Budget Bubbles for NYE — 2 Usual Suspects & 1 Ringer

OK, New Year’s Eve is coming. It’s inevitable. Tradition demands something bubbly to toast with at midnight. But what to get? There are a lot of fancy foil-wrapped, wire-caged bottles out there, and DAMN some of them are really expensive! Me, I’ll be drinking French. Champagne, the real deal. My house bubbly is Nicholas Feuillatte Brut. What if you don’t have a “house bubbly?” (You really should, you know.) And what if you don’t want to pop for around $30 a bottle for the French stuff? I gotcha covered. Here are three California sparklers that will fit the bill for $15 and under. All are Non Vintage Bruts that come from a specific area, not generic Californians.

The wines:

Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut NV, $14.99 @ Trader Joe’s

Piper Sonoma Select Cuvée Brut NV, $12.99 @ Trader Joe’s

Trader Joe’s Reserve North Coast Brut NV, $9.99 @ Trader Joe’s

  

Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut NV — 12.5% Alc —  $14.99 @ Trader Joe’s

COLOR — Medium gold, with a good head of mousse and medium-vigorous bubbles. Some are a bit big, while others are nice and fine.

NOSE — Nice green apples, bread dough and a bit of something like Bosch pear skin.

TASTE — Granny Smith apples, Bosch pears a touch of almond and bread.

FINISH — Bright and zippy that turns a bit creamy. Medium bodied with a persistent taste of apples and dough.

RATE —  4 Stars. This sparkler always delivers a very nice glass of bubbles. I liked it better back when it was $9.99. I think this wine gets forgotten. The most elegant and “French” of all three.

Piper Sonoma Select Cuvée Brut NV — 13.5% Alc — $12.99 @ Trader Joe’s

COLOR — Pale gold, not much mousse, and sparse, medium-size bubbles

NOSE — Floral Bread dough with red pears & apples and a bit of white peach.

TASTE — Medium rich with slightly creamy red pears, apples and a light touch of yeast.

FINISH — Medium length, with creamy acidity, tasting of red apples.

RATE — 3.5 Stars. The 13.5% Alc shows in the wine’s richness. It’s less “French”, but still has some finesse. At $12.99, this is a really good buy.

Trader Joe’s Reserve North Coast Brut NV  — 12.5% Alc — $9.99 @ Trader Joe’s

COLOR — Pale to medium gold, little mousse, and lazy, medium-sized bubbles

NOSE — Golden Delicious apples with slight bread dough

TASTE — Creamy apples and Bartlett pears, with a touch of fruit skin

FINISH — Creamy medium bodied, with light acidity and medium length. Nothing green or ugly. Would like more verve on the finish.

RATE — 3 Stars. While it doesn’t have the great bubbles and head of the Gloria, this sparkler has a richness and depth to its fruit that makes it really appealing. But, there’s something thick and clumsy about it that lands it in third to the others. Still it’s ridiculously good at $9.99!!

I’ll tell you right now, you stock your NYE party with any of these sparklers, and your guests will be happy! They beat the absolute shit out of Korbel, Cooks, Frexinet and Andre. In fact, with this trio on the shelves, there’s no reason not to serve decent bubbly, no matter how big your NYE bash is. Pop a few of these, and you may find your guests drinking bubbly all night, not just at 12am.

If you’re willing to spend a bit more, here are some wines I’d rate higher than the tasting trio: Scharffenberger, Shramsburg  Roderer Estate (in France they make Crystal) and Iron Horse — all priced somewhere from $16 to just under $30.

Cheers!

Trader Joe’s does it again, with a White Burgundy for just $8.99!

One look at the label in the picture, and you’re probably asking yourself, “What the heck is a Blason de Bourgogne?” Tell ya the truth, I didn’t really know myself. But after a bit of web searching, I can tell you they’re marketing house that more or less takes wines from co-ops in France’s famed Burgundy wine region, and brings them to market. These aren’t the great wines of Burgundy by any means, but value-priced bottles. WARNING: wine facts coming. If you don’t know, Burgundy is home to France’s often amazing Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. A Red Burgundy is a Pinot, and a White Burgundy is Chardonnay. There that wasn’t so bad, now was it.

But so what, let’s get to the vino in question — 2009 Blason de Bourgogne Montagny 1er Cur. Shoot, maybe I should explain that one a bit. You know what 2009 means, but “Montagny” referes to the village in Burgundy where the grapes were grown. It’s one of the lesser villages, not a superstar like, say Gevrey Chambertin. “1er Cru” (pronounced Premier Cru) tells us what rank of vineyard the grapes came from. “1er Cru” is one down from the best, “Grand Cru.” The fact that we don’t see a specific vineyard name means the wine is a blend of 1er Cru vineyards. Still, a 1er Cru White Burg for $8.99 is unheard of.

To be honest, this wine doesn’t have the concentration, depth or power of a 1er Cru wine. That’s why it’s at TJ’s, for just $8.99. But it’s far from bad. In fact it’s a very pretty, medium-bodied “little wine.” Perfect for serving at holiday parties or dinners. On the nose, I get peaches/nectarines, peach skin, a bit of wet stone and this nice white flower note. Maybe Honeysuckle. In the mouth, it’s more of the same, with a light acidity, and not one bit of oak. Read NO VANILLA OR BUTTERSCOTCH. Pure fruit. And boy does it drink easy. But don’t serve it too cold. I found it was best after it had warmed up a bit, and opened up more.

If you can find a better $8.99 Chardonnay, buy it! Yeah, good luck with that.

Cheers!

I've heard that before — curing the non-wine lovers among us.

Every time I hear this, I take it as a personal challenge, “Oh, I don’t really like wine.” Them’s fightin’ words! Easy killer, take a breath and count to ten. Then I reply, “Really, what have you had?” Smiling, of course. “You know, some reds, some whites. I just didn’t like any of them.” Obviously, something needs to be done. I simply can’t let that stand, so I reach for a bottle. I yank out the cork, pour the liquid goodness into the right glass, pass it across the counter, and say, “Try that.” Wait for it!! Then comes the look of Oh My Gawd, and another soul has been saved.

Naturally, when a friend, Patricia, asked me to recommend some wines to cure somebody she knows that “doesn’t like wine,” I knew I had to help her out. Here are a few fairly common and inexpensive vinos that should change the mind of any wine doubter.

REDS

2007 Castello d’Albola Chianti Classico — $12.99 at Cost Plus and Total Wine (Las Vegas) This is a very juicy, medium bodied red that’s soft and easy drinking. No hard tannins, just lovely strawberry & red berry fruit, with hints of sandelwood and flowers.

2008 Saintsbury Garnet Carneros Pinot Noir — $15.99 at Total Wine (LV) Don’t let the screw top bug you, this is really good. Another medium bodied, juicy wine with bright finish, not a tannic one. Juicy red berries and strawberry with a spice and a touch of rosepettals. Great wit salmon & roasted chicken.

2008 Trader Joe’s Reserve Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon — $9.99 at Trader Joe’s (LV) I’ve touted this wine before, and I’m doing it again. This way over performs its price, with medium to full bodied red currents, cherry fruit and hints of dusty sage and black olives and mocha. There are some tannins, but this is real easy drinking cabernet.

2006 Franciscan Napa Valley Merlot — $15.99 at Total Wine (LV) This is a Merlot even the guy from Sideways would happily drink. This is a med-full bodied red full of deep cherries, mocha, dusty sage and a touch of vanilla. The finish is soft, but the wine has enough flavor to stand up to steak, without the heavy tannic finish. This would be my ace in the hole out of this list.

WHITES

When it comes to whites, I tend to use Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand. They’re so zippy and fresh, with great mouth-watering flavors of grapefruit, gooseberries, citrus and a touch of fresh-cut grass and minerals. Some of my favorites are Nobilo, Oyster Bay, Cloudy Bay, Kim Crawford, Starborough and Giesen. These wines are awesome with smoked salmon, goat cheese and anything shellfish.

However, should you really want to serve a chardonnay, there are a few you can go to.

Cambria Katherine’s Vineyard — $13.97 @ Total Wine (LV) This is a Santa Barbara County wine it’s gotten a bit too oaky for my tastes. But it’s also got lots of ripe pit fruit flavors, like peaches with pineapple notes. Soft and rich.

Martin Ray Russian River Valley Unoaked — $14.99 @ Total Wine (LV) This one is more to MY liking. No oak influence at all. Nice white peaches, nectarines and plum skin, with a bit of minerality. French in style. Never mind the screwcap.

Jordan Russian River — $15.97 @ Total Wine (LV) This is a well-rounded chrad, with a big famous name. They’ve backed way off the oak from years past (when I would pour it out), to give us a rich peach and meyer lemon and mineral centered wine.

Chateau St. Jean Sonoma County — $9.99 @ Total Wine (LV) A fine go-to CA chard with pit fruits, lemon crème, hazelnut and touches of vanilla (from light oak) and acidic verve. If it doesn’t convert the non-believer, it just might become your budget fave.

Now for a ringer, from France…

Bougrier Vouvray — $9.99 @ Total Wine (LV) The grape is Chenin Blanc, something used to make crap in the US (with a few notable exceptions), but In France it makes serious stuff. This one is slightly sweet and has a sparkly feel in the mouth, but no actual bubbles. Candied lemon and citrus, with a touch of minerals and a nice zippiness, too. I served this at a tasting, and people went nuts for it, even me!

Cheers,

Cracking the Code — What you can learn from wine labels & shelf talkers. Part 1.

We’ve all seen them, in the wine isles or supermarkets and wine stores. Shelf talkers and tags with lots of adjectives and exclamation points. Attractive bottle labels with dates, names and logos. But what the hell do they all mean?

Well, there's plenty you can figure out, by reading between the flowery lines. Let’s start with the talkers and tags. They can be the biggest load of bullshit, but they can be deciphered. First off, make sure the name and vintage on the talker matches the bottle it’s posted near. You’d be surprised how often these are wrong. Vintages change, but the talker from the last vintage is left up, or worse a different wine from the same winery gets put in the space, but the talker remains the same.

Now, let’s get into the lingo. First off, forget the scores. They’re just an indication somebody liked the wine, but it’s the tasting notes that tell you why. Those notes also tell you a bit about what’s in the bottle. Words like “buttery,” “creamy,” and “vanilla” can mean the wine’s had a  big oak treatment. And if the wine is really cheap, it can mean the wine didn’t see actual oak barrels, but had bags of oak chips sunk into it, while it sat in steel tanks. If that sounds dishonest, it is. Words like “racy,” “vibrant,” “bracing,’ and “clean” can tell you the wine has zippy acidity. Just what I look for in Sauvignon Blancs. “Tannic,” “structured,” “old world,” and “firm” can mean a red wine made in the old-school, lower-alcohol way, that needs time to come around. Wines like these aren’t big, fruity friendly wines that drink well young. Conversely, the words “big,” “soft,” “ripe,” “rich,” “friendly,” “forward,” “new world” usually refer to reds that are bigger in alcohol, lower in tannins made for drinking now.

So, what about the labels on the bottles? I’ll use the front label of a recent fave for example: Franciscan Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 Alc 13.5% by volume (in very small print). Pretty simple huh? Yes, and no. Let’s decode it. “Franciscan Estate” is the winery. “Napa Valley,” means no less than 75% of the grapes came from California’s Napa Valley, but they can come from different vineyards. A wine with a “California” designation can come from anywhere in the state. A wine with a vineyard designation like “Stagecoach Vineyard,” or “Estate Vineyard,” means 95% of the grapes came from that one vineyard. “Cabernet Sauvignon” means no less than 75% of the grapes in the wine are Cabernet Sauvignon, but that 25% can be anything else. Often Merlot or Cabernet Franc, but can be Zinfandel, Syrah, or others. “2007,” means no less than 95% of the wine came from the 2007 vintage. But that’s not all, it also means the grapes were harvested in 2007, not that the wine was bottled in 2007. The wine could have been barrel aged as long as 24 months before bottling. Most wineries will brag about extended aging on the back label. “Alc. 13.5% by volume,” tells you a lot. First, it’s a lower number, so the wine is more old-school, tannic and less ripe. It will taste more like where it was grown than a wine with a higher number. It's not a juicy, fruity wine. In whites a lower Alc % means higher acidity, and less super-ripe fruit.

Whew! That’s a whole helluva lot, isn’t it? And guess what, there’s more. This post has run on long enough. I’ll do a Part 2 later. But now you can find a bit of the truth locked in the shelf tags and labels of the next wine you look at.

Cheers,

California Sparkling wine for $9.99 at Trader Joe’s, and you drink it!

OK, so on my Facebook page I teased the question, “Can a CA sparkling wine from Trader Joe’s for $9.99 really be worth a damn?” Well, I happy to report the answer is, “YES!” I’m talking about the Non-vintage Trader Joe’s Reserve Brut North Coast Sparkling Wine. And yes, it’s only $9.99.

So why in the world would I try a bottle of bubbly from TJ’s? There were hints that it might be good on the label. First hint “North Coast.” There are more than a few nice sparklers that come from CA’s cool North Coast. It’s a good climate for bubbly. Second hint, the Alcohol level was only 12.5%, juts what most Champagnes come in at. Third and final hint, it’s a mix of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir. Add all those up, and it was worth rolling the dice at $9.99.

So what’s it taste like? Red delicious apples and pears, with a touch of bread dough and maybe something minerally. It has enough acid to make it bright on your tongue, but there’s also a nice creaminess to it. And the bubbles are vigorous, and fairly fine (a good sign for bubbly).

Look, I’m not saying this’ll remind you of the French stuff because it won’t. It’s not complex or deep enough. But for $9.99 who the hell cares? This is like when Gloria Ferrer’s nice Sonoma Brut used to be only $9.99 at Cost Plus. Good bubbles you can crack on a Tuesday, just because. Run out and get you some, but leave a few for me.

Cheers!

Thanksgiving, a real turkey of a meal for wine pairing.

I’ve been asked time after time, “What’s a good wine for Thanksgiving?” When Alison (the muse for this blog thing) asked me again, I decided it was the perfect subject for a Vinerant.

You may be surprised to learn that my go-to vino for turkey day is an old Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, something over five years old, or a good Napa Valley Merlot. Yes, I said it — Merlot. Because our traditional roast turkey is easily rich enough to stand up to Cabernet, or the softer Merlot. The real problem for wine matching is all those damned side dishes. Candied yams! Give me a break. Those sides run the lighter whites right off the table. It takes a rich, big wine to prevail.

That said, you may run into those guests at your table that insist on a white wine. So I’ll list some good bets, but I’ll be focusing on reds. After all, it’s my blog, so my rules. That said, to answer Alison’s request, all the wines mentioned can be had at Total Wine, or Trader Joe’s. Plus, all are well under $20. Of course, these wines won’t be aged much. If they were, they’d cost more.

To cut to the choice, here are my top choices. Then you can go through my notes. Or not. Up top you.

#1 Franciscan Napa Valley Merlot 2006 — 13.5% Alc $15.99 Total Wine & CostCo

#2 Franciscan Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon  2007— 13.5% Alc $16.99 @ Costco & Total Wine

#3 Trader Joe’s Reserve Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon  2008 — 13.7% Alc $9.99

FIRST OFF, WINES TASTED 11/12 — 11/13.

Three Knights Los Carneros Pinot Noir 2009 — 13.5% Alc $7.99 Trader Joe’s

COLOR — Bright ruby red, very light at the edges. Light in color over all, not a dark red. NOSE — Cherry cola, a touch of strawberry with a touch of musty mushroom, and maybe a bit of barnyard.                                                                                                                                    TASTE — Nice candied red cherry fruit & a touch of cola and vanilla. Slightly unripe strawberry. Not much earth.                                                                                                              FINISH — Medium bodied, with good bright acid, medium in length, and nothing green. Vanilla from oak covers the fruit.                                                                                                  RATE — 3 Stars. While lighter in body, this is a pretty typical Carneros Pinot — for just $7.99. Decent Pinot, from a real place (not basic CA) at that price is tough to get.

Sebastpol Hills Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2010 — 14.5% Alc $9.99 Trader Joe’s

COLOR — Bright & clear ruby red to the edges. Medium depth.

NOSE — Red cherries and berries. Not a gushing nose. A touch of mushroom. Not really complex.

TASTE — Nice red cherries and berry fruit with balanced acidity. Some vanilla from oak. No sign of the 14.5 % Alc.

FINISH — Medium bodied, with a medium length. Slightly mouthwatering.

RATE —3.5 Stars. I think this is better than the Three Knights. Not a very complex wine, but tastes like the cooler Sonoma Coast and pretty decent Pinot for $9.99. I’d pick this to stand up to Thanksgiving fare better than the Three Knights.

Franciscan Napa Valley Merlot 2006 — 13.5% Alc $15.99 Total Wine & CostCo

COLOR — Deep garnet red, all the way to the edge.

NOSE — Big nose of dusty cherries with notes of sage and mocha. Nice.

TASTE — Mouthfilling sweet cherries with touches of mocha, vanilla with dusty tannins.

FINISH —Medium to full bodied, with some tannins. Cherries and mocha, with good length.

RATE —4.5 Stars. This is what Napa Merlot can & should be. Tastes like Oakville, with dusty sage notes. Great quality for under $16. Had trouble spitting this out. Wine of the night. You & your guests will love this! A perfect wine if you want the words “Napa Valley” on the table.

Trader Joe’s Reserve Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon  2008 — 13.7% Alc $9.99

COLOR — Deep garnet red, to the edges.

NOSE — Red currents and black cherries with notes of pencil lead & black olive. Nice.

TASTE — Mouthfilling red currents, cherries, with same hint of black olives & some mocha.

FINISH — Full bodied, currents, olives and pencil lead, with some velvety tannins. But not a mouth-drying finish.

RATE —4 Stars. Still love this. I wouldn’t age this much. A wine for now. To me the best of the TJ’s Reserve Cabs.

Trader Joe’s Reserve Mendocino County Cabernet Sauvignon  2009 — 13.9% Alc $9.99

COLOR — Deep purple-garnet out to the edges. A young color.

NOSE — Dill and tart red cherry, something like stones in the background. Needs air.

TASTE — Bright red berries and cherries. No hint of the green dill from the nose. Sweet on entry, maybe a bit of vanilla and menthol. Tastes like it’s from a cooler climate, which Mendocino County is. This deepend and got better with an hour of air. Changed to blueberries, blackberries & mocha.

FINISH —Medium bodied, with some drying tannins at the end. Good length.

RATE —3.5 Stars. This is a young Cabernet that’s drinking well now, and may not go anywhere with time. Still not a bad value in today’s CA Cabernet world. Got better with an hour of air.

Trader Joe’s Reserve Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 — 14.7% Alc $9.99

COLOR — Deep garnet red to the edges.

NOSE — Red cherries a touch of black berries, vanilla and menthol.

TASTE — Sweet black cherry with some vanilla. Very round and ripe, but not hot from Alc.

FINISH —Soft vanilla & fruit. Not complex. A touch of tannins.

RATE —3 Stars. This is round and ripe, for those that like softer, easy-drinking wines. Not an ager. Nothing wrong with this, just not my style. But fine value in CA Cabernet. Let this breathe for 45 minutes.

REDS TASTED EARLIER:

2007 Franciscan Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon — 13.5% Alc $16.99 @ Costco & Total Wine

COLOR — Deep garnet red all they way to the edge, Deep, opaque

NOSE — Red currents, red cherries, dusty sage and something meaty.

TASTE — Currents & cassis, tart cherries, sage and dust. Full body

FINISH — Long & deep red fruit with serious dusty tannins. Sticks your lips to your teeth. Full bodied. OLD SCHOOL!

RATE — 4 Stars. This is everything I personally want form a Napa Cab. Kills wines twice its price, for me. Needs time, like five years. I’ve bought 10 so far. A perfect wine if you want the words “Napa Valley” on the table.

2008 Beaulieu Vineyards Rutherford Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon — 14.5% Alc $15.99 @ Costco Also at Total Wine

COLOR — Deep garnet red. Opaque all the way to the edges.

NOSE — This one changed with air. At first it smelled of the dusty currents I expect from Rutherford Cabs, but later changed to red cherries and eyucliptis, with a hit of vanilla.

TASTE — Red cherries, mocha and a good touch of minty-vanilla.

FINISH — Lush red cherry fruit, vanilla and some soft & dusty tannins. Medium-full bodied.

RATE — 3.5 Stars. I used to LOVE this wine in the early 90s, when it was $10.99 & 13% Alc. But winemakers change, and so do fashions. I can’t help but like this wine, but it isn’t a classic Rutherford Cab, like it should be. Still, if you’re not into the harder, old-school Napa Cabs like I am, you may LOVE this wine! I think it will age well for 3 years.

OLD STAND BYS, NOT TASTED  FOR THIS BLOG

Saitnsbury Garnet Carneros Pinot Noir — 13.5% Alc $15.49 @ Total Wine                       Don’t let the screw top bother you. This wine is better than the pinots mentioned in the tasting notes. I have the 2008 in my cellar.       

Acacia Carneros Pinot Noir

This is one of the prototypes for Carneros Pinot. Great Cherries and cola with mushroom and earth. Nice acid. Hard to go wrong here.

Cambria Santa Maria Julie’s Vineyard Pinot Noir                                                                     One of the top values in pinot from Santa Barbara County year after year. A little gutsier than the Carneros pinots mentioned, with more earth, but can easily stand up to Turkey, etc.

WHITES FOR THOSE WHO MUST

 When it comes to Thanksgiving, I’d stick with Chardonnay. I’ve tried other whites, and they don’t really have the stuffing to hold up to the rich foods of the season. (yeah, I couldn’t leave the “stuffing” pun alone) But I’m not into the big oaky, butter bombs many CA chards have become. Here’s a list of fruit- & vineyard-driven Chardonnays I think do the job.

Jordan Russian River Chardonnay — 13.5% Alc $15.97 @ Total Wine

I used to hate this wine, but Jordan dialed way back on the oak, and created a nice fruit driven wine. Rich, pit fruits of white peaches and nectarines, with hints of Myer lemons, minerals and some good acidity.

Acacia Carneros Chardonnay — $14.97 @ Total Wine

This is an always nice Carneros Chard. Not an oak bomb, with some acid, focuses on pit fruits, like white peaches and nectarines.

Martin Ray Russian River Unoaked Chardonnay — $14.99 @ Total Wine

I like this a bunch! Real Russian River wine. Nose of tropical fruits, but balanced pit fruits and acid in the mouth. Don’t fear the screwtop. This will play with Tgiving faves.

Cambria Santa Maria Katherine’s Vineyard — $13.97 @ Total Wine

A dependable Chrad from Santa Barbara. Not a lot of oak, enough acid to work with the rich turkey. I haven’t bought this in a while, but tasted not long ago and it never sucks.

An Open Letter To The Greedheads Of France’s Bordeaux Region.

Dear Bordeaux, you’re dead to me.

Seriously, where to do you get off charging the usurious prices you’re asking for your 2009 vintage? Sure, I’ve noticed Parker and Suckling are jizzing themselves over the wines, but haven’t you noticed where the world economy is in 2011? Do you really expect to have any sort of place in the lives of regular wine lovers? Well let me tell you, this wine lover is telling you to fuck right off! (sorry about the F-bomb, there.)

I just got an email from one of my favorite San Francisco wine stores, and the prices they’re asking for pre-release purchases (which are always cheaper than when the wines actually hit the shelves) are shocking. Take a gander at these:

Léoville Barton $99.99 a bottle! Pichon-Baron $139.99. Canon $139.99 and I’ve never even heard of it! And they don’t stop there. $189.99, $249.99 all they way to $899.99 A FREAKING BOTTLE! Sure, it’s for the top-flight La Misson Haut-Brion, but I can get CASES of top-flight 2006 Brunello di Montalcino (one of Italy’s grand wines) for the cost of one bottle. And 2006 is a killer year for Brunello. Hell, I could completely restock my cellar with damn fine vino for that one bottle.

So that’s it! I’m done. Cutting those bastards off, right here and now. When I’ve finished my last bottle of Bordeaux, I will not buy another, until some sort of sanity come over them. I hope they suffer a horrific market crash, locust and raging fires all in one year.

OK, I feel better now.

Cheers!

Value Reds for the coming Winter — 2 CA Cabs & 2 Unusual Suspects

I don’t know about your house, but it’s getting colder in Vegas. And that means red wine season is coming. Typically, that means more dough-ray-me than vino-blanco season. But it doesn’t there aren’t great tasting values our there, in red town. Here are four, or maybe five, fine suggestions. Don’t worry, they won’t be the last.

The wines:

2007 Franciscan Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, $16.99 @ Costco

2008 Beaulieu Vineyards Rutherford Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, $15.99 @ Costco

2007 E. Guigal Cotes du Rhone, $10.99 @ Total Wine

2008 La Carraia Sangiovese, $9.99 @ Costco

 2007 Franciscan Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, $16.99 @ Costco

COLOR — Deep garnet red all they way to the edge, Deep, opaque

NOSE — Red currents, red cherries, dusty sage and something meaty.

TASTE — Currents & cassis, tart cherries, sage and dust. Full body

FINISH — Long & deep red fruit with serious dusty tannins. Sticks your lips to your teeth. Full bodied. OLD SCHOOL!

RATE — 4 Stars. This is everything I personally want form a Napa Cab. Kills wines twice its price, for me. Needs time, like five years. I’ve bought 10 so far.

2008 Beaulieu Vineyards Rutherford Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon — 14.5% Alc $15.99 @ Costco

COLOR — Deep garnet red. Opaque all the way to the edges.

NOSE — This one changed with air. At first I smelled of the dusty currents I expect from Rutherford Cabs, but later changed to red cherries and eyucliptis, with a hit of vanilla.

TASTE — Red cherries, mocha and a good touch of minty-vanilla.

FINISH — Lush red cherry fruit, vanilla and some soft & dusty tannins. Medium-full bodied.

RATE — 3.5 Stars. I used to LOVE this wine in the early 90s, when it was $10.99 & 13% Alc. But winemakers change, and so do fashions. I can’t help but like this wine, but it isn’t a classic Rutherford Cab, like it should be. Still, if you’re not into the harder, old-school Napa Cabs like I am, you may LOVE this wine! I think it will age well for 3 years.

2007 E. Guigal Cotes du Rhone Red — 14.5% Alc $10.99 (or less)

COLOR — Deep purple. Opaque all the way to the edges.

NOSE — Liquid black licorice with pepper, soy sauce, ginger, figs and brush

TASTE — Dark red figs, plums and figs with complex  bits of ginger, soy sauce, pepper, underbrush, minerals & kirsch.

FINISH — Long, deep, dark & complex. Plenty of tannins.

RATE — 4 Stars. This is the best Guigal Cotes du Rhone I’ve ever had, and I’ve loved this wine for years! Drinks with wines twice its price. This can age for 5 years, easy.

2008 La Carraia Sangiovese — 13% Alc. $9.99 @ Costco

COLOR — Deep garnet with a touch of purple. Medium opaque.

NOSE — Crushed strawberries with menthol and herbs.

TASTE — Bright strawberry & red berry fruit, with herbal menthol undertones. No earth. Not much Oak.

FINISH — Juicy finish, with a touch of menthol. Med-Light bodied. No oak or Alc heat.

RATE — 3 Stars. This wine is from Umbria, in southern Italy. The best wines from Sangiovese are from Tuscany, like Il Tarocco Chianti Classico — $9.00 @ Trader Joe’s. But it’s an lovely drinking introduction to the grape, and at the price, you owe it to yourself to try a bottle.

Slightly lubed-up thoughts:

Of the two Napa Cabs, I’ll go with the Franciscan, but I have a VERY old-school palette. The 2008 BV Rutherford is not bad in any way. It’s not what I remember it to be, but so what? It’s still quite nice, and may really hit the mark for those looking for softer cabs. Plenty to like about it, for sure. Especially at the price. That said, I’m buying the 2007 Franciscan Napa for my cellar.

The 2007 Guigal is genius! The best Cotes du Rhones they’ve ever made. And I’ve bought that wine for years. So much wine for the price. I’ll be buying some to age.

Lastly, let’s talk about the 2008 La Carraia Sangiovese Umbria. I’m reasonably sure you’ll like this wine. I would be hard not to. It’s got a medium juicy body that’ll pair well with everything from salmon and tuna, to stew to roasted chicken and pork chops. A nice way to begin to learn about Sangiovese. Not as complex as a Chianti, or Brunello. But a good entry point to one of my favorite grapes. For the money, you cannot go wrong.

Cheers!

How to make a temperature-controlled wine cellar, on the cheap.

Odds are, you don’t have an expensive, temp-controlled wine cabinet, and don’t really need one. But you wouldn’t mind having decent wine storage, so you could keep a few special bottles. Maybe you’ve looked at some of those smaller cellar units in Lowes, Home Depot or Costco, but they were still more than you could rationalize spending. No sweat, I’ve got the hot tip for keeping your wine properly cool.

If you’re like a lot of people, you’ve got an old fridge in your garage. But it’s really too cold to let wines age. (In case you didn’t know, wines age best at 57F. Typical fridge temps actually put wine into a sort of suspended animation.) Here’s the good news: There’s a gizmo out there that’ll make your old fridge stay at 57F 24/7/365. That’s exactly how I started, all those years ago.

First off, I don’t know the folks that make these gizmos. Nor do I get any sort of compensation from any of them. Clear? Good, we’ll go on. But the things do work. Years ago I bought one called The Cellar Steward. (I’ve since given it to a buddy, and it’s still doing the job.) I couldn’t find it on the web, so they may be out of business. However there is one called the Winestat (wine + Thermostat. Clever, huh.) On their web site, they’re selling the base model for $149. I’m betting you can find one on Ebay for less, but that’s just me.

Anyway, these thingies work by controlling the temp the fridge stays at. Basically, they’re a box with a temp sensor on a wire out one end, and an electrical socket on the other. You put the temp sensor in the fridge, shut the door, plug the fridge into the box, plug the box into the wall, and that’s it. OBVIOUSLY, you should follow the directions your gizmo comes with, but that’s how simple it’s gonna be.

Now, you just have to figure out how you wanna stack your bottles. You can buy ready-made racks, use shipping tubes, or cut down PVC pipes. Or do what I did, and just use the fridge’s shelves (reinforced for the weight, of course). No matter what you do, always be careful how you open the wine fridge. And never put the fridge where it gets direct sun. That’s it, you’ve got your very own wine cellar!

Now all you have to do is fill it. But that’s the fun part!

Cheers!

On the fence about a TJ’s Syrah

OK, so I haven’t posted any thing in a while. I have tasted something recently, but I’ve been going back ad forth about whether I liked it enough to recommend, or not. My final decision is this, I’ll give you my thoughts and let you decide to try it, or skip it. The vino in question is a 2009 Trader Joe’s Reserve Mendocino County Syrah, for only $9.99 (here in Vegas, anyway).

Three things made me feel compelled to try this one out. First, decent Syrah is hard to find for less than a ten-spot. Most of it is cheap Aussie junk, with a cutesy name, like Kuala’s Bum. And that’s what it usually tastes like. Second, Mendocino has a clod climate, which is what you want for a Syrah to have a more elegant structure. This one is listed at 13.9% Alc, which is right in the range I’m looking for. Thirdly, TJ’s hit such a home rum with their Reserve Alexander Valley Cab, that I thought, “What the Hell, maybe they got two in a row.”

So how was it already? The color was a young purple. On the nose, it had blueberry & blackberry fruit, with a touch of pepper and underbrush. Not a bad start. In the mouth, it had a medium body, with blueberry & blackberry fruit, a bit of spice, and some decent acidity. But it lacked the same kind of depth and length to the finish that made the Alex Valley Cab so great. The Syrah didn’t suck by any means, but I wasn’t knocked out by it either. Maybe because it’s just a bit young, and needs time to come around. But that doesn’t help here and now.

My final verdict is this, for a $9.99 Syrah, it’s worth a try. It is from a specific place, not just a generic “California” blend. In the world of budget Syrah, that’s a rare thing. So, if you’re nuts about Syrah, roll the dice. You may like what you get. Me, I think I’ll keep looking.

Cheers!

BYOB without looking like a dumb SOB

You may or may not already know this, but it is perfectly fine to bring your own bottle of wine to most nice restaurants. However there are a few Dos and Don’ts.

First off, with very few right-thinking exceptions, the restaurant will charge you to open your bottle. It’s called a “Corkage Fee,” and some are higher than others. Stupidly higher, in some cases. Here in Vegas, the range seems to be something between $35 to $50. Although I have seen as low as $15, in a few smarter places. Many eateries will waive the fee if you buy a bottle of their list, too.

Second, almost no restaurant will open your bottle if they already have it on their wine list. OK, that just plain makes sense. That would be like bringing your own steak for them to cook when they sell steaks. So check ahead of time, before you cruise in with a bottle they won’t touch.

So there you are, at the table with your prize wine. Here’s what should happen next. If the joint has a Sommelier, he/she will come over and either whisk the bottle away, or open it right there. Many will taste the wine. Hey, it’s their job, and traditional right. Don’t bitch, you’ll look like an ignorant dip. If the wine’s alright, they’ll pour a taste for you (just like with a bottle you’ve bought). If they don’t taste it, they’ll pour you a taste. By the way, if the bottle’s a young , big wine, or older, red wine, the Somm is likely to decant it. If it’s a white, the Somm will ask if you’d like an ice bucket. If the place doesn’t have a Somm, your waiter will open the bottle, and pour you a taste.

Now, there’s a little tradition lots of folks don’t know. It is considered polite to offer a glass to the Somm, or a taste to your waiter, depending on who pulled the cork. In the case of the waiter, it’s a good idea to ask them something like, “Do they let you taste, around here?” On more than one occasion, I’ve had Somms waive the corkage fee, when I gave them a glass. And they never pour a full glass because if they did that, they’d be slaughtered by the end of the night. Some Somms will turn you down. Don’t be insulted, they just don’t want to drink too much on the job.

That’s all there is to it! So grab that special bottle, and take it to someplace just as special. If it’s REALLY special, you might impress the Somm, and make a friend.

Cheers!

The White Hats Ride In — Trader Joe’s Under $10 Whites

When we last visited the TJ Ranch, a bunch of young reds were shooting it out. Some won, some lost. Then a trio of whites rode in to save the peace. C’mon, you know I couldn’t resist buying a few whites when I got those reds, right? After all, it’s Summer, here in Vegas.

That said, after looking at the all the mundane whites TJ’s sells, like Yellow Tail, I found three I thought were worth tasting. All under $10. And all of them from a specific place, no generic “California” etc. But this was an international crew. With one from CA’s Russian River Valley, one from France’s famed village of Chablis, and one from New Zealand’s South Island. And no, I didn’t waste my time with any Pinot Grigio! Puhleeeeazze.

The Wines:

Jacques Bourguignon Chablis 2009 — 12.5% Alc $7.99

COLOR — A medium pale straw yellow. Quite clear.

NOSE — Honey suckle, lemon-lime, with a touch of minerals, wet rocks. A bit shy, not a big nose.

TASTE — Green apple with lemon-lime fruits flavors, some honey and just a touch of minerals. Light-medium body & feel.

FINISH — Bright citrus and honey, medium length. Not much acid verve here, or minerality, like a Chablis should have. No oak what so ever.

RATE — 3 stars. Not bad, but not as good as the 2008. Missing a bit on the middle, and doesn’t have the zippy, lively finish a young Chablis should. Still, for $7.99, it’s not a bad intro to Chablis (Chardonnay grown in the village of Chablis, Burgundy, France).

Sauvignon Republic Marlborough New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc 2010 — 13% Alc $6.99

COLOR — Pale straw yellow. Quite clear.

NOSE — Fresh cut hay, grapefruit and lemon with a very slight hint of ammonia.

TASTE — Bright, juicy grapefruit, lemon, gooseberry, and a bit of cut grass. Medium body, with lively acid.

FINISH — Mouthwatering lemon-lime that lingers for a while. Medium length. Absolutely no oak!

RATE — 4 stars. A fine example of what Marlborough New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is about. Could have a bit more fruit, but at $6.99, it’s a steal. A terrific Summer sipper for grilled shrimp, salads, smoked salmon & goat cheese. Get you some! Perfect party wine.

Trader Joe’s Petite Reserve Russian Rive Chardonnay 2010 — 13.5 Alc $5.99

COLOR — Medium gold yellow. Clear.

NOSE — White peaches, nectarines and a bit of honey suckle and minerals.

TASTE — Peaches and yellow stone fruits, with a bit of lemon and wet stone. Medium body & round in the mouth.

FINISH — Peach skin and nectarines, a bit of jasmine. No oak on this. Not much acid. Goes on a while. Medium long.

RATE — 3.5 Stars. Well worth a try. Look, a good Russian River Valley Chard runs $20+, minimum. This is an honest RRV Chard for $5.99! It beats the hell out of that Cupcake crap, and all the rest of that generic CA Chardonnay. Just don’t drink it right out of the fridge, it’ll be closed down. Let it sit for like 20 minutes, or so. And it’ll open in the glass, too.

Cheers!