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Posts Tagged ‘VP Wines Under $10’

Shannon Ridge 2008 Chardonnay

Filed Under : .Home, Judging the Juice, VP Wines Under $10 by J. Muro
Mar.4,2010

Retail Price: $19.00

Average BevMo price: $12-$15

BevMo 5 cent sale: 2 for $12.99

I love Shannon Ridge Wines. And the only reason I happened to chance upon their existence is due to a tasting with a Shannon Ridge rep present. We just couldn’t believe the value you got for the price, as I call them “VP Wines”. I have been pretty disenchanted with BevMo lately, but I do thank them for carrying two lines I love that are hard to find elsewhere: Shannon Vineyards and the Concha y Toro Trio Line.

Here is one of the Shannon Wines on the 5 cent deal that has not been jacked up in price for the sale. It is a supreme bargain. That is, if you like new world style Chardonnay. And I do. But like I always say “Tasting is Personal”, so what I love you may hate. The W.U’s stats:

Alcohol: 14.3%
Total Acidity: 0.62 g/mL
pH: 3.64
Residual Sugar: 0.50%
Composition/Blend: 90% Chardonnay
Appellation: Lake County
Barrels: American oak
Time in Barrels: 6 months
Cases Produced: 8,000

DM : Drinkmaker Mike Wood. His notes: The grapes used to produce our 2008 Shannon Ridge Lake County Chardonnay were picked from several different blocks to help create an elegant multi-layered wine with great complexity. The wine was barrel fermented in American oak to help create the creamy vanilla flavors and rich mouth feel.

CRAFT SYSTEM:

Color: Light gold.

Richness: Medium to Full Body.

Aroma: Green Apple, Oak and Vanilla.

Flavor: Oak, Creme Brule, Tropical Fruit, Hints of Fresh Tart Fall Fruit.

Texture: Lush yet crisp, round,  lengthy finish.

ABILITIES
STRENGTH: Tons of muscle. A big creamy California style wine with enough of an acidic backbone.
DEXTERITY: Decently balanced fruit and acidity. Maybe a -1 for a little too much butter in the balance. But a flexible wine for many occasions and food. I stocked up on a half-case as a weeknight wine.
CONSTITUTION: Quaffable and something you want to keep drinking again and again. A lot of bang for the buck. But wait too long and it may go over the top and malolactic flavor the heck out of itself.
CHARISMA: A very viscous and beautifully aromatic wine in my opinion. +1 for a strong personality and smelling expensive. It definitely lets you know its in the room, it’s in your glass, and it’s a California girl.
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EXPERIENCE POINTS: Low. This is a fresh new 2008 wine. No cellaring needed. Open and go. Yum.
ARMOR CLASS: Low. Its structure won’t last long in the fridge, due to it’s rich and dry nature.
HIT POINTS: You have 1 day.
SAVING THROW: It’s a screw top, so you can get a nice tight seal to ward off oxidation as long as you can.
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CAMPAIGN SETTING: Pair with Modern Family and Cougartown, (ABC Wednesdays, 8pm.)

Rating: d20

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Concha Y Toro Xplorador – Chiletastic

Filed Under : .Home, Judging the Juice, VP Wines Under $10 by J. Muro
Aug.5,2009

The fine people at Concha Y Toro Xplorador were kind enough to send some samples of the Xplorador line of wines and was glad to get it! I am a large and in charge fan of Concha in general and didn’t know about this line. The prices are beyond incredible and was hoping to find a gem in there somewhere. Luckily I did.

2008 Concha Y Toro Xplorador Sauvignon Blanc: $5.99-$7.99

Pale, straw yellow with mineral notes and hint of wet stone. Definitely not a green Sauvignon Blanc. Lots of grapefruit, yellow citrus, under ripe pineapple. Crisp, light refreshing, slightly mouth watering. A summer wine all the way. 13.5% alcohol.

Rating: d6

2008 Concha Y Toro Xplorador Malbec: $5.99-$7.99

A deep, dark, dry full bodied wine with aromas of fruity plum, figs, hay, cherries and red peppers. Filled with lively sharp fruit. But it’s still a very tight wine. I would be curious if it would blossom if put down for a year. For the price, probably be worth a test. 13.5% alcohol.

Rating: d4

2008 Concha Y Toro Xplorador Carmenere: $5.99-$7.99

The Carmenere grape is a great alternative to Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and emits the qualities of both types of wine. Carmenere was originally a French grape but disease almost wiped it out in the 1800’s. It was brought to Chile in the 1850’s and has been there ever since.

This 13.5% medium full bodied Carmenere is a dark, purple-ruby powerhouse. Aromatic with notes of sweet spices, creamy wood, staining black fruit, espresso powder, aromatic herbs, and maybe the slightest, far reaching hint of fresh pink rose petals. Flavors of smooth fruit, round tannins and a hint of dry black figs and mocha. Aerating only enhances. An easy drinking wine without heaviness but still has substantial body. Serve just below room temperature.

Rating: d8

I have to say out of the three, this is the standout and super excellent buy for the price. If you blind tasted this, I’d be very shocked if you guessed how much it actually cost.

There is always smart labeling on Concha Y Toro wines in general. Simple notes, well designed, clear percentages if a blend. Speaking of percentages, at 13.5%, their wines are always reasonable for food.

Bottom line: if you see the Xplorador Carmenere, don’t grab a bottle. Grab a case.

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Freakish find: Recession Red

Filed Under : .Home, Judging the Juice by J. Muro
Jul.31,2009

recessTheir ‘92 label.

An awesome woman I work with named Kuni was kind enough to give this to me, knowing what a wine geekoid I am. Using grapes from the 2007, 2008, 2009 season, I wondered if this would be another typical leftover wine blends. I like being surprised. When it comes to wine that is. Cheap wine that is.

Clarion Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Recession Red Santa Ynez Valley 2009  (8-9$)
USA > California > Santa Barbara County
Shockingly good for an ‘07, ‘08, ‘09 blend. Garnet red, with notes of chocolate, licorice, sweet oak, hint of vanilla, tart raspberry and fennel. Medium to full bodied with lively acidity with pretty low tannins. Very smooth and darn drinkable with a longer finish than expected. Went well with port salut and truffle cheese. A cheap as heck obscure wine that would be a great case for a party if you can find it.

Good luck, and let me know.

Rating: d6

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2006 Avalon Cabernet Sauvignon

Filed Under : .Home, Judging the Juice by J. Muro
Jun.11,2009

wineavalon

The 2006 Avalon Cabernet Sauvignon

13.8%

Nice label. Clear bright red, notes of anise, bacon, flowers, jam and super cherry. Slight hint of oak and vanilla. Obvious tannins with tart jammy acid. You really could do better on a weekday wine. Keep it under 9 or 10$ at all times with this one.

Aerated: I will not say this often but, I’D AVOID AERATION. It kills whatever little it has going for it. Becomes overtly fruit forward, too round and flabby. It destroyed the tannins when I did it. Which leads me to believe this wine will get flabby over time on it’s own right in the bottle, and quick.

Rating: d4

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Bevmo Tasting

Filed Under : .Home, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Grounds, Judging the Juice by J. Muro
May.11,2009

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1775 N Victory Pl
Burbank, CA 91502
(818) 847-2175

5 bucks, 6 wines.

A Bevmo tasting should not be overlooked. The price is beyond reasonable and they won’t blink twice if you need to taste something again to make sure you know what you are going to buy. Stop by and say hello to Ed in the tasting center. He knows soil, location, and climate very well, he will give you a good lesson. He also is a great note taker, so he never seems to stop learning himself.

This week was  a sampling of organic and sustainably produced whites and reds:

 

Beringer Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley— Quite good. I almost feel odd saying that about such a big corporate wine company but it is.  Ripe with white grapefruit and bitter peel. Surprisingly still smooth.

Benziger Sauvignon Blanc— Certified Sustainable. Small family winery. Steely lemon. Bold acid. Drink cold.

Bonterra Chardonnay— Also nice. Bonterra Vineyards organically grown. Ripe with butter and oak. Pretty balanced.

Bonterra Merlot— Medium body red, pretty smooth, but overwhelming fruit.

Benziger Cabernet Sauvignon— Pleasing oak, hints of jam. Average drinking wine.

Parducci Sustainable Red— Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Sustainable Red. Light crisp tannins and solid fruit with hint of sharpness.  But what was most interesting was how aeration changed this wine. We almost thought the wrong wine was poured the second time, but no, Ed got it right. The oak exploded and the wine grew immensely. It unfortunately very slowly died, but the glass was finished by that time, so it wasn’t quick enough to be disappointed.

Club Bevmo helps with the price: between 2-7 $ off. Worth it. Just be careful on 5 cent sales and make sure the mark up is not too much. Can be worth it sometimes, and other times infuriatingly not.

 

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