$5 Black Swan Shiraz-Cabernet South Eastern Australia Stater Brothers

I have been a fan of Black Swan wines for some time now. For the price, they had a lot to offer... this one was decent, but failed to deliver the usual goods. Super-fruity nose... ripe, fresh fruit such as apples and cherries with a few undertones of over-ripe plums (yes, that would be prunes.) It does smell pretty interesting. The first sip renders a mild fruitiness a bit watered down, with a strong bite towards the end. The second sip is more mellow, with a softer berry fruitiness that gives way to an over-ripe plum. All in all, there is not much to this wine.

I give this so-so wine a 3 out of 5 stars.

$4 Cabernet Sauvignon Talus 2004 California Trader Joes

The nose is vibrant and peppery with hints of roasted red peppers and green grass. the first taste is definitely grassy with a sweet undertone that I can't put my finger on. It has a strongly metallic finish which is quite unpleasant. The second sip is very herbaceous and a lesser metallic taste and by the third sip my taste buds have adjusted and it becomes bright and grassy. It also has very high tannins and is very astringent. I think this wine could definitely benefit from a day on the counter.

$4 Zinfandel Napa River Trader Joes

The first night I opened this wine, I didn't pay that much attention to it. It sat overnight and then I poured a glass the next evening. I smell hints of blackberry, raspberry and coffee after I swirl it around for a moment. A bit of smokiness perhaps. The first sip brings some slight dark chocolate which was quickly replaced with ripened apricots and plums. The next few sips bring out some slightly grassier flavors with a hint of maple. This wine is delicious now and I think it will be even better in 3-4 years. Buy one to enjoy now and three to store in the cellar.

I give this wine 5 out of 5 stars.

$3 Shiraz Chasing Clouds Trader Joes

The nose is quite astringent making it difficult to discern any other aromas. I detect a bit of fruit, but it's hard to say what kind. The first sip is strong with raspberries and a hint of apricot and dried figs. It is a very green wine and I expect it might be better in a few years, unless the fig overpowers it. It's also quite bitter and I think this is one better left on the shelves.

I give this bitter Shiraz a 3 out of 5 stars.

Cheap Wine It's tastier than you think!

I just came across an article in Wikipedia that talks about how we perceive wine. Here is an excerpt about wine tasters- "When given wine that they are falsely told is expensive they virtually always report it as tasting better than the very same wine when they are told that it is inexpensive." Very interesting... and it goes along with my thoughts that a lot of people short-change the more affordable wines. Try a blind-tasting yourself and see what kind of results you get.

$6 Shiraz/Cabernet 2006 Black Opal South Eastern Australia Safeway

_{Chelsie's Tastings Home Page}

This wine has a straightforward nose of coffee and maple. The first sip tastes of bold fruits and has an underlying peppery flavor. A quick, dry finish wraps it up nicely. After a few more sips, the flavors didn't change much... still peppery (and I mean green bell peppers... not ground black pepper) but I think it would make a good table wine with a big dish of spaghetti.

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

Wine Tasting- Create one at home for $25 or less!

First you need to decide if you want to do a "Vertical Tasting" (wines of the same type from a single winery), a "Horizontal Tasting" (wines from the same year), or you could also pick your favorite grape and do all one varietal. Or you can do what I do and get whatever is on sale- that is fine too. Once you pick your tasting event's style, now you need to decide whether you want to do a more casual tasting or a more formal tasting. And when I say "casual" and "formal" I am not talking about what people will be wearing.

Casual
For a more casual atmosphere, you can pop the corks, pass out the glasses and start sipping. Discussion about the different wines is sure to follow. To be more organized, you could give everyone a notepad and paper for notes or have some pre-written questions to ask to get the discussion going.

Formal
A more formal tasting takes quite a bit more preparation, but is a lot more thought provoking. In advance, create a tasting "menu.". List each wine, the grape, the year, the area in which it was grown and so on. If you will be drinking some french wines with all the complicated labels, you may need to do a bit of research as to how to list them. I also like to add a little blurb from the label or from other people's tastings online. Lastly, add a few blank lines for your guest's own notes. Pass these out prior to opening the bottles. Open one bottle at a time, pour an ounce or two into each glass and let the tasting begin.

Other Info
Each wine bottle should serve at least 10 guests with a decent sized tasting. At $3-$4 a bottle, you should be able to serve everyone at least 5-6 different wines. If you can get an even better bargain and keep it at $3 a bottle, you will be able to serve 5 to 6 wines plus a couple of bricks of interesting cheeses (havarti, aged cheddar or brie go well with wine.) Remember to taste the wines in an order so that one wine does not overpower the next. The order I see most often in Wineries is- white wines, roses, light reds, bold reds, champagne and lastly, port.

New Wines Coming Soon!

After taking a year-long break, I look forward to sharing my tasting notes with you again! Starting soon, I will be updating the site on a regular basis with all the affordable wines I can find. Due to the time it takes to take a picture, upload it, crop it etc... the posts may not all have pictures of the bottle, but they will have all the usual label info and most importantly how it tastes! So to all you bargain wine hunters out there- stay tuned!