$5 Barefoot Red Moscato California Vons

Moscato is the new buzzword of wine these days... usually said by wine newbies who "have just discovered the best wine ever!" It is also mentioned in a few rap songs such as "Do it Now" and the ever-popular "No Hands" which have helped drag Moscato into the spotlight. (And here's a fun fact, Moscato is not technically a "dessert wine" as so many of us think.)

So now to add to the Moscato lineup Barefoot recently introduced a RED Moscato. Yes, you read that right. Moscato is made from the muscat grape and is usually made into a sweet white wine, but this one is a red... well more like a really, really dark pink, but close enough.

I have to admit this wine smells delicious. It smells like fruit salad and I almost want to take a bite out of the glass. Melon, peaches, apples, pears and berries... I am in fruit heaven. (Can someone just bottle this smell, please?) Usually Moscato is heavy on the apples and pears, but this has some nice cherry hints which I'm sure are stemming from the red aspect of the wine.

The first sip is very much not like Moscato- in a good way. I find that regular Moscato can be too syrupy, (not unlike the syrup in a can of pears) but this one is so well-balanced with a nice little zip to it, that keeps it refreshingly sweet without being too heavy. Really it's more like a cross between a Moscato and a rosé. It's very well balanced and I would pick this over a regular Moscato any day of the week. Well done, Barefoot!

I give this 5 out of 5 stars

(Warning, as of this post, Barefoot Red Moscato may not be available everywhere since they just unveiled it a few days ago. But it should be everywhere pretty soon... so keep looking if you don't see it right away.

$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

$2 Quail Oak Merlot California Vons/Safeway

Bold and berries on the nose, with a light, yet vivid burgundy color. It is refreshing, bold and fruity on the palate with a medium finish. Not bad for two bucks. I would definitely get this again, however the year is not listed on the bottle... so this review might not pertain to this wine 6 months from now.

4 out of 5 stars

$3 Diablo Creek 2009 Pinot Grigio California Vons (Safeway)

Mmmm... smells yummy right off the bat. Light and crisp, a bit of citrus and some mango. The first sip is pretty decent, with some green apple and more citrus in the way of lemons and grapefruit. It has a consistently long finish, sip after sip and it seems like it's pretty close to being at it's peak. So buy a bottle, put a chill on it and enjoy it immediately. This is good one to bring to a summer barbecue to go along with the grilled chicken and chilled pasta salad. Yum!

I give this wine 4 out 5 stars.

$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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$5 Cabernet Sauvignon Meridian 2004 California Vons

This wine may be a little past it's prime. It smelled of maple and caramel and freshly cut grass. The fist taste was very much like soil... the kind you get in a bag to plant your flowers in. Then the next sip brought out flavors of German chocolate cake and over-ripe cherries. The finish was nice and long with low tannins and very high astringency. I've had better.

I give this wine 3 out of 5 stars.


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