Competition Winners Announced

The winners of the 70th annual Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition were announced today and the list is an impressive one! A box wine, a Scotch whisky, repeat winners (Armida Winery and baseball legend Tommy Lasorda) and so much more! Take a look at the winners here then check out the buzz on [...]

Source: http://blogs.fairplex.com/blog/wine/?p=78

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Pin-up winemakers, smashed shiraz, a map, WBC ? sipped and spit

BOOSTED: …awareness! Young Austrian winemakers have posed scantily clad for a calendar to boost…awareness! Of Austrian wine. Which one is Miss Gru Vee again? Appearing later this year: a calendar of old hag winemakers from the mountains. [Decanter] CRASHED: shipping container A forklift lifted 462 cases of wine 20 feet in the air! No, this [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/eNGqvJvNK0Q/

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Summer Hill Country Photos

  About a year ago I started a Facebook group with the same name as my Blog.  I posted a few photos from our summer vacation down in the beautiful Texas Hill Country.  I will be posting more here soon and on my Flickr photo page.  If your on Facebook would love to have you […]

Source: http://thegrapesaroundtexas.com/2011/07/10/summer-hill-country-photos/

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2007 Sauternes & Barsac

Here you find the ratings of the 2007 Sauternes and Barsac wines from Robert Parker, Decanter and Wine Spectator: Sauternes & Barsac Decanter Wine Advocate WineSpectator Price Chateau d’Yquem ***** 19 96 - 98 97 - 100 Chateau Guiraud **** 17,5 92 - 94 91 - 94 Chateau La Tour Blanche **** 18 86 - 88 90 - 93 Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey **** 18 91 - 93 91 - 94 Chateau de Rayne-Vigneau ***** 19 91 - 93 92 - 95 Chateau [...]

Source: http://www.wine4freaks.com/41/2007-sauternes-barsac/

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A few different things to do in the Napa Valley

Take the food and wine tour at the Robert Sinskey Vineyards. This has always been a favorite spot of ours. Too bad they closed their picnic area to visitors. We used to love to sit on the patio area across from the vineyards enjoying the view and our lunch with a glass of the Sinskey Pinot Blanc. Continue reading

Source: http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/napablog/a-few-different-things-to-do-in-the-napa-valley/

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Four Luscious Red Wines to Buy Now at Trader Joe's

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It's happened to me twice in the past couple months. I open a $20-$30 bottle of wine and it's either flawed -or- just not to my liking for one reason or another. After the first glass I set the bottle aside and crack open a $5-$10 bottle of wine from Trader Joe's and I enjoy it so much more than the original bottle. Good, clean and delicious. Luscious. Affordable. Sometimes they absolutely hit the spot and I wonder why I waste energy tracking down highly rated and almost always more expensive wines.

Don't get me wrong -  I do find wines worth the effort. The 2008 Paul Hobbs Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, the 2008 Rhys Alesia Pinot Noir, and the 2007 Felsina Fontalloro are a few recent examples.

But we all need affordable daily drinkers in the rotation, right? And Trader Joe's can step in brilliantly in this department - especially at the ultra-challenging sub-$10 price point.

Still, you have to be careful at Trader Joe's. Sure, the bad wines won't cost you much - but who wants to buy really bad wine and toss it out? Even if it's only $3.99? Recent dumper-outers include the L'Authentique (l'awful!) and Blue Fin Petite Sirah (a sobering offering).

There are indeed gems to be found, but it always helps to have a sherpa guiding the way. I enjoy comparing notes with Jason over at Jason's Wine Blog and tracking down buzzworthy wines he's discovered. Many of these were tips I received from his blog.

All of these were purchased at the Trader Joe's in Framingham, MA in the last few months.

2009 Sebastopol Hills Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
$9.99

My bottle lists the ABV at 13.8%.

It's only 20-30% opaque which bodes well for it behaving like a Pinot Noir. On the nose I get ample fruit, herbal tea, and a tangy (signature?) California Pinot Noir note.

On the palate it's classic domestic Pinot Noir with strawberry flavors, silky smooth texture, and hardly any tannic bite. Doesn't get overly fruity but it's satisfyingly flavorful.

Bottom line: This is legit Pinot Noir for $9.99. The only thing lacking is acidity and perhaps some minerality. But it scores points for what it *doesn't* have: I didn't detect any off-putting aromas or flavors.

Well done and a value at $9.99.  

87/100 WWP: Very Good


2009 Chariot Gypsy
$4.99

First Bottle:
My first taste of the Gypsy and I can see what the buzz is about.

Light-medium bodied with a fruity nose immediately upon opening. Fresh and lively. While it's certainly slighty sweet on the palate I think the baked cranberry notes reign it in nicely. A little spice. No finish really but as a $5 party wine I think it plays well.

Pretty darn good wine for $4.99.

Second Bottle:
Satisfying once again. Notes consistent with prior bottle.

Especially after opening a corked bottle and seeking a clean, tasty bottle of wine - this one hit the spot. 

85-86/100 WWP: Very Good


2009 Cocobon
$6.99

Light and juicy, with slightly sweet streaks of mocha. Very approachable and friendly. Probably works better as a cocktail or right after dinner than paired with food. Nice value.  

85/100 WWP: Very Good




2007 Lost Sonnet Meritage
$9.99

This one caught me a little off guard because it's unlike the Chariot Gypsy and unlike the Cocobon. It's a far more serious wine and needs time to open up. I don't think I've ever seen a Vinturi make such a noticeable difference in a wine and it's better the second day than the first.

That said, I can't enthusiastically get behind it 100% due to some quirky off aromas that were present both upon opening and after some time. Give it a try but don't back up the truck. 

85/100 WWP: Very Good

Further Reading:

Question of the Day: What bargains have you found at your local Trader Joe's lately?


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/KlYeWGcRCP4/four-luscious-red-wines-to-buy-at.html

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Wine Word of the Week: Umami

This week?s Wine Word of the Week is umami. Official definition from Jancis Robinson?s The Oxford Companion to Wine: Umami is a Japanese term derived from two words meaning ?delicious? and ?essence? and used to refer to what some consider to be the fifth primary taste. More a quality than a specific flavor, it is [...]

Wine Word of the Week: Umami was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

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