Italian great for under $ 15.00

Trader Joe's has a few 'La Loggia' wines in stock pretty much year-round. I have had two, the Barbaresco and the Barolo. They are both inexpensive examples of two top-end wines from Piedmont. These wines from top estates are often in the $60-100 + range so finding one under $ 20 makes me suspect. In the case of the 2005 Barolo for $ 14.99 , I was surprised to find a really terrific wine that represented a classic style of the region-not some westernized version without the local character. The almost 'pruny' taste leads me to believe that unlike more pricey versions of Barolo, this one is drinkeable now and should not be aged further. The 2006 is available now and I'll be tasting it soon. For now, you'll have to settle for my review of this one and my hope is that it is still on the shelves for you to try. 8 swiggs.

A taste of Amador

I am of the opinion that the zinfandel from the sierra foothills has something not present in any other California zin. I was maybe a little skeptical when I purchased this bottle but I was pleasantly surprised with a familiar great taste of an area of California that has some of the oldest vines in the country. This 2005 Amador cellars has the great complexity that is a character of the best wines of the area , Deaver , Renwood, Sobon estate and a few more. At $ 14.99 it is not too much to pay for this kind of quailty. I'll give it 7 1/2-8 swiggs. Available at New leaf markets.

Holy %^&*, a Priorat for under $ 10 !!

Just when I got used to seeing my favorite wine from Spain for under $ 15 , Trader Joes comes up with this one for $8.99 . I only bought one bottle as I know well that Trader Joes has in the past had some wines that looked like a real deal only to be disappointments in the glass . Not so with this Reves 2006 from Chapillion. The blend is 40% Carignan , 35% Garnacha, 25% Syrah....a virtual Chateauneuf du pape , but from Spain. I expect a nice complexity from this normally pricey wine and even at the low price, the Reves delivers. It's cheap enough for a weekday dinner but good enough to serve when you want people to really have a treat that might not be something they have ever had. I give it 7 1/2 swiggs for the first bottle.....it may be revised upward in coming weeks now that I have a stash of a few more bottles.

Bargain central coast Rhone style blend

If you missed out on the Rosenblum you had better not miss this one. The Rabbit Ridge "Allure de Robles" red blend shows up at Trader Joes once a year. This 2009 isn't a generic California garbage wine-it's a Paso Robles Rhone-style blend that is full flavored and ready to drink. It is not overly alcoholic ( 14.6 %) but it is no lightweight, either. I have had this wine from '06 and '08. I think the '09 might be better than the previous two and they were very good. I'll give this one 7 1/2 swiggs......a great score of a wine that retails for $ 4.99. This one usually sells out in a few weeks so I would not delay if you want to get a really great wine for dirt cheap.

Priorat for under $ 15.00

There are a ton of red wines from all over Spain, some good and some...well.....I guess you have to really have the right food to enjoy them. There are a few regions that stand out as my 'go-to' wines from Spain : Rioja and Priorat being the best bets in my opinion. Priorat is usually a pricey wine, seldom sold for less than $ 25. This Negre Priorat 2006 from Cost Plus was all of $ 14.95 . What you get for your money is a big hit of black cherry with a long finish....altogether a really great old-world wine with the kind of freshness that one gets with the new-world wines. I really liked it and give it 8 swiggs, a quality drink that is something a little different .

Rosenblum does it again !

It's time to run down to Cost Plus imports to get some of this great wine. The 2006 Rosenblum 'Chateau la Paws" red wine is really a bargain. The lable would lead you to think that the wine is attempting to be a Rhone style red but it is actually full-throttle Rosenblum the way we expect it to be. There's so much flavor you'll take your time drinking this one. Some folks might say that it isn't subtle enough-no finesse and all that. 'No wimpy wines' has been the motto of Rosenblum since the beginning and this red lives up to the motto in the fullest sense. Right now the price is $ 7.19.......really low for a wine this good. I'll give it 7 1/2 swiggs although it might deserve more.Rosenblum was sold a couple of years ago so this 2006 represents perhaps the last chance to get the original item. I have had some later bottles from Rosenblum and to me, it ain't the same thing anymore. We'll see how that plays out over the next few years.

bang for the buck

Paso Robles has been getting more press as a wine region as of the last decade but mostly for Syrah. Zins have long been produced in the area and actually have consistantly high quality. Four vines has a few bottlings in the $ 25-up price range so this one at $ 12.95 represents what they offer for a more affordable wine. The color is dark and the alcohol pretty high but the wine is not overpowering and a fruity drink that will not kill the taste of your dinner. I give it a solid 7 swiggs......not the best of the area but certainly good for the price.