$4 Sangiovese Tuscan Moon 2005 California Trader Joes

The first scent of this wine is earthy and smells of leather, figs and apricots. I can't wait to try it as I am a big fan of Sangiovese. I was surprised by the big apricot flavors that hit my tongue immediately. Black currant and blueberry flavors quickly followed. There are some lingering flavors of strawberry and raspberry and a pretty quick finish. It is very tasty, though it is a bit fruity for a Sangiovese. The flavors are unexpected, but I would buy it again. Definitely a great buy for $4... but don't expect the usual Sangiovese flavors.

I give this tasty wine a 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.

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$5 Shiraz 2005 Kumala South Africa Safeway

Yum... I picked up some cinnamon-y aromas while pouring this light red wine. A bit of watermelon came through too. Upon the first sip, a sharp bite of rich and robust flavors (chiles, earth, smoke, tomatoes, peppers, a hint of caramel) came through with a long, dry finish. I immediately thought this would be a great wine to pair with some hearty, tomato-ey Italian pasta dish. It is dry, tangy and flavorful... a great bottle! This is not a subtle wine, it is an in-your-face wine.

I give it a 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.


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$4 Pinot Noir 2006 Lindemans Bin 99 South Eastern Australia Safeway

The fragrance of this wine is smoky and peppery and it has brown tones to it's rich, deep red. I swirled it around for a moment and for those of you who care, it had nice thick legs that took their time dripping back down into the glass. The first taste is a bit bland. The second and third tastes brought out some subtle pinot flavor and.... not much else. I'm a bit disappointed, it smells so much better than it tastes. Still a drinkable wine though.

I give this uneventful wine a 3 out of 5 stars.


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$5 Merlot The Little Penguin South Eastern Australia Albertsons

This wine has a nice, mellow, fruity nose with a bit of green pepper. The first sip is smooth and a bit sweet. Not very dry at all with some raisins, fig and apricot flavors. This is a good table wine but nothing to write home about. I also had a piece of that wax-wrapped Babybel cheese with it about half-way through the glass, and it made the cheese taste moldy. It might be a good wine to make a sangria with!

I give this wine 3 out of 5 stars.


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Rating System

I know it is common to rate wines on many levels using a 100-point system or more than 100 points or even a percentage system. I find that those big numbers get a bit confusing and don't tell me what I want to know- should I buy this wine? I use a simpler approach, a 5-star rating system.

5 Stars-
A delicious wine that I highly recommend and will be buying more of it.

4 Stars-
Pretty good for the price, I would recommend it and probably buy it again if it was on sale.

3 Stars-
This is an average wine, nothing special but still drinkable.

2 Stars-
Not a very good wine at all, almost undrinkable, I would not
recommend it nor will I be buying it again.

1 Star-
Bad, bad, bad wine.

I try to use the whole star, but sometimes if I am really torn between two ratings I may have to throw a "1/2" on it.

Cheers!

$5 Shiraz Matties Perch South Eastern Australia Safeway

When I smelled this wine I was expecting nothing since the Cabernet/Shiraz of this same brand had no nose whatsoever... but I was pleasantly surprised. It smelled of berries and raisins and I could smell the dryness too. It was the very picture of a shiraz with bright peppery overtones and softer berry undertones. The label promised me vanilla but what I picked up on was a bit of coffee. It had a nice long, dry finish. I would definitely pick up a bottle of this wine again.

I give it 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.

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$5 Cabernet/Shiraz Matties Perch South Eastern Australia Safeway

Interestingly this wine has very little "nose" to offer. The first sniff got me nowhere and the second one picked up next to nothing as well. Not impressed by the lack of aromatics, I chug on in hopes of a turnaround. As I taste the wine, I am immediately greeted by a sweetness and raisins and figs. I deduct the blend must be about 80% cab. But it is good nonetheless. I go on to taste more but it's pretty much the same flavor over and over again. There is an interesting tanginess towards the end and a quick finish. I think this is a very drinkable red despite it's lack of aromatics.

I give this consistent wine a 4 out 5 stars.


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$5 Chardonnay 2005 Fish Eye California Vons

A good, basic Chardonnay. Crisp melon-y flavors with a hint of sweetness. Just what you would expect from a chard. A perfect white table wine for your everyday meal. Nothing to extraordinary, but very classic flavors.

I give this Chardonnay a 4 out of 5 stars.



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$4 Malbec Barrio La Boca 2005 Argentina Trader Joes

Not bad, not bad at all for a bargain Malbec. Rich and earthy flavors with quick tannins and a green astringency. Robust and bitter flavors of coffee and unsweetened cocoa combined nicely with some lighter flavors of dried fruit. Definitely a spicy wine.

I give this wine 4 out of 5 stars.


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