$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

$7 Barefoot Sparkling Wine Pinot Grigio California Stater Bros.

After years of avoiding Dirt Cheap Champagne (technically- "Sparkling Wine") due to limited variety, I am glad it's becoming more popular to offer a reasonably priced bottle of bubbly. I picked up this bottle at my local grocery store and was pleased that the label was modern and easy to read. I usually don't buy anything over $5, but I guess if you're splurging on bubbly, a few extra bucks won't hurt.

I grabbed this one because I have been on a Pinot Grigio binge over the summer, and thought this would be a good way to say goodbye to the refreshing varietal in exchange for the red wines I enjoy in autumn. But I think I may be in trouble since this bubbly is downright delicious! It was lacking that sharp, garish flavor that many budget bubbly's have and it did indeed taste of Pinot Grigio. It was nice to know the varietal before purchasing so that I could anticipate what I was getting.

This sparkling wine is a good in-between bubbly. Not too sweet, not to dry. (Unless of course you have an obsession with super brut sparklers in which case, it might be a tad sweet.)

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

$5 Barefoot Wine Pinot Grigio California CVS

Summer is coming to an end and so is my love affair with Pinot Grigio. It has kept me refreshed in the summer heat, but as the weather cools, I will turn back to reds for their boldness and warmth. Okay, enough poetic crap- onto the tasting!

It's a very light straw color, in low light it could almost pass for water. It has a tight nose with a quick blink of pears and a fleeting moment of lavender. A few more sniffs reveal some ripe pineapple and subtle notes of honey.

Upon the first sip I get some quiet woodsy notes, with a touch of ripe, yellow pears. It has a very slight effervescence which keeps it very light and refreshing. Overall, not terribly complex or overly fruity but a nice drinkable wine.

I give this wine a 4 out of 5 stars

Dirt Cheap Champagne Review brought to you by~ Cara Alwill of "The Champagne Diet"

Do you have Veuve Clicquot taste on a Franzia budget? Love the taste of sparkling wine but afraid that you can't enjoy it unless you spend hundreds of dollars on a vintage bottle of Dom Perignon? Have no fear, affordable Champagnes are here!

When Chelsie asked me to do a piece of "dirt cheap Champagnes" I knew my first job would be clarifying exactly what I'd be reviewing. We all know that true Champagne is only produced in the Champagne region of France. Because of its scarcity, "real" Champagne is typically expensive. The cheapest bottle of Champagne one could ever really get would be probably retail anywhere between $50 and $70. But sparkling wines have the same effervescent quality as Champagnes do, and they are much more budget-friendly.

Here are some great sparkling wine choices under $10

Andre Extra Dry - $4.99
By itself, Andre is not wonderful. Perhaps it’s because before trying it, the only reviews I could find online described it as “the perfect Champagne for college kids on a budget.” I was immediately turned off, and after trying it myself, I had to agree that this is not my favorite. It’s way too sweet and just not enjoyable. But throw in some Cipriani Bellini mix, or some orange juice, and you’ve got yourself a winner. Would I have this with my favorite brunch meal on the weekend? Probably not, but at just about 5 bucks a bottle, you really can’t go wrong when serving “Champagne cocktails” at a party or a brunch to the masses.

Cristalino Brut Cava - $8.99
I stumbled upon Cristalino Brut by accident. It was given to a coworker as a gift from a high-end client. Without seeing a price tag, I assumed this was an expensive Champagne. After falling in love with it, I went to price it in my local liquor store. I was shocked to find how inexpensive this Cava was. Cristalino Brut is an excellent choice for when you want to drink bubbly straight up. It’s crisp and light bodied, with a hint of fruit behind it – but not overbearing. There is definitely an apple taste to it, but don’t be misled – this is a very dry sparkling wine. My favorite out of all the “cheap Champagnes” out there.

Cava Codorniu Brut – $8.99
Another fabulous choice when you’re looking for a sparkling wine under $10 to drink by itself. This is filled with floral and citrus notes, and goes down easy. It’s smooth yet full bodied. This is one of the more complex sparkling wines I’ve tasted in this price range. The best part about it is that it comes in splits for $3.49 a “pop!” Can’t beat that.

~By Cara Alwill of The Champagne Diet

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.

$3 Forestville 2007 Gewurstraminer California CVS

CVS carries a really big selection of wine- who knew? And with their awesome sale prices, I might be shopping there for wine more often. Okay, so moving on to the wine itself.

It's a nice, light straw color, usual for a Gewurstraminer. It has a peppery nose with subtle pear and lemongrass notes. The first sip is surprisingly crisp and lightly sweet. It is nicely balanced and tastes of pears canned in light syrup (not in a bad way- don't get me wrong) and lemon zest. After a few sips, the sweetness became more evident. This wine would be great for wine newbies, and it would make a great dessert wine to serve with some cheesecake.

I give this Gewurstraminer 4 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