Napa Cabernet deal

Not sure if you can still get this one but it is worth a look. This Technique Atlas Peak 2014 cabernet is very appealing with some bold fruit flavors and not too much tannins. At $ 14.95  ( at least that's what I remember..) it is unusual to find an AVA designated Napa wine like this one. The label does not say much about how the wine was made but at this price it isn't really an issue.

We had the wine with some Gnocci with a bold red sauce with Italian sausage, chili flakes, garlic and parsley. It turned out to be an excellent pairing. This wine was purchased at Trader Joes- I'll give it 8 swiggs.....not outstanding but really good for the price.

April lineup

Here's a Chianti that is really good and only $6.99 at Trader Joes. The Fior de Vino Riserva really has those nice earthy Chianti notes- a true-to-its-origin dry red. I'll give it 7 swiggs.

 Here's a shout out to a winery I visited in Paso Robles a couple of weeks ago. Rio Seco is a family owned winery that was built in an old building that used to be a marijuana growing room ! it's kind of funny now as that particular business is coming back now that California has de-criminalized it. Rio Seco though is sticking with growing grapes and making some affordable blends like the one pictured here, along with some really spectacular varietals such as Cabernet Franc and Petit Sirah , the latter being one of the best I have ever had. The flagship wines and not cheap but they are a good value for the quality they offer. The winery is a great place to visit- much smaller and more down-home than many in the area. The owner was a wonderful woman who was actually working the tasting room that day- a rare treat to get pours from the boss herself.

I have not been posting much new wine as I have not been getting very many new unrated bottles. When you find some good wines that are affordable there's two things that happen: # 1, you tend to stick with that wine for a few weeks. # 2, Once you review it, the wine mysteriously gets sold out never to return. I don't know about you but this frustrates the hell out of me. -That said, I can't blame people for liking the same good deals that I like. Case in point: Flux red wine at Trader Joes. If you can find it, get it- there's no more around here. It was $ 7.99 and easily 8 swiggs- one of the winners you hope to fine once a year if you are lucky. 

So here's one you still can find. The St. Hallett is a Shiraz at $9.99 from Shopper's Corner. It is almost fizzy but the flavor is like most Barossa reds- big and fruity. I do recommend it- I'll give it 7 swiggs. 

Good pick for Turkey day

Pinot is what a lot of people drink with turkey on Thanksgiving so it is timely that I find one that delivers at a low price. This Estancia was $ 29.00 on release but Shopper's corner landed a good amount of it and it is on the shelves for only $ 9.95. This is a single vineyard wine from the Santa Lucia highlands- you can't get much better than that for Pinot.....it's like a new world Burgundy with all the subtle flavors . Since it is a 2011 it is very much ready to drink-I would not set this one aside for aging as it is perfect right now. We scored this one 8 1/2 swiggs.

malbec with a bite

This is a new one for me....even though it is a bit of an old bottle. I have not had Altos las Hormigas before but have known of its pedigree for awhile. The price kept me away for years but I found it on sale at Shopper's Corner for only $ 14.99 , about half price for the current release. This one had some age so I was eager to try it. I really liked it although it won't please everyone. It has some pretty chunky tannins and should be had with hearty food-otherwise it kind of rips the roof of your mouth a bit. I don't mind the tannins because the complex earthy flavors are pretty amazing. I'll give it 8 1/2 swiggs even if my wife was not too keen on it.

Syrah from Calif

I really like the wines from Burrell School for the most part. They make an outstanding Zin and a good Merlot. I wanted to see what they could do with Syrah. I have to be frank-this wine is really tart. It isn't horrible, just off balance. It could have been really great but for some reason Burrell School made a really tart wine here. Even being a '12,-pretty much ready to drink , it kind of hits you with a real tart sensation in the middle of all the good fruit flavors. At $ 17.95 I would hope for better but we gave it 5 1/2 swiggs, not nearly what the Zin would have gotten. -From New Leaf market.

Blockbuster Syrah from Washington state

Here's what I call a seriously great Syrah. This is a really rich, full bodied big-ass killer red-exactly what I like in a new world Syrah. This Watermill Walla Walla valley Syrah 2010 is good now but will probably be fine in 5 years as well. We had it with a pasta and it was fine but it really shined when dessert came out. It was a great counterpoint to the chocolate. It is not a sweet wine like Zin , it just works with a variety of foods. This was from Shopper's corner and was reduced from $ 26.95 to $ 17.95. There's also a Merlot from the same winery I'll want to try soon.9 swiggs.

Summer reds roundup

 Being really busy it has been difficult for me to find the time to review all the wines we have-also, we are tending to drink some old favorites often so there's nothing new on the dinner table most of the time. Here are some notable recent wines for you to consider. This one above is the Wheelhouse Dry Creek zin. At  $9.95 it really is a steal and can be found at Shopper's corner. We gave this one 9 swiggs....exceptional for a wine at this price but it was originally around $ 27.00. Shopper's can and does come through with some terrific deals now and then.

 I like a good Rioja and here's one at $ 9.95 from Trader Joes. It's not a real heavy wine but is rich enough. it is a 'Reserva' from 2012 and is ready to drink now. We gave it 8 swiggs, very good for a wine in this price range. Not a blockbuster, but a real authentic Spanish wine at a good price.

 19 Crimes " The Banished". Sounds Australian because it is-definitely a loud and brash sledgehammer of fruit but buy is it good. This is also a $ 9.95 wine from Trader Joes. If you like really big flavor this is your drink. 7 1/2 swiggs.

 I'm not sure where this Secret Cellars is sold or what the price is as it was a gift but I do recommend it. It is a classic Paso Robles deeply colored Cabernet that won't disappoint. We gave it 8 1/2 swiggs.

La Paca 2013 Garnacha is a good mid week wine , almost like a Cote Du Rhone but not quite as dry-maybe tasting a little more like a new world version of Grenache. This is well under $ 10.00 at Trader joes and scores a solid 7 swiggs.This is a really good food wine in that it won't overpower the meal.