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Price: $11.99 @ Blanchard's (J.P.)
Recommended by: store advertisement
Comments: We're generally fans of domestic red blends, and this wine's blend of Syrah (75%) and Cabernet (25%) was too enticing to pass up . . . especially after drinking two orders of sake with dinner. :) It was a good call. This wine started out very fruity (mostly cherry and plum) and peppery with a strong alcohol flavor (it IS 14.5% alcohol after all). It closed with a smooth cinnamon and licorice finish. Nice. It's worth noting that this wine got better as we drank it. Next time we might decant it for a bit before partaking. However, having finished the bottle, we have no regrets and feel no pain. Cheers.
Rating: 7.25/10
Price: $10.99 @ Blanchard's
Recommended by: Rob's palate
Comments: Rob came back from a wine tasting with sushi and wine -- woohoo! He picked up this Napa sauvignon blanc that he had tried at the tasting. It was quite a nice surprise! It has nice grassy and lemon flavors with a smooth, slightly tangy finish. It's not exactly a winter wine, but we love sauvignon blancs with sushi! We would definitely pick this one up again.
Rating: 7.25/10
Price: $9.99 at Trader Joes
Recommended by: It was a gift! Thanks, neighbors!
Comments: Well, the end of the summer is near, but it's not too late to partake of this happy, summery wine. Oyster Bay exhibits many of the traits that make Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs some of our very favorite wines (Matua, Villa Maria, Nobilo, Drylands). It has a bright, bold nose of citrus and grass, followed by crisp flavors of lime, grass, citrus, and kiwi. It is a bold wine, as New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs tend to be, and was a pretty yummy pairing with our spicy Chinese food tonight.
Rating: 7.25/10
Price: $13.50 @ Solera (Roslindale, MA)
Recommended by: helpful wine dude at Solera
Comments: (We're a bit tired, so pardon the lame review.) This Cab (also 12% Merlot) from Paso Robles is smooth and very enjoyable. It is fruit-forward, has a nice finish, and would be great with anything other than the ice cream we ate shortly before drinking it (Ben & Jerry's AmeriCone Dream rocks! Oh, this is a wine review -- sorry!). We suspect that a nice meaty dinner would really bring out the great flavor of this wine. We recommend it, but we still prefer Michael Pozzan's Knights Valley Cab, which is virtually the same price.
Rating: 7.25/10
Price: $5.99 @ Luke's Liquors
Recommended by: Robert and Marjorie at Wine-O-Rama
Comments: We saw this wine near the checkout lane at Luke's and remembered that Robert and Marjorie had raved about this wine. For $6, it was definitely worth a try (what's another bottle in our already full shopping basket?)! After spending way too much money at Target and Luke's tonight, we opened this bottle as soon as we got home, and toasted another Red Sox victory over the Evil Empire. We were definitely not disappointed (in the wine or the game)! It has very distinct, bold raspberry and cherry flavors and is a bit sweeter than many Merlots. It's also much smoother than we expected. If you see this in your local wine shop, pick this one up!
Rating: 7.25/10
Price: $9.99 @ Gary's Liquors
Recommended by: enticing advertising at Gary's, and we've enjoyed other Spanish whites
Comments: This wine is just another reason to love Spanish wines! It is 70% Verdejo, 20% Viura, and 10% Sauvignon Blanc, and is a lovely pairing with our brie, tomato, avocado, and sprout sandwiches. (It would also go very nicely with seafood.) The citrus (lime and grapefruit), mineral, and acidic flavors blend very well, creating a nice, summery treat. It's probably not as good as Naia or Las Brisas, but we would definitely enjoy this again.
Rating: 7.25/10
Price: $11.99 @ Gary's Liquors
Recommended by: We liked the Cortijo III, so we wanted to give this a try.
Comments: This Spanish blend (70% Tempranillo, 20% Grenache, and 10% Mazuelo) is a fabulous wine for the money. When I first tasted it, I thought it was at least a $20 bottle. It's really smooth and complex, with a mixture of fruity, spicy, and tobacco flavors. The fact that it's aged 7 years can't hurt! We will definitely be enjoying this again.
Rating: 7.25/10
Price: $10.99 @ Wine Gallery
Recommended by: Wine merchant at Blanchard's (JP)
Comments: So it's just like you'd hope it would be. A rich, flavorful, Australian Shiraz, but with bubbles. Lots of little, happy bubbles. And these bubbles accentuate the fruity Shiraz flavor (raspberry and blueberry), which is anything but subtle to begin with. It rocks. And what could make it better? It's a wicked pairing with dark chocolate. This may not be an everyday wine, but when we're in the mood for this distinctive wine, it is fantastic.
Rating: 7.25/10
Price: $7.99
Recommended by: staff at wine store in Hingham
Tasting notes: This wine makes us smile. Bright with flavors of cherry, blueberry, and plum, it is very light but rich in flavor. Its price and yumminess guarantee that we will be getting it again soon.
Rating: 7.25/10
Price: $9.99 at Trader Joe's
Recommended by: Patron at the Boston Wine Expo and Oldman's Guide to Outsmarting Wine (see "Recommended Reads" in sidebar)
Tasting notes: Strong flavors of lemon and peaches. It wasn't as smooth as Villa Maria, another Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, but has a great citrusy taste.
Rating: 7/10
Price: $11.99 @ Blanchard's (J.P.)
