CheapoWino

Wine: Beauzeau / Bozo

Type: Blend / Red Wine

Origin: California

Year: 2005

Cost: $10.99

Rating: 7/10

Value: 6/10

Alcohol: 12.5%

Our opinion:

We had just finished installing our new wall-mount wine rack and decided to load’er up.  Suddenly wine started dripping down the wall… Oh no!! One of the bottles we put in there was a screw cap, and the motion of twisting the bottle securely into place in the rack apparently twisted the lid right off!   What happened next was an…

!!! !!! EMERGENCY CONSUMPTION OF OPEN WINE !!! !!!

At first we were wary that maybe the bottle wasn’t securely closed, and started thinking bad thoughts.  After a quick zip through the aerator, we decided the wine was actually quite good! It wasn’t the #1 smoothest wine ever, it still had a little tang to it, but overall was very tasty.  Bozo would make a great table wine, and the funny juggling guy on the cover is good for a laugh.  The Juggler signifies the way this blend is somehow balancing 8 different grape varietals in one bottle!  A nice blend, at a decent price.

Winemaker’s notes:

Juggling too many balls these days? We know just how you feel. Life shouldn’t always be so serious and neither should your wine, so we set out to make a blend just for the fun of it. Eight different varietals are included in our 2005 Beauzeaux Red Wine ? mostly Zinfandel and Syrah, with small amounts of Petite Sirah, Charbono and others. Show off to your wine geek friends when you tell them it also contains 2% Lagrein, a red grape variety mentioned in the 17th century records of a Benedictine monastery.

This is the wine to reach for when friends show up for pizza. Ripe red and black berry characters with jammy pie flavors and some black pepper to boot make it rich and hearty enough to stand up to your best baby back ribs. And the capper? Nothing but a screwcap would do.

Others Say:

From Wine.com

“My wife and I enjoyed this unique red blend. It’s a good value for an everyday table wine, but offers a bit more spice than the more common cab and merlot dominant red blends.”

“My fiancee and love this wine. We bought a case a few months ago and just bought two more. It’s our house wine. We’ll serve something nicer with a meal we go to a lot of trouble over, but for the price it can’t be beat.”

Wine: Castello Banfi

Type:Chianti Classico Riserva

Origin: Italy

Year: 2004

Cost: $14.99

Rating: 7/10

Value: 4/10

Alcohol: 13%

Our opinion:

BOOOOORRRRINGGGGGG.

So after our glass of Tin Shed Shiraz, which as amazing, we selected a Chianti Classico off a wine list at the Antrim 1844 (www.antrim1844.com) to go with our dinner. We were prepared to lay down $45 for this 2001 Riserva, but they pulled the “ol switcheroo” on us, and brought this 2004 out on us.

I don’t know if this had anything to do with the fact that the previous glass of wine was so perfect, but this wine just did nothing for us. We tried to convince ourselves it was good, due to the fact that we were paying quite a bit for it, but neither of us were really falling for it.

It was easy to drink, light, lacked flavor, lacked a nose, and the taste (what little of one there was) fell off sharply as soon as it hit your palate. Maybe we had a bad bottle, because other reviewers seem to think it’s a nice buy. But in our opinion, don’t bore yourself. Not for $14. And certainly not for the $42 we paid for it!!

Bah.

Winemaker’s notes:

Grape Varieties: Sangiovese, Canaiolo Nero, Cabernet Sauvignon

“Chianti may well be the single best-known wine in the world - historically celebrated, universally revered and enjoyed over centuries. Produced from select grapes grown in the “Classico” region of Chianti between Siena and Florence, this aristocratic Tuscan wine has reached new heights in Banfi Chianti Classico Riserva. After aging two years in Slavonian oak casks, this elegant, well-balanced wine has flavors of vanilla, cocoa and spice.

An honored red wine, Banfi Chianti Classico Riserva is a fine gourmet accompaniment to red roasts, pastas and cheese.”

Others Say:

“Another award winning wine from the Banfi Vinyard. Smooth but yet tasteful, not too tanic, well blended. Great choice to compliment your dinner with a light red wine.”

“Round, subtle and elegant, typical of a full-bodied Chianti Classico. Ruby-red in color with an intense vanilla and licorice bouquet.”

Wine: Tin Shed “Melting Pot”

Type: Shiraz

Origin: Australia

Year: 2005 (????)

Cost: $35.99 ??

Rating: 10/10

Value: 8/10

Alcohol: ??%

Our opinion:

This wine probably shouldn’t be on a cheapo wino blog, but every now and then you have to treat yourself, to see what you’re missing. We went to the Antrim 1844 for a dinner the other evening and each had a ($15) glass (!!) of this wine before we ate. It was amazing! Honestly I cannot remember a Shiraz this delicious and balanced and perfect tasting. Nothing was too strong, nothing was weak, it wasn’t too heavy or light or spicy or fruity or sweet or dry. Everything just seemed right. Every sip was delicious and exciting. If you want to splurge, you need to know what on. We were told that there were no more of these bottles available for purchase anywhere; the Antrim had bought them all out. However, I see it on both Corridor and Total Wine & More websites. Corridor in Laurel seems to carry it, but if anyone goes there and looks for it, let us know if they have it in stock!

We unfortunately don’t know the year, but all the years have great reviews and > 90 points for their ratings, so my guess is you can’t go wrong.

Merchant Reviews:

Barossa Valley, Australia- The Melting Pot Shiraz offers wonderful aromas of cassis, black pepper and licorice. This rich and full-bodied Shiraz encompasses remarkable flavor intensity and a lengthy finish. {Intense, Licorice, Currant, Full-bodied}”

Others Say:

Bright and aromatic with lovely fruit characters. The palate is smooth with spice and fruits.

“A stunning offering, the 2005 Shiraz Melting Pot reveals flamboyant aromas of cassis, black pepper, licorice, and espresso roast. This medium to full-bodied, pure, rich Shiraz offers another example of the seamlessness of this vintage.”
- Wine Advocate (#167, Oct 2006), 91-94 pts

Wine: Sanrocchetto

Type: Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico

Origin: Italy - The Marches

Year: 2007

Cost: $10.99

Rating: 9/10

Value: 9/10

Alcohol: 12.5%

Our opinion:

The bottle looked different, and it had a great review at the wine store, so we decided to try it out.  i was cooking a dish witch chicken seasoned with Italian spices and stuffed with mozzarella, sauteed with onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, and white wine, so I decided to open this one.

I loved it…! Even though the first swig was straight from the bottle, and the next taste was in a glass that I had to add ice to, I really enjoyed this white.  White wines aren’t always easy to differentiate, apart from being ‘really bad’ or ‘too sweet’ or ’so acidic I want to bite my tongue off and spit it out.”  This one was lightly fruity, just a little sweet, but ended dry.  I started calling it the champagne of white wines.  I don’t know if it’s entirely true, but it had something about it reminiscent of champagne.  Personally, one of my favorite whites, for a great price.  I say go for it!

Other Notes:

“Verdicchio … Smooth and balanced it has a light straw color, sometimes slightly green, Nice floral aroma on the nose and a dry but not astringent fruit flavor with a slight bitter finish.This wine well will go well with pungent Italian cheese like Pecorino, nuts, olives and seafood dishes.”

“ A classic dry white wine, best drunk young to appreciate its freshness.”