$4 Sutter Home Zinfandel California Stater Bros.

This wine usually retails for $3.99 around here, but I picked it up on sale for just $2.79, nice! I'll be honest, with Sutter Home, it's really hit-or-miss. They have some real stinkers. But a few decent ones (like the Gewurstraminer) keep me trying out new ones in hopes of a winner.

So this is a 2010 Zinfandel and to be honest it smells a bit past it's prime. A few more sniffs and I pick up some currants, blackberries and a bit of meatiness. Upon sipping it's not quite as over-ripe as I had feared. It's actually quite bright and grassy. It is lacking fruit of any kind... there is maybe a teensy bit of... no, nothing. Not bad if you like a dry, non-fruity wine. It's got a few flaws, but hey, don't we all?

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

$2 Hayden- Harlow Merlot California Stater Bros.

Now that Stater's $1.99 Douglass Hill has gone up a bit in price, I was interested to see the latest edition to the selection of dirt cheap wine. The new $1.99 Hayden~Harlow vineyards collection. I snapped up a bottle of the Merlot to test the waters. I like the concept of the eco-friendly bottle too. Now onto the tasting.

It has a rich, cocoa aroma with some cherries and coke. It is light-bodied and vaguely fruity on the palate with a long and spicy finish. I am a bit disappointed that the overall flavors seem very watered down but the nice finish somewhat makes up for the lack of fruit. Drinkable for sure, but not 100% satisfied.

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

$2 Charles Shaw Pinot Grigio California Trader Joes

I am a fairly big Pinot Grigio fan and was elated when Charles Shaw came out with their own Pinot Grigio. Previously the only white wines they offered were Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. It has a decent nose, fruity, melon-y with a touch of green apple. The first few sips are a bit astringent with very little of the promised fruit. After a few more sips, my palate adjusted, and the wine became more enjoyable. I still prefer the Sauvignon Blanc, but this is a decent runner-up.

I give this wine a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Vinas Chilenas $3 Sauvignon Blanc 2010 Chile Trader Joes

Delightful nose of grapefruit, mango and bursting with bananas. I thought I might need to add an umbrella to my glass. The first couple sips were a bit on the harsh side, very acidic and overly floral. After it had time to be swirled around a bit and mellowed out, it became very likable. The mango and bananas really stand out after you get past the strong bitter floral notes. Drinkable, but not stellar.

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

Douglass Hill $2 2009 Syrah California Stater Bros.

Most Douglass Hill wines are quite drinkable, but nothing to write home about, so I my expectations weren't incredibly high when opening this bottle. The color was really pretty, a bright ruby tone and it smelled of cranberries and cherries. The sip was mild, lacking complexity and lightly fruity. It has a medium finish with notes of dark chocolate. Nothing spectacular, but very consistent from the first glass to the third.

I give this wine a 31/2 stars out of 5

Il Valore $4 2009 Sangiovese Italy Trader Joes

I just love a good Sangiovese and I was excited to try this one- so affordable! The nose was absolutely yummy with the richness of figs, the fruitiness of black currants and hint of dark chocolate and black pepper. But on the first sip, the disappointment set in. It tasted nothing like it smelled... there was an intense bitterness right off the bat, totally lacking fruit and a medium finish of more bitterness. Yikes, this was really bad. Before dumping it, I popped on my wine soiree (aerator) and poured a bit through it. It softened the bitterness quite a bit, but it still overwhelmed the wine. I was ready to give this wine a 2 out of 5 stars, but then I forgot about it on the counter for four days. I figured I would give it one more shot before the drain, and poured a bit in a glass. And you know what, it wasn't half bad. It still wasn't great, but definitely drinkable. So the moral of this story is that if you get a bottle of this, plan ahead to decant and aerate the heck out of it before attempting to drink it.

I give this wine 3 out of 5 stars

$5 Barefoot Pinot Noir California Stater Bros.

It has a nice purple-red tone, but a closed, tight nose. If I really have to dig, it's slightly jammy with a berry. Not any particular berry, just a generic single berry note.

And the taste doesn't vary to much from the smell. A bit of nearly imperceptible fruit, followed by a bitter tobacco flavor. Even though it is lacking flavor, it's still a bold, in-your-face wine but with an immature arrogance. It stutters with the faint taste of green chiles and unripe plums and ends with a long, tart finish. Overall, it is somewhat drinkable but I would not buy it again. Try the Barefoot Zinfandel, which is much better.

I give this wine a 3 out of 5 stars

3 Blind Moose $5 2007 Merlot California CVS

This wine is a nice translucent shade of purple-red. They should make a crayola color for it. Cherries are popping out of the glass while I'm pouring it... yum! It is rich and jammy on the nose with some espresso undertones.

The first sip is a bit on the bland side. Very generically fruity and light bodied. The finish is very dry but it's lacking the fruitiness that I look for in a Merlot. definitely not great right off the bat. Towards the end of the glass I started picking up some eucalyptus and some green peppers, but it never really came around.

I give this wine a 3 out of 5 stars.

$4 Green Fin 2009 White Table Wine California Trader Joes

This cute 'lil bottle was practically clamoring to get into my cart. So I brought a bottle of "table wine" home. But on the plus side- it's made with organic grapes. The first sniff smells a bit of syrupy Moscato followed by crisp Sauvignon Blanc. Interesting so far. The first sip yields definite sweetness followed by... well, nothing. There is nothing to pick out, it's just a generic white wine... I guess the label was correct.

I give this wine a 3 out of 5 stars.

(I had to throw on an extra star because it's organic.)

$5 Black Swan 2009 Shiraz Australia Stater Bros.

I was so impressed with the Black Swan Cabernet Sauvignon I was excited to try the Shiraz. The color is a nice, deep burgundy and it smells of toast and jam. The first sip is bold and brazen with slight jamminess to it that quickly gave way to a slightly bitter finish. There is almost a syrupy texture to the wine which makes it seem very fruity, but the tannins overpower it so it is very conflicting, and not in a particularly good way. After a few sips, my palate adjusted and it became quite tasty. But the finish always came across a bit harsh.

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

$3 Crane Lake 2009 Pinot Grigio California Henry's Market

Boy, have I been on a serious Pinot Grigio kick lately, or what? It's such great cheap, summer wine though. Crane Lake has been pretty consistent with decent wines, so let's see if this one holds up.

It has a fun, beachy smell aroma to it at first and then I start to pick up the fruit. Light citrus and papaya come through as well as the usual pinot friend, pears. First sip is buttery. Yes, buttery... a bit unusual for a Pinot Grigio wouldn't you say? This is a lightly sweet wine full of fresh, summery fruits. A fruit salad if you will- minus the berries. It's pretty good, a nice light finish and a typical Pinot Grigio flavor. Anyone making the transition from Gewurstraminer and Reislings to a drier white would find this one a nice baby step up.

While white wine has been de-lish, I have to turn back down red road for a bit. I miss the complexity of red.

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

$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.