I find myself saying this more often than not to my friends who buy two-buck chuck, which is actually three-buck chuck, spend the extra $1.49 and just get a Trader Joe’s Coastal wine instead. The Coastal brand never seems to disappoint for $4.49. The Sauvignon Blanc smells and tastes like a traditional Sauvignon Blanc: You’ve…
Pinot Noir, Under $20
Review: 2014 Sean Minor Four Bears Pinot Noir
by wineforthewin •
I found this wine on the wine rack, but I have no idea how it got into the house! It may have come from a birthday party or been left over when we had guests. We really don’t know! But I’m glad this Pinot Noir entered our lives. This is one smooth Pinot ? A…
Blends, Budget Buster, Mourevadre, Over $25, Paso Robles, Petit Sirah
Review: 2013 Sculpterra Mourevadre
by wineforthewin •
Oh man, do I love a good a good Syrah/Mourevadre blend. While visiting Sculpterra in Paso Robles (highly recommend a visit; the wine is delicious, but they also have an awesome sculpture garden and often have music out in the back), I picked up their Mourevadre, which actually was blended with a bit of Petit…
Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Over $25, Paso Robles
Review: 2012 Fratelli Perata Cabernet Sauvignon
by wineforthewin •
Tomatoes! I don’t think I’ve ever had wine with a deep, roasted tomato taste, but the 2012 Fratelli Perata Cabernet Suvignon does. And it’s yummy. Not a weird tomato taste, but it’s an almost Earthy quality that makes this wine pair well with spaghetti and meatballs! I picked up this unfiltered wine on a trip…
Under $10, White wine
Review: 2014 Lenz Moser Gruner Vetliner
by wineforthewin •
Light, fresh, limes, easy drinking: Those are the notes I jotted down on my phone before I saw my friends try to cheers and then drop a glass of beer at a bar. It was a birthday after all. Mazel Tov! Lenz Moser is an Austrian winery and I hadn’t heard of it before. But…
Budget Buster, Over $25, Paso Robles, Syrah, Zinfandel
Review: 2013 Zenaida Cellars Zephyr
by wineforthewin •
We came across Zenaida Cellars towards the end of a recent Paso Robles trip. It was supposed to be our last winery of the stay as we made our way out of town, but upon the recommendation of the woman serving us 10:30 a.m., we headed up the road to Ecluse. We are now members…
Oregon, Under $15
Review: 2015 A to Z Rose
by wineforthewin •
The first time I had an A to Z wine, my husband and I were in Vegas. We were hungry, walking through Ceasar’s Palace and stopped at a restaurant that would take us right away. We weren’t in the mood to spend a lot, but wanted wine, so picked a Pinot Gris. It was from…
Grenache Blanc, Paso Robles, Roussanne, Under $40, White wine
Review: 2015 Midnight Cellars Aurora
by wineforthewin •
We almost didn’t go to Midnight Cellars on out last trip to Paso Robles. We had already been to three wineries and I had made a rule that this time, we would cut ourselves off after three. That didn’t happen. We slid right back into our 4 to 5 wineries a day bit. Oh, well.…
Uncategorized
WTF is blue wine?
by wineforthewin •
Blue wine is a thing. And we can all thank a Spanish winery for bringing this Windex-colored alcohol into our lives. The self-described sweet wine is made from red and white grapes. But how does it get that color? Anthocyanin (colored pigments) and indigo pigments. A good amount of sweeteners are tossed in there, too.…
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Review: 2013 Riven Rock Cabernet Sauvignon
by wineforthewin •
Before heading to an outdoor movie event at a Hollywood cemetery where 1920s stars are buried (Yes, we do that in Los Angeles and like it), my husband and I went to check out the new Whole Foods 365 near us. It’s Whole Foods’ attempt at a smaller neighborhood market. We were lookin for some…