Wine Finds: Cheers!

The following is a reprint of a previously published post, which I thought might be useful for your holiday and New Year's Eve celebrations. Who says you can't enjoy some nice bubbly, even on a budget? And by the way, the answer to the question in the post is "Big Shot" by Billy Joel. Thanks Michele!


Just in time for wedding and graduation season (not really, I'm a little late, but hopefully not too late for all your celebrations) is this tip for a sparkling wine. That's champagne. So for any event that requires a toast, this is a great budget option.

This Prosecco Brut Zonin is bottled in Italy and sells at Trader Joe's for just $5.99. It's an unbelievable steal. I'm not a big fan of champagne, especially cheap champagne, and I like this one. A lot.

I used to think I just didn't really care for champagne, until I had occasion to try a truly remarkable brand: Dom Perignon. Yes, the one you've heard about all these years. Wasn't there something about sipping Dom Perignon in a 70s pop song? Anyway, our good friends very generously shared a bottle with us last New Year's Eve, and it was a revelation. None of the cloying sweetness, just a fresh light deliciousness that evaporated right off of your tongue. For the first time in my life, I had a second glass. And at the same time I became a champagne fan, I knew I wouldn't be drinking it very often, because now I REALLY wouldn't be able to drink the cheap stuff.

You should rush right out and buy a bottle of this when I tell you that the same friends who shared the Dom with us, and who are wine connoisseurs and even make their own wine, are the same friends who discovered this Prosecco. Need I say more? This is a hot tip, folks. So get your bottle, or case, before Trader Joe's runs out. Especially if you've got a celebration coming up.

Please leave your favorite wine tips, including champagne, in the Comments section. And tell me if you know what 70s song I'm talking about.

Wine Finds

Just in time for Thanksgiving, it's another installment of Wine Finds, where I tell you about a delicious bottle of wine for under $10. I'm not a wine expert, and have never even taken a wine-tasting class, but I love wine and I drink a fair amount of it (it's still good for you, right?) As long as I don't drink an entire bottle by myself... That's only happened once, and I'll never tell when...

So if you really like to leave things until the last minute, or just didn't want to spend too much for wine for the holiday, this Fetzer Valley Oaks Merlot might be an option for you. It's an old standby of ours, kind of a nice all-around wine. It's not going to win any big awards for complexity, but hey, it's only $5.99 a bottle.

I was also happy to read recently that Fetzer vineyards is recognized for its "sustainable, earth-friendly practices" by the EPA and several other organizations. They practice responsible waste management, recycling, energy and water conservation, and are moving toward a goal of using only organically farmed grapes in their wines. That makes me feel better about making this one of our go-to bottles. Personally, I haven't been that impressed with the other varieties I've tried, but I think their Merlot is quite drinkable. I have a soft spot for Merlot, which you can read about in this post from back in July.

Fetzer winemaker Dennis Martin describes it this way: "I think our Mendocino roots show in every glass of our Merlot. It has an easy, approachable style with aromas of ripe plums and flavors of blackberry and cherry. This wine goes great with just about any meal, making it a good choice to have on hand for every day. (That’s what I do.)" Well said, Dennis. I agree.

This wine is available at Trader Joe's, and I've seen it at World Market and BevMo as well, although maybe not at the $5.99 price.

What are some of your favorite wines for under $10? Share your picks in the Comments section. And click here if you want to check out previous installments of Wine Finds.

Wine Finds

It's been a long time since my last Wine Finds post, mainly because I haven't come across anything worth telling you about. But now I have...

Wine Finds is where I tell you about a great wine that's under $10, based on my completely subjective opinion and absolutely no training whatsoever. I've never taken a wine course, read Wine Spectator magazine, or anything like that. My sole qualification is the fact that I drink a fair amount of wine, and I know what I like. I think people should be able to drink quality wine on a budget, and especially in California it's very possible to do so.

This Menage a Trois California Red Wine is a reader recommendation, and it's a great one. Betsy from Married With Luggage suggested I try it, and boy am I glad I did. I shared this with my husband and one of our best friends, and we all enjoyed it very much. Yes, appropriately, three of us shared this bottle.

The taste was complex, jam-like, and delicious. I will definitely buy it again. It's a blend of zinfandel, merlot, and cabernet sauvignon, and I think it brings the best of each to the table. And I love blends, which you can read in this post about Bogle Merlot. Betsy says they refer to it as their "house wine" because they drink it more than any other wine and buy it by the case. She says they actually get a better price that way.

Even if you don't live in California, you may soon be able to buy a greater variety of good affordable wines. When my husband and I drove across Highway 40 last month, we were surprised to see vineyards in nearly every state we passed through: Tennessee, Arkansas, New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma. We even stopped for a wine tasting in Tennessee, and bought a bottle to share in our hotel room that evening. It was a Cabernet Sauvignon, and it was smooth and delicious.

Have you ever tried the Menage a Trois? Do you have any favorite wines that cost less than $10? Let me know in the Comments section. And click here if you want to check out previous installments of Wine Finds.

Wine Finds

It's time once again for another installment of Wine Finds, where I tell you about a delicious bottle of wine for under $10.

I'm very excited to share this one with you, because this tasty bottle actually comes in just under $5, or $4.99 at good old Trader Joe's. I had a reader recommendation ready to share with you, but then I realized I should get in one more white wine selection before Labor Day. I wanted to play by the rules, you know: No white after Labor Day. Well, okay, so it refers to fashion, not wine. But since we drink more white wine in the summer than the rest of the year, I thought this was a good time for this old standby. There are still plenty of days of summer left to enjoy, if you ignore the little children on their way back to school.

After unsuccessfully looking for some of the whites suggested by readers, we tried a few other bottles of white wines that weren't Sauvignon Blanc. And I'm sorry to say, I really am picky about white wine and I really don't like a basic Chardonnay-style sweet white wine at all. So I'm bringing you one of our favorites that's great for the price.

This bottle of Stonehedge Sauvignon Blanc is smooth, crisp, and not too sweet. It comes from a small family winery in the Napa Valley. It goes great with a seafood pasta or anything vegetarian. According to the label, it's "clean and crisp on the palate with an aromatic nose followed by layers of melon, citrus, and subtle hints of passion fruit." I agree with the fruitiness.

I just looked up this wine on a few websites and it's not only rated very high, it's listed as costing $12 on one of them, and $12.99 on another. So this is an even better deal than I thought, if you can pick up a bottle at Trader Joe's for $4.99. I think I'll stock up tomorrow.

Please let me know if you try this, and if so, where you bought it and how much it cost. And tell me if you like it. Next time I'll have a reader recommendation to share with you that I'm very excited about! Please leave your thoughts, questions, and recommendations in the Comments section. And click here if you want to check out previous installments of Wine Finds.

Wine Finds

It's way past time for another installment of Wine Finds, where I tell you about a favorite bottle of wine that costs less than $10. I'm not a wine expert, nor have I ever taken a wine course or even attended many tastings, but I do drink a fair amount of wine. And I know what I like.

This month's offering is a humble Merlot. I am of the opinion that a certain overhyped, overrated film greatly tarnished this old standby's reputation. And I think it was unwarranted. The biggest sin of Merlot seems to be that it is a blend of grapes. Since I'm a big believer in stews, mutts, potlucks, and mixed-race presidents, purity doesn't hold a lot of sway for me.

So if you still enjoy a nice Merlot on occasion, this is one of the best I've found for the price. It's from a California vineyard called Bogle, which also offers a very nice Old Vine Zinfandel. I'll have to check the price on that one. This Merlot generally sells for either $7.99 or $8.99 at either Trader Joe's or World Market. I would love to hear from out-of-staters about whether you can find this, and if you can buy it for anywhere near that price.

One of the things I enjoy about Merlot is its versatility. It's great to sip on its own, with appetizers (especially cheese and crackers), or with a simple meal. This Bogle is light and not too sweet, and has a variety and intensity of flavor. According to K & L Wine Merchants, "the deep cherry fruit hits both the nose and the palate upon the first sip, followed by soft hints of summer anise. Touches of pipe tobacco and spicy oak lend weight to the finish." So there you go: a nice variety and blend of tastes.

Let me know if you try this wine or if you have any favorites I should be reviewing. I'm keeping an eye out for some of your earlier suggestions and plan on posting a reader recommendation soon. Also, do you switch from red to white in the summer? We generally drink a lot more white in the summer than we do in the winter, but I still crave my glass of red wine, especially with pizza or pasta. Please leave your thoughts and suggestions in the Comments section. And click here if you want to check out previous installments of Wine Finds.

Wine Finds

It's time for another installment of Wine Finds, and with the warm weather upon us, I thought a white selection was in order. We enjoyed our first bottle of Geyser Peak Sauvignon Blanc for the season on Memorial Day. This is our favorite bottle of white wine, it's crisp and refreshing and not too sweet.

Sunset magazine named this wine the "Best White Wine Under $10" last spring or summer. At least that's how I remember it. Looking it up online, Sunset also named it "Our favorite crisp western white under $15" and a "Steal of the Year." I'm so happy I actually read that issue because this has become a staple when we want to treat ourselves and we're in the mood for white rather than red. At $8.99, it's a little bit of a splurge, but well worth it. At least, that's the Trader Joe's price on the west coast.

This bottle has a twist-off cap rather than a cork, but don't be put off by that. From what I understand, it's actually better because corks go bad sometimes. The wineries are having a hard time marketing it, because consumers associate twist-off tops with cheap wine like Boone's Farm. But this wine is a long way from Strawberry Hill.

And as I've mentioned before, I've never taken a wine appreciation class and the only "vocabulary" I know is a word here and there I pick up from a friend. But here's a sample of the reviews of this wine: "Delightful and super-tropical, with mango, honeydew melon, peach, and soft floral notes," "outstanding palate," and "intense and bright, with a mouthwatering acidity and a long, lingering finish." So there you go.

I haven't decided whether to call myself a lush, a wino, or a wineaux, but I do enjoy a good bottle of wine, especially with friends (luckily, hardly ever by myself). And I'm hoping that my years of experience (decades) will be put to use for your benefit with my random, possibly whimsical tips. Please let me know if you try this bottle, or if you have any recommendations to tell us about in the Comments section. And to check out previous installments of Wine Finds, click here.

Wine finds

It's way past time for another installment of Wine Finds. So I hope the wait hasn't kept you from buying wine.

This is when I tell you about a delicious bottle of wine I've found for under $10. I'm not a connoisseur, and I don't use any fancy language, but I HAVE done a lot of research. Over the years. I love wine, and sharing a bottle with friends is one of my favorite activities. It can be one friend, most commonly my husband. Luckily he loves wine almost as much as I do.

I sometimes refer to myself half-jokingly as a wino. My friend Stacey who blogs at My Friend Oprah prefers the term "lush." I think maybe that is a bit more flattering, or at least less unflattering.

I recently bought this bottle of Gnarlyhead Old Vine Zinfandel for 2 reasons. The first is because I love Zinfandel, especially Old Vine Zinfandel. It's a kind of wine they do pretty well here in California. It's a less risky choice than a Pinot Noir. The second reason I'll admit was the super-cool bottle. Again, I apologize for the photo. I had to flip it horizontally and that squished it and made the bottle look stubby. It's actually a normal-sized bottle.

This was a tasty wine. It has the Zinfandel slightly fruity/sweetness, with an undercurrent of earthiness. My husband first thought it was too sweet, but then ended up liking it. Red wines particularly need to "breathe" for at least ten minutes, preferably more, to bring out their flavor. Sorry if that was too much vocabulary for you.

I found this bottle at World Market (what used to be called Cost Plus). Click here to find a store near you. They're all over the place. If you don't have a World Market nearby, you can go to Gnarlyhead's website by clicking here. Please let me know if you try this wine, or fill us in on some of your favorite under $10 wines in the Comments section. And next time I promise I'll write about a white wine.

Wine Finds

Just in time for the weekend, I'm starting a new feature called Wine Finds, which is where I tell you about a delicious wine for under $10.

First off, I know the pictures are a little lame. I'm not a photographer, obviously. But I'll work on the presentation. That still life with daffodils wasn't quite what I'd envisioned.

I've also never taken a wine class, and I don't have a wine vocabulary, you can get all that from a real wine blog (with a lot nicer photos!)

My purpose is to tell you how to get a great bottle of wine on a budget. THAT'S why I've been trying out almost every bottle of wine available at Trader Joe's, World Market, Costco, and BevMo for the past several years. To pass along my knowledge to you, my readers. NOT because I'm a wino.

But I AM a frugalista, because here's the Oxford University Press definition:"a person who leads a frugal lifestyle, but stays fashionable and healthy by swapping clothes, buying second-hand, growing own produce, etc."

Well, maybe not that part about the produce, but anyway, I love this post by The Frugalista herself, Natalie McNeal, when she says, "The only thing I would have added to the definition was that frugalistas enjoy good AND cheap wine! I kid! I kid!"

Well, I'm not kidding- good, cheap wine is one of my favorite things (cue soundtrack to either "The Sound of Music" or John Coltrane's "My Favorite Things" depending on your taste and mood) and it beats brown paper packages tied up in string. Well, those are good too, but you get my point.

This Castoro Cellars 2006 Syrah wins the honor of my first Wine Find because it's consistently delicious, appeals to all tastes, and comes in right under the limit at $9.99. It's available at Trader Joes, which I hope you have in your neighborhood.

Please share your favorite under $10 wines or let me know if you try this one in the Comments section.