate is medium dry and very juicy with layers of red fruit and blackberry.  The finish is surprisingly light given the boldness of the palate, though dry raspberry does come through.

Drinking This Wine:  It would work well as a sipping wine.  This is also a nice alternative to Pinot Noir as something to have with white meat, especially pork.

Overall Impression:  I'm not blown away but the wine is pleasant and does not have any of the bitter or sour notes that are common to lighter reds.  At sixteen dollars a bottle it is reasonable for the price.

by Ben Stiebel

Santa Barbara Chardonnay 2010 (about $14)

About the Wine:  The pertinent question in California Chardonnay is "How over oaked is it?"  This has become such a problem with California Chardonnay that some experts have recommended regulation to stop it.  Such controls are common in European wine making but the idea is fairly shocking to the American wine industry.  This is a link to the winery website http://www.sbwinery.com/

About THIS Wine:  The wine is hay colored in the glass with no distinct rim.  Oak dominates the nose, though hints of peach and salt air are also present.  The palate is very oaky, so much so that it is hard to taste anything else.  The creamy finish that most people associate with oaky Chardonnay is absent and there is a tingly, lemon finish instead.

Drinking This Wine:  This is too big for a sipping wine but it lacks the buttery qualities that make oaky Chardonnay good with chicken and lobster.  It might work with seafood pasta.

Overall Impression:  This wine is overly bold without much complexity.  It would be fine for ten dollars but at fourteen it is overpriced.

 by Ben Stiebel

Santa Ema Reserva Merlot 2009 (about $13)

About the Wine:  There is a corner of Santa Ema's Maipo Valley vineyard that produces grapes with distinct notes of dark chocolate, regardless of the variety of grapes grown.  They have used this area for some years to grow the Merlot that goes into their Reserva.  It was their 2008 vintage that first got me really loving wine.  Here is a link to the winemaker's website http://www.santaema.cl/en/enologos.php

About THIS Wine:  The deep burgundy center is surrounded by a purple rim.  Green pepper is sharp on the nose, so much so that it is hard to detect anything else.  Red fruit and green pepper make up a palate that ends in a strawberry and spice finish.  Sadly, the dark chocolate notes that have been the signature of this wine are absent so far as I could tell. 

Drinking This Wine:  This would work as a dry sipping wine.  It would also go well with shepherd's pie and other hearty, meaty dishes.  It is not bold enough for a steak wine.

Overall Impression:  For those of us who enjoyed the '08 vintage this is nothing but a disappointment.  For anyone less emotionally invested it is good for the price.

 by Ben Stiebel

Chateau Ste Michelle Cold Creek Riesling 2011 (about $17)

About the Wine:  I reviewed the previous vintage of this Riesling and liked it, but I've learned the hard way that wines change drastically from one year to the next.  Last year's favorite can be this year's dishwater.

About THIS Wine:  It is clear in the glass.  Pear nectar dominates the nose and that flavor delivers on a very nice palate with a lasting finish.  The wine is what I would describe as medium sweet, definitely sweet, but not overpoweringly so and other flavors come through.

Drinking This Wine:  This is a very nice sipping wine.  It would also work with southwestern chicken or other spiced poultry dishes.

Overall Impression:  Very few Rieslings get the balance of sweetness and other flavors right, but this one pulls it off well.  This wine is good for the price.

 by Ben Stiebel

Red on Black Nemea 2010 (about $10)

About the Wine:  This is a Greek wine made with a grape called Agiorgitiko because apparently the Greeks are competing with the Germans for the coveted "lovers of unpronounceable wines" market.  Nemea is the region that it is from.  The nice thing about obscure varietals and regions is that they can be hidden treasures and great values.  The bad thing is that there is sometimes a very good reason they are obscure.

About THIS Wine:  A pink rim surrounds the garnet center.  Mint, berries, and other aromas I can't quite describe make a complex nose.  The palate was drier than I expected and it is quite thick with a curious mix of red fruit and green apple.  These flavors linger in a finish that goes on and on.

Drinking This Wine:  Not really a sipping wine.  It would be very good with lamb or ribs.

Overall Impression:  Definitely a hidden treasure.  At ten bucks a bottle this wine is a steal.

 by Ben Stiebel

J Pinot Gris 2011 (about $16)

About the Wine:  I had a previous vintage of this Pinot Gris and loved it.  The question now is whether the new vintage holds up.  This is a concern at the best of times and more so given that California had terrible weather for wine growing in 2011.

About THIS Wine:  It is very light in the glass, almost clear.  Sharp tangerine dominates the nose.  That flavor delivers on the palate, which is not nearly as acidic as Pinot Grigios and Pinot Gris usually are.  There is some acidity in the finish, which is otherwise bland.

Drinking This Wine:  This vintage could work as a sipper or go with unseasoned or very lightly seasoned chicken or white fish.  It is too light to stand up to anything heavier.

Overall Impression:  This is not a bad wine but it doesn't taste like sixteen dollars.  It is overpriced.


 by Ben Stiebel

Primus 2010 Carmenere (about $18)

About the Wine:  Veramonte is a South American maker known for their big, bold reds.  They use Carmenere in their blends to add body and flavor and they make this Carmenere for those wanting the undiluted experience.

About THIS Wine:  The center is opaque with a purple rim.  Seasoned steak pretty much defines the nose and palate.  The wine tastes like liquefied T-bone crusted with cooking spices.  The finish is dry and spicy.

Drinking This Wine:  Drink it with steak, of course.

Overall Impression:  This wine is very intense and definitely not for everyone.  For those with a palate suited to it this Carmenere is good for the price.

by Ben Stiebel

Sweet Layla Moscato NV (about $11)

About the Wine:  The Brotherhood Winery in New York makes a product called Sweet Lolly that is approximately the sweetest thing in the history of ever.  It is certainly possible that the similarity in the names is coincidental and this not in fact a knock off of a third rate wine.  The cute label and lack of a vintage do not make me optimistic.

About THIS Wine:  The wine is clear in the glass.  The nose reminds of Fresca or Sierra Mist lemon lime soda.  The palate is overpoweringly sweet without any depth that I could detect.  There was no distinct finish that I could make out.

Drinking This Wine:  This is a good wine for drinking when your marriage unravels and you realize it was all your fault.  It is the perfect way to reflect on how sweetest things in life can be terrible.  Get comfortable in a cheap motel and curl up with this and some microwave burritos.

Overall Impression:  I can't imagine buying this at any price.

by Ben Stiebel

Santa Ema Merlot 2010 (about $10)

About the Wine:  The Santa Ema winery has a special place in my heart as the makers of the first wine I ever fell in love with.  The 2008 Reserva Merlot completely blew me away.  This cuts two ways in reviewing their other products.  One is that loyalty to a brand can cloud one's judgement in terms of that brand's products.  Everyone who works for Gallo is guilty of this.  Every.  Blessed.  One.  It is also possible to compare all of a winery's products to that one you loved, thus judging other vintages and varietals unfairly.

About THIS Wine:  The center is crimson and fades to a garnet rim.  Green pepper and onion make up an unusual nose.  The palate is dry and jammy with hints of green pepper.  There is no finish to speak of.

Drinking This Wine:  A little dry for a sipper.  This could work with a burger or with red beans and rice.  Something simple and hearty.

Overall Impression:  For ten bucks this wine is not bad, but neither is it anything special.  It is reasonable for the price.

Red Diamond Pinot Noir 2011 (about $11)

About the Wine:  Red Diamond is a staple in the inexpensive wines market.  They are not highly regarded but they are a go to brand for their price point.

About THIS Wine:  The center is garnet and fades to a clear rim.  The nose reminds me of the inexpensive chewy candy they sell at dollar stores.  The smell is not unpleasant, it is just not what I associate with wine.  Mild red fruit makes up a palate that ends in a licorice finish.

Drinking This Wine:  This is mostly a sipping wine.  It could work with pork steak.

Overall Impression:  This Pinot Noir is one dimensional but pleasant enough.  It is reasonable for the price.

Milbrandt Merlot 2009 (about $16)

About the Wine:  Washington State is rapidly emerging as a wine growing region.  Chateau Ste Michelle and Pacific Rim have established themselves as Riesling brands and have already started branching out into other varietals.  Now those makers and others have begun making names for themselves with their reds.

About THIS Wine:  A pink rim surrounds a dark red center.  Blueberry and vanilla are prominent on the nose.  Red fruit, dark fruit, and cooking spice make up a pleasantly complex palate followed by a medium dry finish accented with oak.

Drinking This Wine:  It is okay as a sipper but would do better accompanying lamb.

Overall Impression:  This wine is bold, yet subtle.  As such it is reasonable for the price

Colosi Nero d'Avola 2010 (about $14)

About the Wine:  This one is going to be kind of a cheat.  I went to a better wine store than the one where I work and talked to a very qualified wine consultant who, after a long discussion of my tastes, picked this bottle for me.  Such is the benefit of talking to qualified professionals rather than just picking up something with a pretty label.

About THIS Wine:  It is crimson in the glass with a distinct, violet rim.  Blackberry and cherry are very prominent on the nose along with hints of tomato.  I find the tomato smell common in Italian wine and I usually like the wines where I find it.  The palate is quite spicy with layers of red fruit that make for a very nice drinking experience.  It finishes with slightly dry cherry.

Drinking This Wine:  The salesman gave me this as a pasta wine, but I actually prefer it as a sipper.  It is both too light and too spicy for pasta.  By itself it is full, flavorful, and pleasant.

Overall Impression:  This is great wine.  If it was a less obscure varietal, a Cab or even a Zinfandel, it would go for twenty dollars easily.  At fourteen it is a steal.

by Ben Stiebel

Purple Malbec 2009 (about $12)

About the Wine:  Malbec is essentially the national grape of Argentina but originated from France.  A crop blight destroyed most of the Malbec vines in the mother country and production there has never fully recovered.  It is still used as a blending grape in Bordeaux Rouge blends.  To see a pure French Malbec is very rare. 

About THIS Wine:  The center is dark purple and fades to a violet rim.  Dark fruit and cherry are prominent on the nose and deliver on the palate along with a fair dose of spice.  The finish is spicy and dry.

Drinking This Wine:  Steak wine all the way.  Have this with a juicy hunk of red meat.

Overall Impression:  I really like this wine.  At twelve dollars a bottle it is a good value.

by Ben Stiebel

Ergo Tempranillo 2010 (about $12)

About the Wine:  Ergo is made by Martin Codax, a well respected brand that was recently acquired by Gallo.  Gallo prides itself on maintaining the integrity of the brands it buys.  How well that works out varies a lot from one brand to the next.

About THIS Wine:  The center is crimson and fades to a pink rim.  Sour cherry, blackberry, and smoke make up a pleasantly complex nose.  Unfortunately, the wine smells a lot better than it tastes.  Jammy, slightly bitter fruit dominates the palate. There is no finish to speak of.

Drinking This Wine:  I don't think this would work as a sipper. It could work with beef and rice.

Overall Impression:  This wine is very  mediocre and ten dollars a bottle would be pushing it.  At twelve it is overpriced.

by Ben Stiebel

The Big Red Monster NV (about $11)

About the Wine:  Some wine makers forgo vintages and descriptions of the wines they make in favor of giving the wine a catchy name and a colorful label.  In the wine world this is known as a "concept wine."  In the rest of the world this is known as "phoning it in."

About THIS Wine:  The center is opaque with a violet rim.  Dry, jammy blackberry dominates the nose.  Dark fruit and spice make up a nice palate with a spicy plum finish.  I had it with a friend who said it reminded her of Shiraz and I can definitely see the comparison.

Drinking This Wine:  It is a little heavy for a sipping wine.  The label recommends steak or pasta.  I had it with a bucket of KFC and it worked pretty well.

Overall Impression:  The juice is decent and the price is certainly right.  This one is good for the price.

by Ben Stiebel

Terre Di Chieti Merlot 2009 (about $10)

About the Wine:  Italian winemakers have been experimenting with new blends and varietals in recent years.  Super Tuscans, Red Bordeaux Blends, Merlots, and other concoctions have resulted, some quite wonderful.

About THIS Wine:  The purple center fades to a garnet rim.  Earth and musk are prominent on the nose.  Dark fruit defines a palate that is pleasant but lacking complexity.  The finish is dry with hints of spice.

Drinking This Wine:  This would go very well with lasagna or seasoned lamb.

Overall Impression:  I have insulted the products of the distributor who brought this so frequently and thoroughly that, when he has a supplier he really does not like, he brings that person by the shop for a dose of bile.  For once he brought a winner.  This wine is good for the price.

by Ben Stiebel

Cono Sur Sauvignon Blanc 2011 (about $13)

About the Wine:  Cono Sur is a sort rising of star in the organic wine world.  The bicycle represents the preferred method of transport between different parts of the vineyard.

About THIS Wine:  It is clear in the glass, very light for a Sauvignon Blanc.  Orange and grapefruit make up a rather pleasant nose.  Sharp acidity defines the palate, though on the second sip a detected a variety of citrus flavors.  Those flavors really shine in the finish.

Drinking This Wine:  Too acidic for a sipping wine, this would go well with shellfish or a light chicken and rice dish.

Overall Impression:  Not a bad wine at all and the price is reasonable.  This one is good for the price.

by Ben Stiebel

Don David Chardonnay 2010 (about $10)

About the Wine:  This Chardonnay originally  went for around twelve or thirteen dollars but the distributor put it on clearance.  That can mean one of a few things.  One possibility is that the distributor is no longer carrying the brand and does not want to make the investment to market and distribute it.  Another possibility is that a new vintage is in so the distributor wants to eliminate the old one quickly.  A final possibility is that the product is just unsellably awful and the distributor wants to wash their hands of it.  I happen to know that this distributor is still carrying Don David products and that the brand is best known for Malbec.

About THIS Wine:  I was worried that it might be madeirized because it was golden yellow in the bottle and the glass.  In Chardonnay this can mean spoiled or it can mean heavy oak.  In this case it was the latter.  Oak is heavy on the nose with prominent citrus notes and those flavors deliver on the palate.  The finish is surprisingly crisp for such an oaky Chardonnay.

Drinking This Wine:  I can't really see curling up with a glass and sipping it.  The oak is too overbearing for a sipping wine.  It would go well with white fish or salad.

Overall Impression:  This wine is not very good but it is also pretty cheap.  For what it is I think it should be just a little cheaper.  At ten dollars a bottle, this one is overpriced.

Jam Jar Sweet Shiraz 2011 (about $10)

About the Wine:  Shiraz is usually known as a dry red.  There are two ways to make dry reds into sweeter wines.  One is to do a late harvest, leaving the grapes on the vines longer and allowing them to develop more natural sugar prior to harvesting.  The other way is to artificially sweeten the wine after harvesting.  Given the price of this wine, the later is more likely.

About THIS Wine:  A dark red center fades to a pink rim.  Sweet plum is prominent on the nose and delivers on a tart palate with a dark fruit finish.

Drinking This Wine:  No idea.  The palate is too sharp for a sipping wine, too sweet for a dinner wine, and too thick for snack foods.

Overall Impression:  The difference between this and Manischewitz is that Manischewitz costs less.  At ten dollars a bottle this is overpriced.

Milbrandt Riesling 2010 (about $14)

About the Wine:  Riesling is a versatile grape in that it ranges from painfully dry to cloyingly sweet, depending on the terroir and the maker.  Sweet Rieslings are the best known and most popular in America but dry Rieslings also have a strong following.

About THIS Wine:  It is hay colored in the glass with no distinct rim.  Sweet citrus, pear, and apple are present on the nose.  The palate is very mild, almost bland, with a mineral finish.

Drinking This Wine:  There is  not enough going on to make a good sipping wine.  This would go well with spicy chicken.

Overall Impression:  This has a lot more subtlety and complexity than most Riesling in its price range, though I am not sure it's actually good.  I'll say it is reasonable for the price.

Hernando Cortes Pinot Noir 2009 (about $12)

About the Wine:  2009 was an excellent year for California Pinot Noir so finding one at this price point could potentially be a great find.  Less encouraging is the fact that the front label list its origin as "California" which is a pretty big place and not at all specific in wine making terms.

About THIS Wine:  A pink rim surrounds a violet center.  The nose made me wince with strong, one could even say offensive aromas of forest floor.  Red fruit and sour cherry are prominent on a reasonably good palate but there is no finish to speak of.

Drinking This Wine:  This would go well with roast duck.  I generally expect a little more flavor and finish from a sipping wine.

Overall Impression:  I have had ten dollar bottles that were better.  This one is overpriced. 

Restivo Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 (about $13)

About the Wine:  Argentina is know first, last, and always for its Malbec.  They also make excellent Cabernet Sauvignon but the terroir does not seem to give it anything all that distinctive so Argentinian Cab has yet to gain recognition.

About THIS Wine:  The center is reddish purple with a violet rim.  Cranberry dominates the nose and delivers on the palate.  The finish is fairly dry.

Drinking This Wine:  This is pretty standard steak wine.

Overall Impression:  There is nothing special here but you can do worse for thirteen dollars.  This one is reasonable for the price.

Orzada Carignan 2009 (about $20)

About the Wine:  Carignan is well known as . . . Just kidding, this one is pretty is obscure.  Carignan is a grape originally cultivated in France and used mostly for blending.  Like many other French reds it grows better in South America than it does in its mother country.

About THIS Wine:  The center is purple with a violet rim.  The nose is very floral with notes of violet and orange blossoms.  The palate is thick and velvety with a lot of orange and hints of green pepper.  The finish is pleasantly syrupy.

Drinking This Wine:  This Carignan is a little too overbearing for a sipping wine.  It would go well with meaty dishes like beef and noodles or steak.

Overall Impression:  It is expensive but worth it.  This Carignan is reasonable for the price.

Babor Sauvignon Blanc 2011 (about $10)

About the Wine:  South America is best known in the wine world for its bold, robust reds.  Malbec, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Carmenere, and Cabernet Sauvignon have all found good homes in the vineyards of Chile and Argentina.  Less known are South American whites, including Chilean Sauvignon Blanc.

About THIS Wine:  It is very light in the glass, almost clear.  Floral notes and hints of citrus make up an agreeable nose.  The palate is light for a Sauvignon Blanc, though there is enough sharp citrus present to clearly identify the varietal.  It finishes with light citrus.

Drinking This Wine:  This is a pleasant sipping wine for hot weather but it does have enough structure to be drinkable in the colder months.

Overall Impression:  The wine is cheap and pleasant.  This one is good for the price.