Tres Pinos - 2009 Cuvee ($5)

OK, in keeing with the summer theme another under $5 selection. This one a 2009 vintage from San Luis Obispo County. Sink blend of Cabernet, Merlot, Zin and Syrah. Plenty of cherry fruit at first accompanied by a little spice. Pretty smooth going down from there. Definitely on the jammy side with the Zin making its presence. Not too high on the acidity, nor the alcohol at only 13.5%. Fairly mellow tannins and I really like the finish with a bit of vanilla/chocolate finishing on the back of my tongue. I've read some others who got a bit of a tobacco taste but I really didn't get any of that. Nothing too complex here. Very drinkable and the 4 different varietals really come out in this wine to give it some character. And for $4.99 you can do a lot worse. I'm not going to say I'll be picking up another bottle as there is still a lot of summer ahead of me with many more wines to be consumed. But I won't hesitate to pick up a bottle of the 2010 next year. VERDICT: Get it!

NOTHING MORE THAN $5 THIS SUMMER!!!

Well, my wife and I have decided to put in a pool this summer. Everyone we've spoken to says the same thing - expect to spend way more than you planned. That being said, I can't go crazy on wine this summer. But that won't stop me from posting! I was at my TJs store today and saw a bunch of wines that looked interesting. And since I'll be in save mode, I said to myself - let's make it a value summer all around. No TJs selections more than $5. And hey, who doesn't like a good bargain that tastes good! Let the bargain hunting begin.

Velvet Moon - 2009 Cabernet ($5)

A Trader Joes Wine Label (Trader Moon) out of California. Have no ryhme or reason why I picked this one up. Velvet Moon is one of the many "Moon" varietals sold at Trader Joes, so I said why not go with a Cab and give it a try. Plenty of dark berry fruit on the palate with some vanilla as well. And that's about it folks. Easy drinking fruit forward is what you get here, end of story. Very little spice if any; no tannins to speak of; little acidity; and at 13.5% alcohol, very little heat. Not sure what else to say. This is a very drinkable wine that goes down way too easy. And while I'd prefer it over a 2 Buck Chuck - there simply isn't a whole lot to peak my interest. It would probably make a for a good Sangria. There are simply to many other wines I'd like to try in the near future. VERDICT: My first and last bottle!

Lost Sonnet - 2007 Meritage ($10)

Cellared/bottled by Our Cellars from Healdsburg, this meritage is 58% Cab; 22% Merlot, and 20% Cab Franc. It's a wine that has been getting a lot of praise on other blogs lately so I wanted to give it a shot. Plenty of dark fruit and a little cherry, followed by a nice hit of both chocolate and vanilla. The fact that this wine has been in a bottle for 3 plus years really shows as the oak doesn't really come through all that strong. Mellow tannins and one of the shortest finishes I can ever remember. Seriously, when that last gulp goes down your throat, that's it. But hey, sure is tasty going down. Smooth, well balanced, plenty of different layers to tease the taste buds. I've read some folks who say they will cellar some bottles for a few years down the road. I'm not so sure. I kind of think this wine is at its peak and is best drank now, right now! The few years that this juice has sat in the bottle has already perfectly mellowed both the oak and tannins. So I say enjoy in 2011; not 2014. VERDICT: Get it!

Panilonco - 2009 Chilean Malbec/Merlot ($4)

Decided to look for something from South America for my latest post. Panilonco blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Malbec. Hey, I like Merlot; love Malbec; Chile seems like a beautiful place; and at $3.99 what could go wrong? Label says smooth and intensely fruity. If I appreciate anything, it is truth in advertising. And this wine lives up to the label. Nice and fruity with cherry and blackberry flavors. Smooth and easy drinking, with little tannins and acidity. Little bit of spice and vanilla, but nothing overpowering. And the unusual blend of these two varietals just gives it a little bit of character. Let's be honest, it's $3.99, so don't expect anything here that will blow your socks off. But you can do a lot worse at this price point. If you get this wine, finish the bottle off - don't let it sit around. This wine pretty much lost any substane on day number two. VERDICT: Get it - just don't think too hard and enjoy.

Trader Joes Grand Reserve - 2009 Russian River Pinot Noir ($13)

It's a pretty common belief that it is tough to find a good cheap Pinot Noir. It is a delicate thin skinned grape that is tough to grow and usually produces small yields, therefore more expensive to produce, and that usually equates to a higher price point for a quality bottle. The Russian River brings up thoughts of iconic wines like Rochioli, simply a fantastic region for growing Pinot. The 09 TJ Grand Reserve is about 4/5 Pinot Noir with the balance being a mix of Syrah and Zin. At first taste I got a nice hit of red fruit cherry, but also a nice bite of spice and pepper, probably from the Syrah. Oak and vanilla also started to show itself as well. I also got a bit of earthy fleshiness. The fruit certainly wasn't overpowering so the wine does not resemble some of the extremely fruit forward pinot noirs made today, which I also enjoy. This wine is a bit more of a Burgundian style bottle - mediuim bodied with restrained tannins. Have no idea how the Zin comes into play, because I'm not tasting any of it. A very well balanced and enjoyable wine, with plenty of complexity and a variety of flavors that will most likely have me picking up a few more bottles. VERDICT: Get it!!!

Rabbit Ridge Allure De Robles - 2009 Rhone ($5)

This is going to be a tough one for the simple reason that I felt the 2008 vintage of this wine might have been my favorite $4.99 TJ wine - ever! The 08 was a very good representation of a GSM Rhone blend and at $4.99 was an absolute steal! So how does the 2009 compare? Well, it is a very different wine. It is a Paso Robles blend of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre - as was the 2008. And while I did not take tasting notes on the 2008, I found the 2009 vintage to be much more fruit forward - with a strong taste of vanilla cherry cola, with a little spice and a little oak thrown in for good measure. I'm not finding the pepper from the Syrah too much; nor the earthiness from the Mourvedre. Tannins are light and so is the heat, and the finish is fairly short. And this was much jammier than the 2008. So what do I think? Different is the word - and that's not a bad thing. But it simply not as good as the 2008 vintage. I don't think this had near the complexity of flavors as the 08, but it is still a very drinkable wine and not bad at $4.99. I don't know if I will pick up another bottle, but I will be first in line when the 2010 hits the shelves in 2012. VERDICT: Get it (just don't expect the 2008)

Reserve De L'Estey - 2008 Medoc Bordeaux ($7)

OK, full disclosure - I have not had much luck when buying TJs Bordeaux in the past. I've found if I want a decent bottle I need to go to my local wine shop where I can generally find some bottles that have scored 90+ by Parker or
Spectator in the $15 to $25 range. At $6.99, I wasn't sure what this 55% Cabernet, 40% Merlot, and 5% Malbec bottle of vino would produce. Bottle says well structured with intense spicy and woody flavors. Here we go! I'm usually not one to talk to much about the aromas of the wine, focusing more on the taste. But I could not help but notice the strong metallic nose on the glass. And things didn't really improve when the glass hit my lips. Dry and a bit sour. I'm not getting any of that intense spice that they mentioned, and if that is what woody tastes like, no thank you. Not much in the way of tannins or heat (only 12.5 alcohol) - and that metallic smell I mentioned, I'm getting a bit of that on the finish - never a good thing. I don't know if there is much more to say. The rest of this bottle will probably be going down the drain. If you want a good Bordeaux style meritage, spend the extra dollar and get the Hogue Genesis. As for me, my search for a good TJ Bordeaux continues. VERDICT: My first and last bottle!

VINTJS - 2007 Red Wine ($8)

OK, I have to start by saying I have pretty high expectations for this wine. First, as I mentioned in an earlier post, I enjoy Rhone blends. And second, I very much enjoyed two other VINTJS labels I had last year (the Syrah and Malbec). This wine is bottled by Jah Wine out of Rutherford and is 70% Syrah, 29.5% Mourvedre and .5% Viognier. Pepper and spice with some heat at first taste (probably from the Syrah) followed by some earthiness and tannins (from the Mourvedre). Pepper, spice, earth, tannins - 4 things I expected. But what I didn't expect was how dry the the fruit was going to be. It was really having trouble showing itself with that first ounce in my glass. Now I'll say it right now, I'm not opposed to using a rabbit aerator to open it up a tad quicker. So after doing so and leaving it to get a bit more fresh air, cherry with a little raspberry started to peak its head out - but still light bodied. I set it down for an additional 90 minutes or so and the fruit started to emerge more and more. The spice is there throughout and the finish is short to medium. I like this wine, but I don't love this wine. I would have like to have seen the fruit show itself a bit more. But this wine still contains different levels of complexity that kept me interested. TJs has a lot of Rhone blends to try these days, so I'm not sure I'll be getting another bottle. If I do, I will give it a good hour plus of decanting. VERDICT: Get it (and let me know what you think)

Tribunal Red Wine - 2009 ($10)

OK, my wife says I'm a sucker for a good blend whenever we go wine tasting up in Napa. Don't know what it is - but when misc varieatals are blended together and end up in harmony, the world is a wonderful place. I'm not sure of the exact blend for the 09 Tribunal (I've read Syrah is the lead grape) - but I know the 2008 vintage from Sonoma was NINE (you heard me right - nine) different varietals with Zinfandel and Petite Syrah the biggest players. This wine needs time to open up! It was almost a tad bitter before I gave it a good amount of time to get some air. After opening up I was getting a good bit of blackberry, with a hint of spice, ample vanilla and plenty of oak. But the massive tannins simply overpower this wine at present time. 30 minutes later I still have the tingling on the back of my tongue. And at 15.1% alcohol, this is a big tannic wine that is nowhere near balanced. I have read reviews that the 2008 was a bit fruitier and had softer tannins. Maybe this needs a few years in the cellar to bring the fruit out and mellow the tannins - it needs it! I might just buy a second bottle and find out. But in terms of drinking the 2009 vintage right now - and I say 95% of people who a buy a TJs wine are looking for something to drink NOW - at $10 I cannot suggest this wine. VERDICT: My first and last bottle (although it might very well have potential down the road)

Chariot Gypsy - 2009 Red Wine ($5)

Ah, if Trader Joes has a cult wine, I guess this would have to be it. My wife is a big fan and keeps a large stash on hand throughout the year to drink with the neighbors while the kids are playing outside and such. Zin and Cab make up about 65% of the blend, with Petite Syrah, Merlot, and Sangiovese making up the balance. A little heat at the start and then fruit, fruit, and more fruit. Jammy strawberry, cherry, plum, blackberry and every other fruit known to man I presume. A little vanilla comes through, but very little spice. Hardly any tannins to speak of and a very short finish. A very fruit forward & easy drinking red blend. And if that is your thing, go for it! When I was 21 this wine probably would have rocked my world. But my tastes have evolved into wines that can still be bought at great value, but add a little more substance. And while I will indeed enjoy a glass of the 2010 when it hits the shelves in 2012, and I know I might very well insult Chariot fans around the world (not to mention my own spouse)..... my VERDICT: My first and last bottle! (unless I'm using it to make a sangria)

Hogue Cellars - Genesis Meritage 2007 ($8)

Found a couple comments online about this wine being a steal and on the shelves at TJs. It's a blend of 49% Merlot, 44% Cab, 6% Malbec, and 1% Cab Franc - and from the Columbia Valley in Washington State. Online sites reveal that this wine generally sells for twice as much than the $7.99 at TJ. First taste is very heavy in green flavors (bell pepper, olive, etc) with oak & spice and almost no fruit to be found. I set the glass down for a bit and after it had the chance to open up, what a difference. The green and spice factor was still there, but was somewhat muted by cherry and plum flavors that showed nicely. Not overpowering fruit by any means. A fruit bomb this is not! Tannins were medium but lingered quite nicely on the finish. Label says something about cocoa on the finish, but I really didn't get any of that. If you are looking for that big fruit forward easy drinking Cab or Merlot, this wine is not for you. This wine is more of the European Bordeaux style with different levels of complexity - and if you can keep an open mind and embrace that fact, by all means try this wine. I've got a second bottle on hand, and I think I will give it an hour of decanting next time. I'll also be picking up a few more bottles as I'd like to cellar some and see how they fare a few years down the road. And for $8 - pretty darn good deal. I had a Meritage that Advocate scored a 90 recently - and much preferred the Hogue Genesis. VERDICT: Get it!

Reggero Di Tasso - Nero d'Avola 2008 ($4)

This wine was featured prominently on the TJ shelves during a recent visit, and I remember reading on some other blogs that it was a good go-to "pizza wine." The Nero d'Avola is the native grape grown in Sicily. If you're looking for something like a Sangiovese or Barolo, this is very different. The Nero d'Avola is compared more to a modern day Syrah. The label says lots of berry, soft tannis, and a lightly jammy finish. At first taste, I got more pepper and spice than anything. But after a few minutes of opening up in the glass the dry red fruit comes through nicely and combines very well with the spice/pepper. A little more tannic than I was expecting, but all balanced in the end. I got the jammy throughout and just not on the finish. You could almost mistake this for a Zin/Syrah blend. I think this wine can hold even more than just a "pizza wine" as it did just fine along side my homemade chicken parm. And at $3.99 - a fantastic QPR. VERDICT: Get it!

Valreas Cuvee Prestige - 2008 Rhone Blend ($7)

I saw on a blog where they did a blind tasting of Trader Joes Rhone wines - and this one did very well so I thought I'd pick up a bottle to try myself on my latest TJs run. I've become a fan of the "GSM" Rhone blends the last few years. The Grenache offering the cherry fruit and soft tannins; Syrah giving it that spice and pepper; and Mourvedre coming in with some earthy tones and applying a tannic backbone. This wine is 75% Grenache and 25% Syrah and the labels says to get ready for a ripe and spicy wine. I really wanted to like this wine but I'm struggling to do so. I'm getting the cherry taste, but it is more of a dry and watery cherry, not ripe by any means. I expected some peppery kick from the Syrah, but didn't get anything. Tannins are firm, but not unusual amongst Cote Du Rhone villages blends. And where is this spice they were talking about? I'm just not finding a lot to like about this bottle. I will give it credit for opening up a bit after some time, and I found day 2 to be better than day 1, but still a downer. VERDICT: My first and last bottle.

Spiral Wines - 2009 Cabernet ($5)

Picked up 3 bottles at my local TJs about a month ago upon the recommendation of a staff member, who said it was his favorite TJ Cab under $10, ever! Brought them home and shared with some neighbors on a Friday night. Very approachable and easy drinking cabernet. Fruit forward without a doubt, with plenty of blackberry as you might expect from a Napa Valley Cab. While a tad jammy, hints of vanilla, oak, herbs and minerality all come through adding some true substance and character to the wine. Almost a cross between a Zin and a Cab. Subtle tannins and an easy finish. Best TJ Cab ever under $10? I don't know about that. But pretty darn good for $5 and a classic example of a wine you keep on hand for simple every day drinking. VERDICT: Get it!