Napa Ridge Coastal Vines Zinfandel, 2002 Review

General Impression of Napa Ridge Coastal Vines Zinfandel, 2002

I warn you right now some wine snobs will scoff at this review!

This is exactly why I love Zinfandel! Is it the best I have had? No but it is pretty damn good. My advice to you if you really want to get the most from this one is use the biggest wine glass you have, I mean with a huge bowl. I tried it in both a typical "red wine glass" then in my huge 22 oz mega red wine glass and the difference was enormous especially on the aromas.

This is just a plain excellent hedonistic zinfandel that lets you linger on it. You could easily sip this one slowly all night long with good friends and great conversation. It will do well with typical Zinfandel food but hedonists like me will wallow in it not believing their luck to pick this one up so cheap. You can normally find it for a dollar or two less then I paid. Having sampled it a year ago I paid the extra when I found it at Centennial on my way home from work just to see if they extra year had do it well, I was not disappointed.

Read Our Entire Review of Napa Ridge Coastal Vines Zinfandel, 2002

~ Jack Spirko

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Technorati Tags: coastal zinfandel, old vine zinfandel, zinfandel, red wine, california wine, inexpensive zinfandel, 2002 wine

Lindemans Bin 65 Chardonnay, 2005 Review

General Impression of Lindemans Bin 65 Chardonnay, 2005

First thought come on America wake up! How can the Australians make such an exceptional Chardonnay, ship it all the way to the US , pay tariffs for import and still keep a price where a retailer can sell fewer than five bucks? Other then Barefoot Chardonnay I have yet to find anything close from the US under five bucks or under six for that matter.

This Chardonnay was also clearly made with the intention of exporting to the US catering to the US with enough Oak to have that distinctive oak character that many Americans think is a “Chardonnay taste”. This wine has a lot going on at this price point great flavors like cedar and spice and oak in the back ground with lots of citrus up front and in the aroma. You will never be displeased with this wine if you want a nice Chardonnay.

Read Our Entire Review of Lindemans Bin 65 Chardonnay, 2005

~ Jack Spirko

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Technorati Tags: 2005 wine, australia wine, australian wine, lindemans, lindemans wine, white wine, chardonnay

Sutter Home Family Vineyards Zinfandel, 2001 Review

General Impression of Sutter Home Family Vineyards Zinfandel, 2001

Well I did the usual popped the cork and gave it a bit of breathe time. Not much mind you this is a four dollar bottle of wine. I then poured a small bit and was under impressed. Drinkable sure, decent sure, something I would buy again even at four bucks probably not. Then I got to thinking sure it is a cheap wine even four our standards but given it was a bottle of 2001 and had been locked in a bottle for 5 years it could use just a bit more breathing time.

So did the additional breathe make it wonderful, no but it made it a LOT better. Initially the alcohol was high in the aroma and taste but with some more time to breathe the flavor and aroma came through a lot better.

This is a good wine, past its time for sure but when you buy in a supermarket that is not uncommon. After a good twenty minute breathe the flavors come through and the alcohol went back to the undertones where it belongs. It had a lot of berry flavor and the brightness the wine is known for was still evident. It was also one of those wines that the more I drank the better it tasted.

Read Our Entire Review of Sutter Home Family Vineyards Zinfandel, 2001

~ Jack Spirko

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Lindemans Bin 50 Shiraz, 2005 Review

General Impression of Lindemans Bin 50 Shiraz, 2005

Like just about any wine from Lindemans this one was excellent. I am not a huge fan of Shiraz (or Syrah as it is also known) wines but I do enjoy them and they certainly have a place in my wine rack. This is one of the better ones under 8 dollars a bottle and with out a doubt at the top of the Australian list for this price point.

This is a nice wine, the color is very purple and the aromas make you think of berries and cherries. That body is medium to full bodied and it is one of those wine you like even better after the 2nd or 3rd glass. I found the oak more noticeable after the first glass as well.

Read Our Entire Review of Lindemans Bin 50 Shiraz, 2005

~ Jack Spirko

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Technorati Tags: lindemans, lindemans wine, shiraz, 2005 wine, red wine, syrah, australian wine, australia wine, inexpensive wine

Di Majo Norante Sangiovese, 2004 Review

General Impression of Di Majo Norante Sangiovese, 2004

Of all of Italy's wines I love Chianti above the rest. So what we have here is pretty much a Chianti from another region of Italy so they can't call it a Chianti. In fact unlike many Chianti Wines this one is made from 100% Sangiovese grapes and it is a great wine. This wine is very easy to drink something you can enjoy with friends and it will just be dynamite with pastas or pizzas. This is an exceptional wine that just feels like Italy in a bottle.

Read Our Entire Review of Di Majo Norante Sangiovese, 2004

~ Jack Spirko

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Folie a Deux Ménage a Trois, 2004 Reviewed

General Impression of Folie a Deux Ménage a Trois, 2004

When I see a bottle labeled "table wine" even though I know better it always prejudices me a bit against it. In the US Table Wine simply means the wine is a blend and does not have enough of one grape to call the wine legally a Zinfandel or Merlot and has an alcohol level of 7-14%. Thinking this three grape blend of my top favorite US Red Varietals (Merlot, Cabernet and Zinfandel) might be similar to a light burgundy or decent Meritage I picked up a bottle.

My one regret? I now have to go back to Costco and buy more. This is an excellent red wine with a lot going on.

Read our Entire Review of Folie a Deux Ménage a Trois, 2004

~ Jack Spirko

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Tags: blended wine, meritage, folie a deux, califonia wine, table wine, red blended wine, old vine zinfandel, cabernet, merlot