Rich is Back!!! Let's Drink Some Wine.......

I am back Ladies and Gentleman (codeword for the 3 or 4 people who followed this blog a couple years ago). I apologize for being away so long but sometimes a hectic life gets in the way and that is simply not a good excuse. I will bring back to life the art of trying to find some good value wines at Trader Joes and pass along my thoughts. Why am I doing this? A couple of reasons. First of all, I really never thought anybody read the original blog to be honest. I logged on this morning to find that it had almost 8,000 views. Really - 8,000!!! Not to mention views from Russia, Germany and Malaysia - who would have guessed! But more importantly, even though there are many days I feel like opening a bottle, I am too lazy to do so. In 2014 I have a goal to remember to take care of myself as well as the others in my life, and one of my favorite ways to do so is to enjoy a glass of vino. My goal is to come up with one new wine and post per week (starting tonight) and by the end of 2014 have a Top Ten list of my favorite wines of the year. Enjoy the ride. Feel free to drop me a line anytime and let me know what you think of the blog.

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!!!