Below are reviews of fun little finds purchased locally. The typical cost per bottle is $10 or less, and the label probably has a little more pizazz than your traditional Barolo. But don't judge the bottle by the label. These reviews are personal and certainly non-professional evaluations of wines we've tried. Enjoy!
YEAR: 2005Labels: 2005, 4 STAR, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Merlot, Mixed Varietal, Red, Spain, Tempranillo, Tomas Cusine
psydr said...
1 OUT OF 5 STARS
Not so hot. This merlot has very little resemblance to an actual merlot. It tastes more like bitter grape juice. Not a juice I'd ever buy again. It's a nasty, bitter mess. Yuk.
psydr said...
3 OUT OF 5 STARS
This is a decent Merlot. There's your standard hint of currant, and the fluid is a tad on the thick side. Pretty good though. Goes down smooth. Didn't cost much. And it has a groovy label. What more do you need?
I have nothing glowing or disparaging to say about this beverage. I guess if I was more into Merlots at the moment, I might have given the bottle a 3.5 STAR rating.
YEAR: 2005Labels: 1 STAR, 2005, Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Crest, Red, USA
psydr said...
1 OUT OF 5 STARS
It makes me sad to have to give such a lowly review to a wine from Columbia Crest, because, in general, I believe them to be one of the best providers of decent wines under our little $10 bubble. This, however, is NOT one of them. And I believe they tend to pride themselves on their Two Vines selections.
The earthy Cabernet nose is there and the color is of dark, dark blackberry. But the palate is really quite unpleasant. There is a strange bitterness I can't quite describe. It's not tannins. It's more as if the wine has expired... not corked though. The "flavor" doesn't mess around. It's not an aftertaste. It hits you the moment the liquid hits your tongue. It's almost as if I had just brushed my teeth...
I don't know. Personally, I'm hoping I just picked up a bad example if this CC offering. I really hope so. I'll make an effort to pick up another bottle and give it another review shortly.
psydr said...
Sehr gut! This is a very enjoyable Pinot from Germany of all places. A beautiful ruby red and smooth, smooth, smooth.
This bottle has close to zero nose... which is a little odd. It's practically without sent of any kind. Not a bad thing I suppose. Just suspicious.
Regardless, this is a wonderful beverage. Go pick up a bottle at your local grocery, sit down on your favorite couch, fire up one of your all-time favorite flicks, and enjoy. That's precisely what I'm doing at this very moment. What movie you ask? Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back of course!
Regarding the label: I found the artwork refreshing for a modern wine. Perhaps the duo palate is a bit non-traditional and overly simple for some, but I quite like it.
Also of note: This is the first Psydr review posted via iPhone. A fairly amazing device I must admit regardless of my much deserved dislike of Apple Computing.
psydr said...
3 OUT OF 5 STARS
This vintage is quite good for a mere seven bucks. It's a little bitter but has a rather pleasing dark cherry flavor. The legs are a little thin, but this is a quality I actually prefer in a shiraz. It's the syrup-legs of the thicker vinos I disapprove of.
Goes well with pizza!
Buy it. Try it. Tell the World what you think...
psydr said...
3 OUF OT 5 STARS
There is a bit-o-bitter in this beverage. The legs are a little thinner than average for a Merlot I'd say... which isn't a bad thing. At times, leggier wines repulse me. I don't enjoy having to chew my liquids.
This is a good light-bodied wine. I just think it's a little high in tannins. The after-palate is a wee bit strong in the same way a first Sourpatch Kid out of the bag is at the movies. Halfway through the bag though, things are going down just fine and you're mostly just dreaming about your next opportunity to brush your teeth.
What really impressed me about the bottle was the label. I love it. I really do. There's print and foil relief composed of just a handful of coordinating colors. Thumbs up for style. Now, if you could just transform fashion into flavor... Then Tin Roof would really be onto something.
Don't get me wrong. This is a decent wine. I wouldn't hesitate to serve it at a gathering. I just wouldn't go out of my way to purchase it for moi (aka myself). For eight to nine bucks there are better options out there. THIS IS the sole reason I started this blog: To lead YOU to the excellent, great, awesome values. Of course, you must agree with my assessment of vinos! But who doesn't?
psydr said...
4 OUT OF 5 STARS
I do enjoy Barberas, and this particular selection is no exception. However, the bottle is the first example I've sampled from the hills of California rather than my family's homeland of Italia. I say, "it's great!" Very smooth. Full of light-bodied flavor and ruby-red color. An excellent Barbera indeed.
I believe I gave a similarly shining review of Renwood's Syrah. To date I am very happy with their offerings and will continue to sample more of their varietals as time allows. A pat on the back to you Renwood Winery.
psydr said...
3 OUT OF 5 STARS
A very mellow Pinot. And, by mellow I mean lack of flavor. The 3 STAR rating is due to my belief there are folks in the wild which enjoy such a vino. Some folks enjoy drinking wine without having to deal with flavor. This is usually a symptom of being new to wine. Don't get me wrong. There's nothing bad about this. In fact, it's a general necessity. Introductory wines should be aplenty. Without such, fewer are likely to delve into the world of wine, and no one wants that... That would defeat our purpose here.
This is a very unoffensive selection. I know just the type to migrate to it at a party. This is a very good red for those wishing to make the transition from white. It's most certainly ideal for the casual Sauvignon Blanc consumer.
The nose is of blackberry and cherry and the color is a very pleasing ruby red. For me, I wish there was just a hint more palate. Then we'd be in business.
psydr said...
4 OUT OF 5 STARS
A very good Merlot. Dark and sweet with only a tinge of bitter aftertaste. The pallet is certainly heavy with cherry. I can almost visualize cherries and grapes being smashed together by tiny little feet to come up with this concoction.
And how cool is this label? Simplicity with a splash of color. Very classy. I love it.
I look forward to sampling more Red Rock in the near future.
YEAR: 2005Labels: 2005, 4 STAR, New Zealand, Pinot Noir, Red, The Red Square
psydr said...
5 OUT OF 5 STARS
Very nice! While this wine is priced a little above our "cheap," $10 ceiling here, I wanted to report my feelings. I liked it!
There's a rich oak flavor with a hint of cherry and blackberry. Not too much. Just a hint. Perfect. A wonderful palate.
The liquid goes down very smooth. No bitter. No regrets.
It's a Friday night here, and this is JUST the wine I was looking for to finish off my hectic week of work and injury. I couldn't have asked for anything more.
Delicious!
psydr said...
2 OUT OF 5 STARS
A decent wine, but just too sweet for my taste. For $6 it's a bargain though. It's currently on sale for such here and there. Not hard to find.
The nose is good, and the palate not bad. A strong taste of black current followed by an overwhelming sweetness.
Perhaps it just didn't go well with the stir fry I made this evening...
YEAR: 2005Labels: 2 STAR, 2005, Arrow Creek, Cabernet Sauvignon, Red, USA
psydr said...
2 OUT OF 5 STARS
Don't see myself drinking this again anytime soon. Aroma was pleasant and the legs were nice. But once I splashed a little on my tongue, I was very disappointed. Thick and syrupy like molasses with too much tannins. Unpleasant really, but not awful. I'm giving the bottle two stars today mostly because I'm in a good mood. A one star may well have been in order.
I'll pass.
YEAR: 2005Labels: 2005, Lockwood Vineyard, Pinot Noir, Red, UNRATED, USA
psydr said...
2 OUT OF 5 STARS
I didn't particularly enjoy this Montepulciano. The palate was a bit more dirty than your standard bottle. I could almost feel the grit between my teeth, though there was no physical manifestation of such.
The color was clear. The nose was heavy, heavy with something I can't quite place. Not unpleasant. Yet, not pleasing. It's an organic scent and not chemical. I just can't get a fix on it at the moment.
Let's move on. There's better wines to spend time reviewing.
YEAR: 2005Labels: 2005, 3 STAR, Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Winery, Red, USA
psydr said...
3 OUT OF 5 STARS
Not bad. Went well with my flank steak and artichokes this evening. However, this isn't one of my preferred Cabernets. There is certainly a taste (and nose) of oak here. I'd go so far as to say there's a hint of walnut...
YEAR: 2005Labels: 2005, 3 STAR, Big House Red, Mixed Varietal, Red, USA
psydr said...
3 OUT OF 5 STARS
Cherry and Blackberry here with a stringent woody aftertaste. Decent stuff though. I wouldn't refuse it, and I'd purchase a bottle or two for a impromptu party.
YEAR: 2005 psydr said...
3 OUT OF 5 STARS
Another good wine, and I enjoy the label. This syrah is a bit on the sweet side. A real raspberry flavor followed by something I can't quite place. Something less sweet. Licorice comes to mind, but that just isn't it.
Anyway, the aroma and palate comes together nicely. It's just not a great wine. It's just a good, solid bottle of vino.
psydr said...
3 OUT OF 5 STARS
Okay, this is going to sound bad, but really it's not. This wine was nearly flavorless, which one might associate with "bad" or at least "not-so-great." But, no. This is a very palatable wine. I somehow found its lack of flavor as a plus. I feel like this bottle could be served with anything imaginable and still enhance its flavor.
This wine will neither woo nor disgust. It's a safe bet at any gathering, and therefore I give it a 3 STAR rating. I'd go so far as to recommend this wine at any eclectic social event...
Palate? For lack of better description, I taste Earth. Nothing bitter. Smooth as smooth can be.
Geez. Now I feel like I was raving... I wasn't. What I meant to pass on to you was just this: This syrah is Non-offensive.
YEAR: 2005Labels: 2005, 3 STAR, Chalk Creek, Petite Sirah, Red, USA
psydr said...
3 OUT OF 5 STARS
Quite smooth until the slightly bitter end -- which is atypical of a Petite Sirah in my opinion. If it wasn't for the bite of bitter left lingering on my tongue, I would've easily given this wine a 4. So, if you don't mind such a bite, this will be a great wine for you at a great price.
Palate? Cherry and blackberry... Good with a simple meal of steak and potatoes. I can see the bitter coming in at the right moment to really spark the flavor of a nice, juicy, medium-raw sirloin.
I also like the label. Simple style and lack of color. Funky.
YEAR: 2005 psydr said...
5 OUT OF 5 STARS
An excellent Barbara and for only 10 bucks if you can believe that. Hurray for TJ's for bringing us yet another great wine from the Piedmonte.
This wine would go well with practically any food you were to throw at it while at the same time making that food better. The palate is simple and smells delicious. A very, very smooth wine with virtually no aftertaste minus the slightest hint of oak just to let you know how it was aged... And aged properly it was.
2005 was a magnificent year for Chiarlo. I'll be scooping up several more of their varietals in the near future. However, first I will be heading back to Trader Joe's to acquire a few more bottles of this stuff. I love it!
psydr said...
2 OUT OF 5 STARS
Tastes a bit like carbonated grape juice. Not quite to that extent, but something is surely wrong here. At the same time I didn't find it awful. At first I was tempted to rate this wine a 1 STAR but ended up enjoying it enough to give it 2. Hmmm... Maybe this has something to do with the amount of the wine I drank. We'll never know.
Either way, there's no real need to purchase this wine. Why not spend $6 bucks on something that tastes much better.
psydr said...
3 OUT OF 5 STARS
A strong flavor of current and cherry here in my opinion. I almost gave this bottle a 4 STAR rating... but didn't. Not a bad bottle. My only issue is that I believe it was a $15 or $16 bottle on sale for $10.
Much better wines are available for half the price. This wine is a good example of why we produce this blog.
YEAR: 2005Labels: 2005, France, Pinot Noir, Red, Scarlet of Paris, UNRATED
YEAR: 2005Labels: 2 STAR, 2005, Blackstone, Pinot Noir, Red, USA
psydr said...
2 OUT OF 5 STARS
Another really sweet wine. Tons of berries present. Again, toooooo much. Not smooth. Why can't we chill on the additives and just produce a good, palatable wine?
This is a conundrum for me. Personally, I love Pinot Noirs. This just isn't one of them.
YEAR: 2005Labels: 2005, 3 STAR, Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Crest, Merlot, Mixed Varietal, Red, USA
psydr said...
3 OUT OF 5 STARS
Good showing. I've always been pleased with Columbia Crest. However, this blend just didn't do anything for me. The bottle is of their Two Vines offering. In this case, nothing special.
psydr said...
2 OUT OF 5 STARS
Just not very good. Not smooth. No real taste to mention... and not in a good way. Sometimes lack of flavor is okay. In this case, NO. There's just something icky about this wine.
That said, I don't think it will offend most. Therefore the 2 STAR rating. It's just not very tasty.
And, given it was a $17 bottle on sale for $10, I really can't recommend it. I've sampled better bottles here on this blog for less than $5. So, given that information, you make the decision to buy it or not.
1 Reviews:
4 OUT OF 5 STARS
This is a very good Spanish offering. It really is. Being an accidental purchase, I was taken a little by surprise. When I placed the vessel in my basket at the store I could not find a price listed anywhere. But having grabbed it from the "lower" shelf with the rest of my sub-ten-buck purchases, I just assumed it was similarly priced. However, upon scanning the item during self-checkout I found the bottle to be priced closer to $14, but the clerk gave me a $2 break since the price was not clearly marked. Sweet!
This is a wonderful blend with a strong Tempranillo base. The other key varietal in my opinion is the Merlot. It's addition really smooths out the tannins in the Tempranillo and Garnacha. The nose is mainly berry with a hint of smokey residue. While the palate portrays blackberry and raspberry I would not call it overly fruity by any means. And then there's a little bite in the end. A good bite though. Just enough of one to let you know it means business. Some other reviews have listed this trait as spicy. At least I believe that is what they're referring to. What do I know???
So, we all know red wines go well with red meat. No other red in my experience has proven this to be more so. There's just something about it that REALLY compliments a thick, juicy, delicious fillet. I don't know exactly how to describe it, but I think you'll understand if you give this vino a try. It's almost a dirty, gritty flavor that is very, very good and carnal.
With just the slightest bit less bite in the end, this wine would be perfect, and I would grant it a 5 STAR rating. As is, I'm officially listing this as a 4.9 STAR. I'm excited to try future vintages from Tomas.
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