The Trader Joe's Reserve North Coast Brut is a $9.99 Trader Joe's exclusive non-vintage Sparkling wine produced for them by Rack and Riddle out of Healdsburg, California. Rack and Riddle is a large operation specializing in Traditional Method (Champagne-style) Sparkling wines. They make plenty of Bubbly that shows other wineries' labels, you may not be aware of it but if you … [Read more...]
Red Cloak Arroyo Seco Pinot Noir 2021
The Red Cloak Arroyo Seco Pinot Noir 2021 is an $11.99 Aldi exclusive made for them by a winery located in Greenfield, California (Monterey County). Arroyo Seco translates to dry creek, (there is also a Dry Creek AVA in Sonoma). It is part of the Salinas River Valley which runs north/south along the Pacific Coast. The AVA has direct access to full Pacific Ocean … [Read more...]
Laurent Perrachon Beaujolais Villages 2020
The Laurent Perrachon Beaujolais Villages 2020 is sourced from vineyards surrounding two small towns, La Chapelle de Guinchay (70%) and Lancié. One village has sandy soils and granite the other has clay and limestone. The villages are not far apart but offer very different soil. The grape is 100% Gamay. Beaujolais is located just south of Burgundy, while Champagne is just … [Read more...]
Gruet Blanc de Blanc Brut
The Gruet Blanc de Blanc Brut is 100% Chardonnay sourced from grapes grown in New Mexico, Washington, and California. Gilbert Gruet founded his first vineyard in the Bethon district of Champagne in 1952. By 1967 he started Gruet et Fils (and sons) a Champagne House specializing in Chardonnay Bubbly. In 1984 the younger Gruet family members established a vineyard in New … [Read more...]
Trader Joe’s Petit Reserve Monterey Pinot Noir 2020
The Trader Joe's Petit Reserve Monterey Pinot Noir 2020 is a $7.99 Trader Joe's exclusive wine. The Petit in the name indicates a limited supply of this wine, though all Trader Joe's Reserve wines are one-off wines. They may return the next vintage but not necessarily by the same producer. The Fearless Flyer does not tell much of the story about Trader Joe's Petit Reserve … [Read more...]
