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

Callaway Cellar Selections $4 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon California Stater Bros.

It's a bit over-aged on the nose with a light undertone of dark berries. I was not terribly thrilled with what I was smelling, but I am giving it the benefit of the doubt... I have liked Cellar Selections in the past.

The first sip yields barely-there fruits and a mild green pepper finish. After a few sips I began to pick up subtle cherry notes but overall it's lacking complexity of any kind. About half way through the glass I had some grilled meat, and that did bring out a slight jamminess, but it was too little, too late and I probably would not buy it again.

I give this wine a 3 out of 5 stars.

$5 Barefoot Sauvignon Blanc California Vons/Safeway

This light colored wine smells of crisp pears and honeydew melons, a perfect blend for a warm spring day. It tastes light and fruity just like it smells and it even has a touch of effervescence that tingles on the palate. Classic, clean and crisp. I would definitely keep this on hand.

I give this wine a 4 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

$4 Jacob's Creek 2007 Shiraz California CVS

This wine is an earthy burgundy color and it smells of port and ripe cherries. The first sip is a little tart and kerosene-ish. It continues to be bitter with very little fruit or flavor. Okay, I'm going to call it. This wine is garbage. Leave it on the shelf for some other guy who doesn't read this blog.

I give this wine a 1 out of 5 stars.

$5 Barefoot 2008 Zinfandel California CVS

Barefoot is usually a dollar or two out of my budget but sometimes it goes on sale so I like to grab a few bottles when it does. I picked this one up at a 2/$10 sale with a couple of other varietals.

It's got rich, ripe cherries and berries on the nose with a touch of anise. It's very fruity tasting without being too jammy. The tannins are nicely balanced and it has a long finish that begins on the fruity side, and ends with some light nutmeg and cinnamon notes. This is a delicious wine and I will be back for more.

I give this wine a 5 out of 5 stars

3 Blind Moose $4 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon California CVS

It's got a tight nose, some slightly perceptible fruitiness and green bell pepper come through but that's about it. It tastes very earthy, with subtle black cherry. It's definitely missing the fruitiness that I usually enjoy in a Cab. It's got a long finish of aforementioned earthiness and it really tastes a bit past it's prime. I wouldn't bother getting a bottle, and if you have one on hand, drink it or use it pronto. This is another bomb by 3 Blind Moose, see my review of their Merlot.

I give this a 3 out 5 stars.

Redwood Creek $5 2008 Pinot Noir California CVS

It has a tight nose (not smelling a lot a going on in the glass.) Picking up some cola, prunes as well as some unexpected tropical fruit notes. The first sip yields some minerality and green bell pepper. It mellows out a bit after the first few sips, but then it gets very watery. It lacks flavor and complexity. I am not thrilled with this at all.

I give this wine a 2 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 Sutter Home 2007 White Merlot California CVS

In my search for a budget Rose, I picked up a bottle of this in hopes of a light, crisp Rose that would pair well with grilled chicken and summer picnics. The color is that of a melted pink popsicle and it smells of strawberry jolly ranchers and strawberry jam. It is horrendously sweet in a very manufactured way and tastes like a syrupy version of Strawberry Hill mixed with Welches white grape juice. I would stay far, far away from this monstrosity. I could see some pimple-faced teenager sneak-drinking this out of a paper bag in the back of a hand-me-down '91 mini-van. This is the kind of crap that gives cheap wine a bad name. Blech. There is no saving this bottle.

I give this wine a ZERO out of 5 stars. That's a first!

$2.50 Oak Creek Chenin Blanc/Pinot Grigio California CVS

I bought 2 bottles of this, one says Pinot Grigio in dark letters and Chenin Blanc in light letters. The other says Chenin Blanc in dark and Pinot Grigio in light. Go figure. I have no idea what that means, if anything. Could just be a change in labeling. But with that labeling weirdness and the lack of year... I'm a little worried. Okay, so onto the wine. The nose is sweet and fruity with a crispness to it as well. It's an average straw tone, not to light, not to dark. I picked up on some honeydew aromas with some lemon notes. I was intrigued. Unfortunately, it smells way better than it tastes. Not much going on in this glass of boredom. I can hardly detect any fruit in it at all. This might make a good wine for sangria (trying to stay positive here.) This wine says "blah-blah-blah" to me. I would not get it again, nor recommend it. As Gary V. would say- "poor effort."

I give this wine a 2 out of 5 stars.

$5 Twin Fin 2007 Pinot Grigio California Stater Bros.

This has a deeper yellow color to it than most Pinot Grigio. It has a lovely, fruity bouquet with loads of apples, pears and honeydew melon. The first sip tastes exactly as it smells, very fruit forward and slightly sweet and syrupy. This wine is mature and a little more succulent and robust than a younger, crisp Pinot Grigio, hence the deeper hue and slightly syrupy mouth-feel. Not bad at all though, very drinkable. I don't think anyone should hold onto this wine too long since it's already aged enough, so if you get some, drink it up! Cheers!

I give this wine a 4 out of 5 stars.

$4 Sutter Home 2009 Zinfandel California Stater Bros.

It smells of cola and chocolate with subtle undertones of cinnamon and spice. It tastes of berries and cocoa with a nuance of maraschino cherries. At first it is very bold with a sharp finish, but after my palate adjusts, it became slightly jammy with a long, lingering mild finish.

I give this wine a 5 out 5 stars.

$5 Barefoot Shiraz California Stater Bros.

I love a good Shiraz, so I was excited to try this one. The color is a nice, translucent red-burgundy color. It smells of damp grass, raspberry vinaigrette and ripe, red peppers. It has a bright raspberry flavor to it with a nice, long finish. After a few sips it starts to become a bit more fruity with almost a jammy quality coming through. The dry finish brings some pine and redwood with a slight touch of grassiness.

I give this wine a 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

$5 Barefoot Cabernet Sauvignon California Stater Bros.

I was excited to find this on sale this week for $5 (usually it's around $7... a bit pricey for my under-$5-budget.) There is no year on the label, except for a "best buy" award from Wine Enthusiast in 2008 talking about "Cabernet Blends."

The nose is fruity with a peppery (thinking green peppers here) quality. The palate is full and thick with flavors of spice and charcoal with a decently long finish. The fruit is a bit lost and not quite as "jammy" right off the bat as the label says. I aerated it with my Wine Soiree and it softened it enough to let some of fruitiness come out. I picked up some notes of blueberry and blackberry. Overall, pretty good stuff, I would buy it again.

I give this wine a 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

$4 Archeo 2007 Nero d'Avola Sicily Trader Joes

I absolutely loved the 2005 vintage of this wine, way back before I even had a wine blog. I went and bought a bunch of wine at Trader Joes a couple of weeks back and I was saving this one for last. It has a nice bottle too, so if someone did not frequent Trader Joes, then they might assume this is a more expensive bottle just by the look of it. Anyway, onto the tasting!

At first is smells of smoky, woodsy notes, more specifically, pine. But after letting it breathe after a hefty swirl, subtle cherry notes came through. The first sip is quite delicious, a bit hearty and grassy with subtle layers of eucalyptus and molasses. The finish is long with a touch of fruitiness. The more I tasted it, the more the fruitiness came out, without losing it's character.

Overall, this wine is an excellent price for the complexity and balance. I think if it was in a blind tasting, it would rival much more expensive wines.

I give this wine a 5 out of 5 stars.

$4 Abrazo Del Toro 2008 Garnacha Tempranillo Spain Trader Joes

After a horrible experience with the 2005 Abrazo I was really worried about what I would encounter in this bottle.

The nose is nicely smoky with a bit of meatiness. The first sip yields light blackberries with a bit of herbs and tobacco. The Garnacha softens the Tempranillo, perhaps a bit too much for those who like a bold Tempranillo. Dry, yet fruity, this wine is far cry from the '05 vintage but in a good way. I do think this wine is pretty much at it's peak, so I would drink it up now. No point in saving this bad boy.

I give this hearty wine a 4 out of 5 stars

$4 Rendez-Vous 2009 Beaujolais Nouveau France Trader Joes

This wine is a lovely jewel tone of reddish purple and is quite rich looking. It smells of subtle plums and cherries. The first few sips yield layers of black currant, black cherry and blackberry. It is also very peppery with heavy spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. This Beaujolais is medium-bodied with a very long, spicy finish. It is very nice indeed... I would definitely keep a bottle of this on hand.

I give this wine 4 out of 5 stars

$5 Redwood Creek 2009 Chardonnay California Stater Bros.

This one has a nice melon fragrance... but the taste gives way to extreme creaminess, bordering on buttery. Tons of pears, gala apples, bananas and maybe a touch of pineapple upside down cake. Very rich, fruity and creamy. If you like a succulent Chardonnay, this one's for you!

I give this wine a 4 out of 5 stars

$5 Now and Zen 2008 Alsace White France Trader Joes

Melon and citrus on the nose, with a bit of papaya. Upon sipping, it is a very well-rounded blend. There is a bit of just about everything in there... fruit, crisp flavor with a touch of sweetness. There is a bit of a Moscato-ish flavor with some flavors of Pinot Grigio too. This would be a great table wine, when you are serving a lot of different people with different tastes.

I give this wine a 4 out of 5 stars

For a more in-depth review of this wine, check out Jason's review at Jason's Wine Blog