The Story The Fetzer Sundial Chardonnay 2018 is sourced from sustainably farmed vineyards in more than one California grape-growing AVAs. Fetzer was founded in 1968 and is a Certified B Corp, which is a designation given to companies that are sustainably and ethically managed, others are Patagonia and Ben and Jerry’s. The Sundial Chardonnay sells over…
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The Sokol Blosser Evolution Red 1st Edition is the new Red wine companion to the Sokol Blosser Evolution White, which is now on its 15th Edition. The Evolution Red is a Syrah based blend, the other grapes used are their little secret, it is also a non-vintage wine, which means that grapes grown in different years…
Read MoreThe Schloss Biebrich Sekt, a Trader Joe’s ($4.99) exclusive, is a non vintage Sparkling wine produced in Germany. Sekt is to Germany, what Cava is to Spain and Prosecco and Spumante is to Italy, their national version of Sparkling wine. This Sekt is made by Henkell & Co., the second largest producer of Sekt in…
Read MoreThe 2009 Dreaming Tree Crush Red Blend is a part of a project between Dave Matthews (of the Dave Matthews Band) and Simi Winery Winemaker Steve Reeder. Dave Matthews is not new to wine, he founded Blenheim Vineyards, located near Charlottesville, Va., in 2000. The Crush Red Blend is 67% Merlot and 33% Zinfandel sourced…
Read MoreThe 2010 St. Donatus Estate Balatonboglari Semi-Sweet Merlot is a Trader Joe’s ($5.49) exclusive. Balatonboglari is a resort town on a lake in western Hungary, which is right in the middle of one of Hungary’s leading wine districts. The Hungarians have been making wine for at least 1,500 years and they tend to like their…
Read MoreThe 2009 Entwine Cabernet Sauvignon is a joint project by Wente Family Vineyards (a family owned and operated winery in business since 1883) and the Food Channel. The Entwine website describes their line of wines as varietal blends, which indicates that other grapes are added to the mix (in California for a wine to say,…
Read MoreThe Domaine Saint Vincent Rose’ is Gruet Winery’s entry level Sparkling wine. 100% Pinot Noir sourced from the same New Mexico vineyards used for Gruet Sparkling wine. Saint Vincent is the Patron Saint of winemakers. Made in the Methode Champenoise style, the same way Champagne is produced (2nd fermentation in the bottle) and aged for…
Read MoreThe La Riojana 1591 Torrontes Dolce (sweet) is a Sparkling wine made from Torrontes grapes grown in the La Rioja region of Argentina. The La Rioja region is where Spanish missionaries first planted grapevines in 1591. Most wines you see from Argentina are grown in the Mendoza region, La Rioja is north of Mendoza and has…
Read MoreThe Barefoot Bubbly Extra Dry is a non-vintage Sparkling wine sourced from Chardonnay grapes grown in several California grape growing AVA’s. Extra Dry is not actually dry, Brut means dry and Sec indicates sweet, Extra Dry is in the middle. The word “Champagne” is on the label (only Sparkling wine grown and produced in Champagne,…
Read MoreThe 2009 Mouton Cadet Bordeaux Rouge is sourced from multiple vineyards (Rothschild has contracts with 450 different grape growers throughout Bordeaux), all Bordeaux Red wines are blends, this one consists of 65% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc. The wine is aged in large stainless steel vats (no oak) for 6 to 10 months….
Read MoreThe Domaine Ste Michelle Blanc de Blancs (translates to white from white, meaning white wine from white grapes, usually Chardonnay; Blanc de Noir is white wine from red grapes, usually Pinot Noir) Sparkling wine sourced from grapes grown in the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington. This bubbly was made with the Traditional Method, the same…
Read MoreThe 2008 Grifone Toscana 1967 is a Trader Joe’s ($5.99) exclusive blend of 85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Syrah (known as a Super Tuscan blend, usually Bordeaux grapes are blended with the Sangiovese, but Syrah is not a Bordeaux grape) sourced from grapes grown in coastal vineyards in Tuscany, Italy. This blend is classified…
Read MoreThe 2009 Les Charmes Macon-Lugny Chardonnay is sourced from a single vineyard (the Les Charmes vineyard) in the Maconnais region in south Burgundy, France. The wine is produced by Cave de Lugny, which is a cooperative of 250 winegrowers who produce about half of the wine made in Maconnais. The vineyard where the Les Charmes…
Read MoreThe 2010 Trentatre (translates to “33”) Rosso Salento is a Trader Joe’s U.S. exclusive ($5.99), sourced from multiple vineyards in the Puglia region of Italy (the Bootheel) and is a blend of 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot and 33% Montepulciano (a grape indigenous to southern Italy). The wine is aged in both large and small…
Read MoreThe Mionetto Prosecco Brut D.O.C is a non-vintage (they blend wine from different vintages together to get a more consistent flavor profile) Sparkling wine made from Glera grapes grown in near the town of Treviso in the Prosecco DOC of Italy. The Glera grape used to be known as the Prosecco grape, but since the…
Read MoreThe 2010 La Croix de Bila-Haut is a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Carignane sourced from vineyards in the Roussillon area of the Languedoc-Roussillon growing region. This is an IGT designated wine (the new term for Vin de Pays wines) which indicates that the wine does not conform to the rules of the Languedoc-Roussillon. The…
Read MoreThe 2009 Field Recordings Chardonnay is sourced from a single, family owned, sustainably farmed vineyard located in the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA of Monterey County, California. This Chardonnay underwent full malolactic fermentation (a process where the naturally occurring tart malic acid is converted to softer, more rounded tasting lactic acid, it also helps the wine…
Read MoreThe Chateau Chantal Celebrate Rose‘ Sparkling wine is a Semi-Dry (which actually means the wine is on the sweet side, Brut is the term used for less sweet wines) sourced from grapes grown in Estate vineyards on the Old Mission Peninsula, just north of Traverse City, Michigan. The Old Mission Peninsula is situated on the…
Read MoreThe Stonehedge Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon seems to be a Trader Joe’s ($7.99) exclusive bottling produced by Stonehedge Winery of Napa Valley. Stonehedge is a family owned winery that has been making wine for 30 years, this Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon is not listed on their website. Paso Robles is located roughy half way between…
Read MoreThe 2008 Kila Cava Brut is sourced from several communes (a group of independent grape growers) in the Penedes area (that is where 95% of all Cava’s are produced) in the Catalonia region in northeast Spain. It is a blend of the three traditional grapes used for producing Cava, 35% Macabeo, 40% Xarel.lo and 25% Parellada….
Read MoreThe 2010 Found Object Syrah is a Trader Joe’s ($7.99) exclusive, sourced from the Colchagua Valley, in the Rapel Valley region of Chile. The Colchagua Valley is the sweet spot for Chilean wine, they have a Mediterranean climate and receive cool morning breezes off the Pacific Ocean, just like Napa Valley, only with no smog…
Read MoreThe Fenn Valley Sparkling Riesling is sourced from grapes grown in a family owned estate vineyard in the Fennville AVA in Southwest Michigan. The vineyard is located near the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, not far from the Michigan Shore resort town of Saugatuck and easily within a days drive from Chicago. They are able…
Read MoreThe Tussock Jumper Aragonez/Touriga Nacional is a red blend sourced from the Alentejo region in southern Portugal. Aragonez (75%) is the Portuguese name for Tempranillo and Touriga National (25%) is The red grape of Portugal and is one of the main grapes used to make Port. The Alentejo region has been a leading Portuguese wine…
Read MoreThe 2009 Beso de Vino Old Vine Garnacha is sourced from 40 year old vines grown near the village of Aguaron in the Carinena D.O., in northeastern Spain. The grapes are hand picked and the Garnacha is aged in new French oak barrels. Wine has been produced in the Carinena region since at least the…
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