The Trader Joe’s Platinum Reserve Sonoma Brut NV (2020) is a Trader Joe’s $14.99 non-vintage blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier sourced from vineyards in Sonoma County AVA in Northern California. The back label says this Bubbly was “produced and bottled by” Rack and Riddle, Healdsburg, California. They are an independent wine company…
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The Story The TJ’s Grand Reserve Sonoma Meritage 2013-Lot 92 is a Trader Joe’s limited edition $12.99 Bordeaux Blend comprised of Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. A 12.99 Sonoma Meritage Red Blend isn’t all that unusual, but where the Tj’s Grand Reserve separates itself from the other $12.99 wines, is this blend is aged…
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The Story The Nick Goldschmidt Fidelity Alexander Valley Railroad Estate Zinfandel 2017 is 88% Zinfandel and 12% Petite Sirah sourced from the Railroad Estate vineyard in Alexander Valley, Sonoma, California. Nick Goldschmidt is the head of a vineyard and winemaking family, everyone get involved, including the children. They have vineyards and wineries in New Zealand,…
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Quake & Dave Drink Duckhorn Decoy Red Blend 2016 and talk about Chinese science beakers, bacon fat, and ducks
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Quake and Dave Talk About A Very Tasty Unoaked Russian River Chardonnay From Folks Who Know How To Do Chardonnay Right
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In this podcast episode, we reminisce about our travels to California Wine Country, in … Sipping Sonoma Part 1 Heading to Sonoma County? Listen in and pick up some tips along the way.
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In this podcast episode, our California wine country tour continues in Sipping Sonoma Part 2 Where to go? Where to stay? Do you need appointments? Should you tip your tour guide? What about your tasting host? We’ve got the skinny for you.
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The Coppola Diamond Collection Pavilion Chardonnay 2016 is a limited edition wine sourced from vineyards in 60% Santa Barbara and 40% Sonoma, the regular Diamond Collection Chardonnay is sourced from Monterey. In a side note, this Chard could have shown California on the front label, since Santa Barbara is part of the Central Coast AVA and…
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The Castle Rock Los Carneros Sonoma Pinot Noir 2012 is, of course, sourced from long termed contracted vineyards in the Sonoma side of the Carneros AVA in Northern California. Carneros is located inside both Napa and Sonoma, which is why the distinction is made. If you are trying to find Carneros sail east under the Golden…
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In this episode – we dig on some Coppola Zin! Listen in now to see what we thought of it.
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The Ferrari-Carano Siena 2014 is blend of mainly Sangiovese along with smaller portions of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Sirah sourced from sustainably farmed vineyards in the Alexander Valley AVA, the Dry Creek AVA, and the Russian River AVA all inside the Sonoma County AVA in Northern California. The Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery have been family…
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The Korbel Russian River Valley Natural 2013 is 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay with 75% of the grapes grown in Korbel estate vineyards in the Russian River AVA inside the Sonoma County AVA in Northern California. This is a vintage dated wine, most Bubbly in this price range (around $16) are non-vintage wines, using wine…
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The Ferrari-Carano Dry Sangiovese Rose’ 2016 is sourced from estate vineyards in the Sonoma County AVA of Northern California. Ferrari Carano (founded in 1985) have 19 estate sustainably farmed vineyards along with 1400 acres of vines and are large enough to have 2 wineries, one for making Red wine and the other for White wine. This is a…
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The Ferrari-Carano Pinot Grigio 2016 is sourced from sustainably farmed vineyards in the Russian River Valley AVA inside the Sonoma County AVA of northern California. The Russian River Valley AVA follows the Russian River as it turns to the west towards the Pacific Ocean but stops before the coastal region. Ferrari-Carano has produced wine since 1985, their…
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The Lazy Creek Vineyards Rose Of Pinot Noir 2014 is sourced from sustainably grown grapes farmed in the Anderson Valley AVA inside the Sonoma AVA in Northern California. Lazy Creek Vineyards have been around for about 100 years and are currently own by Don and Rhonda Carano, they are the Carano in the Ferrari-Carano Winery. This…
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The Folie à Deux Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 is sourced from grapes grown in the Anderson Valley AVA inside the Sonoma AVA of Northern California. Folie à Deux translates from French to “the madness of two” or to translate a little further to “a shared psychosis“. Folie à Deux is one of the Trinchero Family Estates…
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The Angels & Cowboys 2015 Rosé is a deliciously dry rosé of Grenache, Merlot, Verdot (the petit kind) and Grenache Blanc sourced from three distinct AVAs in Sonoma County, California – Carneros, Alexander Valley, and Dry Creek Valley. This rosé is one of my faves for a few reasons. Reason #1 – she has a familiar…
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The Meiomi Pinot Noir 2014 is composed of 100% Pinot Noir grapes from 48% Monterey County, 27% Sonoma County and 25% Santa Barbara County. Meiomi (translates to “coast” in the language of the local native people) is a brand started by Joe Wagner, part of the Wagner Family who are well-known for Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon….
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The Coppola Director’s Sonoma County Chardonnay 2012 is sourced from vineyards located in several of Sonoma’s 16 sub-AVA’s. There are two Director’s Chardonnay, this one, sourced from all over Sonoma County and another sourced from a single AVA, the Sonoma Coast. The Sonoma County Chard lists for $17 (and is often discounted) the single AVA Sonoma…
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The Kendall Jackson Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 is 94.8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4.4% Petit Verdot, 0.5% Merlot and 0.2 Cabernet Franc sourced from Kendall Jackson estate vineyards (about 2/3’s from Alexander Valley and the rest from Knights Mountain) in Sonoma County, California. The grapes selected are in the top 7% of all grapes grown on KJ’s…
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The 2012 VINTJS Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel is a $7.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive. Dry Creek Valley is one of Sonoma’s sub–AVA’s and they have been growing Zinfandel here since the 1880s and many of these old Zinfandel vineyards are still in operation, often still owned by the original families. Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel tend to…
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The 2012 Cosmia Sonoma County Pinot Noir is an $8.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive. This Pinot Noir was produced by Our Cellars (not a real winery, but a front name for the actual winery) who also produced Trader Joe’s Lost Sonnet and several other quality TJ’s wines. Sonoma County includes the Russian River Valley AVA and…
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The 2012 Coppola Director’s Cut Alexander Valley Sauvignon Blanc is 100% Sauvignon Blanc sourced from a long term contracted grower in the Alexander Valley sub-AVA of Sonoma County, California. The Alexander Valley (the Russian River flows thru the center of the valley) is, during the day, one of the warmest grape growing areas in Northern…
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The 2011 Chateau St Jean California Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced from vineyards in Santa Barbara and Paso Robles in the Central Coast AVA and vineyards in Sonoma to Lake County in the North Coast AVA. Chateau St Jean is known for their high-end Estate wines, but the this is their entry level Cabernet Sauvignon and…
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The 2011 Simi Sonoma County Chardonnay is sourced from vineyards in 34% Carneros AVA, 32% Russian River Valley AVA, 19% Alexander Valley AVA and 15% from the Sonoma Coast AVA in northern California. Simi was founded in 1876. Most of this Chardonnay was fermented in oak barrels, with a small portion fermented in stainless steel…
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