Archive for the '$5-10' Category

Washington Hills Shiraz 2005

Wine: Washington Hillswashington hills shiraz

Type: Shiraz

Origin: Columbia Valley, Washington, USA

Year: 2005

Cost: $7.99

Alcohol: 13.5%

Purchased: Corridor Wine & Spirits, Laurel, MD

Rating: 5/10

Value: 5/10

Our opinion:

We enjoyed this bottle of wine before, during, and after a meal of carry out curry dishes from Indian Delight in Catonsville. The wine is fine…drinks easy enough.. but it’s not great. It comes at a lower price tag than others we’ve reviewed, but also lacks any intriguing flavors in our opinion. Next to other cheap wines it’s not bad but we wouldn’t purchase this one again. If it came down to this and a bottle of Vendage or Boordy, I’d go with Washington Hills, but if you have full run of the wine shop, keep looking!

According to other reviewers, it seems that the Washington Hills Cabernet Merlot blend is a great choice. Perhaps we should give that one a try before writing them off, because at 7.99 a bottle, cheapos are happy.
Others Say:

Tasting notes: “Notes of black cherry and hints of smoke fill the nose of this deep red wine. Sweet black cherry flavors continue on the palate finishing with smooth silky tannins.”

admin on 14 Jul 2008 | $5-10 &Red Wine &shiraz &USA | Comments (0)

Smoking Loon Sauvignon Blanc 2005

Wine: Smoking Loon

Type: Sauvignon Blanc

Origin: California, USA

Year: 2005

Cost: $10.99 (In at 7-11 in Ocean City, MD.. so I’m sure you can find it cheaper!)

Alcohol: 13.5%

Purchased: 7-11 Ocean City (we believe it is widely available however)

Rating: 7/10

Value: 6/10

Our opinion:

We opened this bottle when making a delicious seafood pasta with scallops and shrimp in a white wine and garlic cream sauce during a weekend in Ocean City. As mentioned above, it was picked up from a 7-11 down the street, no doubt marked up at least 1-2 dollars higher than you can probably find it elsewhere. We are going to classify this as a 5-10 dollar wine for that reason.

The wine seemed to go very well both in and with the pasta we made. It was a bit citrusy and tangy but almost bordered on sweet for a sauvignon blanc. The Smoking Loon is a California wine made in the New Zealand Suavignon Blanc tradition. It was definitely drinkable but not terribly exciting, though we would have fought for the last glass of it. The taste was pleasant but seemed to drop off quickly. It does seem difficult to find many cheaply-priced and good white wines if you’re not a big fan of the sweeter ones, so we will rate this at at 7. The value is a bit lower as the price we paid wasn’t the best. I’m sure if you can find it for $6 it would be a great buy. We may try to find this one again somewhere and give it a second look.

Wine maker notes: “This bleached blonde beauty is reminiscent of fresh green apples, pineapple and has hints of hibiscus blossoms. The concentration of zesty lemon and gooseberry fills your mouth leaving notes of thyme and melon behind. The bright acid in this wine gives you a zing while the fruit keeps your mouth watering for more.”

Others Say:

Budget Vino: “The first sip of this wine was pretty harsh compared to the Geyser Peak. It just didn’t have the same richness in flavor and was a bit tart and tangy. But, it got a lot better on the second, third, forth and fifth sips. It went down easily with salad, fish and cous cous.”

Wine Waves: “Color: Pale straw “bleached blonde”. Aromas: Nectarine, green apple, hints of passionfruit and spearmint. Juicy, tart and light on the tongue, the lemon, gooseberry and mineral flavors are vibrant and harmonious. The finish is refreshing and damn near dry.”

admin on 07 Jul 2008 | $5-10 &California &Sauvignon Blanc &USA &White Wine | Comments (0)

Anakena Chile Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Wine: Anakena

Type: Cabernet Sauvignon

Origin: Chile

Year: 2007

Cost: $8.99

Alcohol: 13.5%

Rating: 7/10

Value: 7/10

Our opinion:

It’s hard to compare this wine to others, seeing as it has such a different taste. It was almost peppery and spicy. By itself, and without decantering a while, it was offensive. Give it 20 minutes without touching your glass, and it rounds out nicely. Try it with some beef fajitas, and it’s delicious. Even after the food is gone, the wine is good. Not one we’d have every night, but certainly once every few weeks given the right opportunity.

Others Say:

“Nice deep purple color; earthy aromas with enough fruit to provide a nice balance. Has a nice smooth taste with nicely balanced fruit. Long finsh. A great value wine”

admin on 28 Jun 2008 | $5-10 &Cabernet Sauvignon &Chile &Red Wine | Comments (0)

Silverwing 2005 Shiraz Grenache Mclaren Vale

Wine: Silverwing

Type: Shiraz Grenache

Origin: Australia

Year: 2005

Cost: $9.99

Alcohol: 14.5%

Rating: 7/10

Value: 7/10

Our opinion:

Yum! A good blend of shiraz and grenache for a decent price. Certainly not too light, but with a good amount of flavor. We also promise that while this wine is good, it clocks in at 14.5% alcohol and will indeed get you drunk without you knowing it! Let it sit a bit before drinking, it has a few years behind it already! Recommended.

Others Say:

“McLaren Vale, Australia- Interesting blend of Shiraz and Grenache full of dark fruits. Explosive flavors of blackberry, plum, perfumed raspberries and hints of pepper and spice lead to a generous finish with some earthy tones. Enjoy with spicy dishes, pork chops or hearty stews. {Intense Fruit, Berry, Medium-bodied}”

admin on 28 Jun 2008 | $5-10 &australia &Blend &shiraz | Comments (0)

Blue Flame Shiraz 2006

Wine: Blue Flame

Type: Shiraz

Origin: France

Year: 2006

Cost: $8.99

Alcohol: 13%

Rating: 6/10

Value: 7/10

Our opinion:

Not a bad shiraz … and certainly the bottle is different with it’s blue and orange coloring.. For the price a decent choice. Not top of the line, but not very expensive either. The taste was good but seemed to end abruptly as well. Maybe the French take a slightly different approach to a Shiraz than the Aussies we’re used to drinking!

Others Say:

“France- This fruit-driven, crowd-pleasing Shiraz reveals a deep ruby/purple color, plush, straightforward blackberry and cherry fruit, beautiful purity. The ripe fruit is supported by a succulent texture and medium tannins. {Fresh, Cherry, Spice, Blackberry, Medium-bodied}”

admin on 28 Jun 2008 | $5-10 &France &shiraz | Comments (0)

2007 Gavi Saula Tenuta La Marchesa

Wine: Saula

Type: Gavi

Gavi Saula \

Origin: Italy

Year: 2007

Cost: $9.00 (?)

Alcohol: 12%

Rating: 7/10

Value: 6/10

Our opinion:

We’ve never had this kind of wine before, but it reminded me a bit of a pinot grigio. From the Novi Ligurie region of Italy, this particular wine is bottled from grapes harvested on an “farm hotel”. The bottle has a link to their website: Tenuta La Marchesa

The taste of this wine is fruity and lightly sweet, yet not overly so. Delicious with the fish we just ate, the wine is medium bodied and a full round taste to start with a slightly tangy finish.

We didn’t find any reviews for this particular variety, but we did find that you can stay at a hotel there for 100 euro a night per room, or 100 per person if you want full board. It looks very relaxing…..

Ironically you can’t find this Gavi Saula wine on their website, so I’m not sure how you’d order it. Once again this came from Corridor in Laurel.

I enjoyed it, a very decent white wine. Our pricing might be off and it could have been a much cheaper wine. If we could only find the prices online…..

admin on 21 Jun 2008 | $5-10 &Italy &White Wine | Comments (0)

D’Autrefois Pinot Noir 2006

Wine: D’Autrefois Alfio Moriconi Selection

Type: Pinot Noir

Origin: France

Year: 2006

Cost: $9.99

Alcohol: 13%

Rating: 7/10

Value: 6/10

Our opinion:

We don’t usually drink Pinot Noir, so maybe our opinion doesn’t count. But here it is anyway: At first we thought the wine to be a bit tangy, but allowing it to sit as little as ten minutes seemed to improve the taste. The result is a light, fruity wine that is beautiful in color and an acceptable red to drink in 100 degree weather in our sweltering apartment. Nothing too exciting, still a little tangy, but not a bad choice for an everyday wine.
Others Say:

From Cellartracker.com :
“Light bodied, medium fruit. Easy to drink- good every day wine.”
“Simple wine with decent fruit flavors. Was given as a cheap gift. ”
“Light fruit, very nice, good value for money. “

From Wineaccess.com :
“Merchant Review: Vin de Pays, France- Fantastic value in a complex Pinot Noir, from a winery with longstanding ties to Burgundy. An alluring bouquet of cherry and berry fruit is framed by subtle vanilla and spice notes. Ripe, crisp finish. A staff favorite! Enjoy with salmon, chicken or pork. {Fresh, Cherry, Raspberry, Medium-bodied}”
“A nice wine to enjoy with a spicy dishes. Mild and fruity in the front with a very subtle peppery feel in the end. A good wine for $10, though it is not what I expected from a French Pinot.”
“ Most Pinot Noirs under $40 are undrinkable–that’s a fact. :) PN is a tough grape to vinify and most wineries aren’t up to the task. Don’t expect a lot of complexity here, but you do get a nice nose, some varietal flavors, and and a short clean finish. Romanee Conti it ain’t, but $10 you gets you a brief peek at heaven even if it leaves you standing outside the gates”
“ I actually thought this to be a little flat and not really what I expect out of a Pinot Noir. I am much more familiar with California Pinots, and if this is typical of French Pinot, I think I’ll stick with the USA.”

^ Maybe we should try a California Pinot next!

admin on 08 Jun 2008 | $5-10 &France &Pinot Noir &Red Wine | Comments (0)

McWilliams Shiraz 2006

Wine: McWilliams

Type: Shiraz

Origin: Australia

Year: 2006

Cost: $8.99

Rating: 6/10

Value: 6/10

Our opinion:

Tangy to start, but improves after allowing the wine to sit for 10 minutes or so after pouring. Not much depth or complexity, but drinkable and pleasant enough. Overall not the best choice for the price, but not the worst either.

Winemaker’s notes:

Color: Crimson red, with purple hues.

Aroma: Dark black fruit aromas of plum combine with spice and vanillin oak.

Palate: The supple yet generous palate is dominated by rich, spicy prune juice and black berry fruit flavors. The wine is soft and well balanced with a lingering, chamois-like tannin finish.

Serving suggestions: Beef rending or baba ghanoush with toasted Turkish bread.

admin on 07 Jun 2008 | $5-10 | Comments (0)

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