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Trader Joe’s Wines – Again Exceeding Expectations
Every time I get in a close proximity of the Trader Joe’s stores which sell wine, I always have to go and check out what is happening there – and, of course, try some wines. This time it was in November in California.
I don’t get to visit the Trader Joe’s wine section all that often – yes, we have Trader Joe’s here in Connecticut, but the only type of alcohol the stores can sell here is beer. My last experience with the wine section in Trader Joe’s was about a year ago. This time, I thought that the selection of wines and hard liquors expanded quite a bit, even though it was rather substantial even before. This time I saw a number of large format bottles, including 3L Italian wine for about $20! More spirits, including Calvados for $19.99 (I challenge you to find a Calvados for such a price at any wine store you frequent). I don’t know how Trader Joe’s can do this, but this is pretty remarkable.
Usually, when you see a cheap bottle of wine, the thought is – is that any good? So clearly in the spirit of research, I willingly subjected myself to the scientific drinking experiment – what $20 can buy for you? Okay, I have to be honest with you – I spent more money. A whole $3 more. So the experiment should be officially called “What wine $23 can buy for you at Trader Joe’s”. You can see my tasting line up in the picture below, and the notes follow right after.
What $23 can buy you at Trader Joe’s
And here are the notes:
2012 Cosmia Pinot Noir Sonoma County (13.5% ABV, $7.99) – ruby red in the glass, sweet cherries with a touch of smokiness on the nose, dark sweet cherries on the palate with some mushroom notes, round, simple, medium to long finish. Probably [one of] the best Pinot Noir wines the money can buy for $8. Drinkability: 7+
2013 Trader Joe’s Vinas Chilenas Chardonnay Reserva, Valle Central, Chile (13% ABV, $2.99) – light straw color in the glass, white apples, vanilla and touch of tropical fruit on the nose, crispy apple on the palate, vanilla, nice acidity, very round and balanced. Note that most of the notes are taken on the day number 4 after the bottle was opened – stored with the regular cork in the fridge. Pretty spectacular considering the price. Drinkability: 7+
2010 Cala de Poeti Maremma Toscana IGT, Italy (13% ABV, $5.99) – A super-Tuscan for $5.99, huh? Should be pretty laughable, you think? Not at all! Dark garnet color in the glass, nose of dark plums and herbs, dark cherries, eucalyptus, tart raspberries and dark chocolate on the palate, firm structure, still present tannins (on the day 4!), excellent balance. I’m duly impressed. Drinkability: 8-
2012 Black Mountain Vineyard Zinfandel, California (12.5% ABV, $5.99) – dark garnet color in the glass, gunpowder (!) and cherries on the nose (yep, I know, sorry), raspberries and blueberries on the palate, but not overly sweet, with balancing acidity, more of tobacco and gunpowder note on the palate (is that “too much sulfites”? No idea, the wine didn’t give me any adverse reaction). Quite an unusual rendition of Zinfandel, but very, very enjoyable. Drinkability: 7+
That’s all I have for you for today. Have you tasted these Trader Joe’s wines? What do you think of them? What do you think about Trader Joe’s wines in general? Comment away! Cheers!
[Mind Boggling] Price of Wine
I’m again [lucky bastard] in Portugal, and get to enjoy this beautiful country. Of course one of the first places I have to visit is a supermarket, to see what’s new in the wine section (you can find some illustrations for my first encounter here). My eyes stop on the bottle of wine from the unknown region for me – Tejo. There were both red and white wines, standing next to each other, so I decided to grab both.
Let me give you description of the wines.
2012 Enóloga Antonina Barbosa Vinho Branco Tejo Vinho Regional (12.5% ABV, made from the Portuguese grape called Fernao Pires): Light yellowish color in the glass. Spectacular perfumed nose, resembling some of the best French Viognier – shows bright perfumed fruit, very elegant, not over the top. Very round and delicate on the palate, touch of apricot, peach and white apple, fresh acidity, perfectly dry and balanced. Drinkability: 8
2012 Enóloga Antonina Barbosa Vinho Tinto Tejo Vinho Regional (13% ABV, a blend of Aragonez, Castelao and Cabernet Sauvignon): Ruby red color in the glass. Fresh fruit nose, shows nice ripe concentrated fruit and a touch of earthiness. On the palate, very restrained, dry, touch of tart cherries, some earthiness and light tannins presence. Good acidity and good overall balance. Drinkability: 7
So we are looking at two good wines. Now, let me ask you a question. Based on the description above, how much these wines should cost?
I will give you a few seconds to think about.
And a few more seconds.
And a few more.
Ready? What do you think?
Okay, we can skip the drum roll, but let me know if you expected to see this number.
€1.29 each.
A whooping €1.29.
I think this is pretty impressive, that such a level of quality can be achieved at such a price of the wine. This wine is a private label, made for the Pingo Doce stores, by the Falua winery. Of course as this is the case with the private labels, no additional details can be found on the winery web site.
I also learned about relatively new designation for the Portuguese wines – Tejo Vinha Regional, which was created in 2009 to be used in the Ribatejo region. Ribatejo DOC (higher classification) is retained for some specific areas of the region.
That’s all I have for you for now. There were many other great wines, food and very special experiences, like Port barrel tasting all the way to the 1970 – this all hopefully will be shared in this blog in the orderly fashion.
So, can you top my quality/price ratio? I will let you think about it. Cheers!
Following Wines Til Sold Out – September Cheapskate Marathon
And here we come again – one of my favorite subjects – a round up of a Wine Til Sold Out wine marathon event. This time around the event took place on Tuesday (September 10th) instead of traditional Wednesday. It also lasted for 17 hours instead of 18. For those who are not familiar with the Cheapskate Marathon, it is the event which takes place once in the few month on WTSO.com, where all the wines are priced in the fixed range of $7.99 to $18.99 and typically are sold in the quantity of 4. Also, unlike normal course of sales at WTSO, during Cheapskate the new wines are only advertized on Twitter and you need to keep refreshing the main WTSO web page in order to see the new wines coming out.
Below are the stats for the event – if you are interested in comparing with the past events, you can find three of the recent posts here, here and here.
| Time | Wine | Rating | MSRP | Price | %off |
| 11:01p | THATS ALL FOLKS! THANK YOU to everyone who participated in our #CheapskateMarathon -it’s been a blast! Hope you got some great deals! CHEERS | ||||
| 11:01p | La Fornace Brunello di Montalcino 2006 | JS93, WS93 | $78.00 | $34.99 | 55% |
| 10:52p | Bordeaux Superieur 2010 Chateau de Macard By Amelie Aubert | IWR90 | $21.99 | $10.99 | 50% |
| 10:39p | Montagny Chardonnay Louis Latour 2011 | $28.00 | $14.99 | 46% | |
| 10:36p | Super Tuscan 2007 Scopone ‘Il Bagatto’ #48 JS Top 100! | JS93 | $60.00 | $17.99 | 70% |
| 10:31p | Thumbprint Pinot Noir Erica’s Vineyard Winemakers Reserve 2012 | JHN92 | $45.00 | $18.99 | 58% |
| 10:23p | Falesco ‘Tellus’ Syrah IGT Lazio, Italy 2011 | WA89, WS89 | $21.00 | $11.99 | 43% |
| 10:08p | Vinsobres 2010 Southern Rhone Cru Dom. Constant-Duquesnoy | WS91 | $34.99 | $15.99 | 54% |
| 10:02p | Shadowood Red Blend Napa Valley 2009 | JHN93 | $40.00 | $16.99 | 58% |
| 9:50p | Rioja DOC Crianza 2007 Bodegas Baigorri | ST90 | $35.00 | $14.99 | 57% |
| 9:41p | Cremant de Bourgogne Blanc de Blancs Brut NV Jaffelin Grand Cuvee Speciale | JHN91 | $30.00 | $12.99 | 57% |
| 9:30p | Provenance Merlot 2009 Napa Valley | $35.00 | $16.99 | 51% | |
| 9:20p | Maxwell Creek Reserve Chardonnay 2011 Napa Valley | JHN91 | $29.99 | $14.99 | 50% |
| 9:14p | Fontegalli Vino Rosso IGT Fattoria Lavacchio 2003 | WS90 | $39.99 | $18.19 | 55% |
| 9:05p | Ribera del Duero ‘Arrocal’ Tinto Fino 2009 Bodegas Arrocal | WA90, WE90 | $19.99 | $11.99 | 40% |
| 9:01p | Merlot Reserve Meadowcroft Wines Napa Valley 2006 | $32.00 | $12.99 | 59% | |
| 8:52p | Tallulah ‘Como’ Marsanne Stagecoach Vineyard Napa Valley 2010 | JHN91-92 | $40.00 | $17.99 | 55% |
| 8:42p | Maroon Napa Cabernet Heritage Collection 2010 | $40.00 | $18.99 | 53% | |
| 8:31p | Chianti Riserva DOCG Rio Camerata 2006 Fattoria di Piazzano | WA91, ST90 | $30.00 | $14.99 | 50% |
| 8:11p | Sardinia White Wine Argiolas ‘Iselis’ Bianco Isola dei Nuraghi IGT 2012 | $28.00 | $12.99 | 54% | |
| 8:01p | Northern Rhone Syrah Saint-Joseph AOC 2010 Les Larmes du Pere Maison Alain Paret | IWR91, W&S90 | $51.99 | $18.99 | 63% |
| 7:56p | Bodegas Estefania Tilenus Envejecido en Roble Bierzo D.O. 2010 | ST90 | $24.99 | $10.99 | 56% |
| 7:51p | Montepulciano D’Abruzzo 2009 Single-Vineyard Orsogna Cantina Mallorio | $25.00 | $9.99 | 60% | |
| 7:47p | Pinot Noir Reserve Robert Storey Cellars Carneros 2009 | JHN92 | $39.99 | $17.99 | 55% |
| 7:41p | Secoya Sauvignon Blanc ‘Mello Vineyard’ 2012 | $24.00 | $12.99 | 46% | |
| 7:34p | Super Tuscan 2007 AnimaLibera ‘Alma 3’ Toscana IGT By Emiliano Falsini | $32.00 | $11.99 | 63% | |
| 7:24p | Red Rhone Blend 2009 Minervois Lo Mainatge La Croix de St. Jean | WA90-91 | $30.00 | $11.99 | 60% |
| 7:11p | Chianti Classico DOCG Savignola Paolina 2010 | JS91 | $32.00 | $14.99 | 53% |
| 7:03p | Robert Oatley Cabernet/Merlot Blend Mudgee, Australia 2009 | WS89 | $20.00 | $9.99 | 50% |
| 6:56p | Gauthier Zinfandel Los Chamizal Vineyard Sonoma Valley 2011 | JHN91, WE90 | $42.00 | $14.99 | 64% |
| 6:41p | Macon-Chardonnay ‘Les Crets’ 2009 Chateau De Messey | JHN91 | $28.99 | $14.99 | 48% |
| 6:31p | Territorial Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2011 | $24.00 | $14.99 | ||
| 6:18p | Languedoc Vin Rouge Pic Saint-Loup ‘Bonne Pioche’ Domaine Clavel 2010 | WA90-91+ | $39.99 | $14.99 | 63% |
| 6:13p | Blanc de Blanc Brut Philippe Herard NV Methode Traditionalle Sparkling Wine | $22.00 | $10.99 | 50% | |
| 5:57p | 93 Pt. Eden Road Shiraz The Long Road 2010 Canberra, Australia | JH93, ST91 | $28.00 | $15.99 | 43% |
| 5:49p | Pighin Red Cuvee Terre di Risano 2008 Friuli Grave DOC | $25.00 | $9.99 | 60% | |
| 5:43p | Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Londer Estate Vineyards Calstar Cellars 2007 | CG89 | $50.00 | $17.99 | 64% |
| 5:32p | Sauternes 2010 Bastor Lamontagne Chateau Bordenave | $42.00 | $16.99 | 60% | |
| 5:24p | Rosat Cava Brut Nature Loxarel ‘999’ NV Best Buy 2012 | W&S91 | $16.99 | $9.99 | 41% |
| 5:14p | Cotes Du Roussillon Villages AOC ‘Cuvee Constance’ 2010 Domaine Thunevin-Calvet | WA90-91+ | $29.99 | $13.99 | 53% |
| 5:06p | Chianti Classico Riserva Savignola Paolina 2008 | JS92 | $45.00 | $18.99 | 58% |
| 5:01p | Petite Sirah Reserve 2010 Stonehedge Winery Dry Creek Valley | 90 | 50% | ||
| 4:46p | Kingsford Manor Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2011 Napa Valley | JHN91+ | $24.99 | $12.99 | 48% |
| 4:35p | Salento IGT Negroamaro Tenute Materdomini Marangi 2009 | $20.00 | $11.99 | 40% | |
| 4:30p | Cotes-du-Rhone Blanc ‘Valvigneyre’ 2011 Maison Alain Paret | $22.99 | $10.99 | 52% | |
| 4:14p | Orentano Pinot Noir 2009 Russian River Valley R. Buoncristiani Vineyard | $38.00 | $17.99 | 53% | |
| 4:11p | Castlebank Cabernet Reserve 2008 Sonoma County | JHN92 | $37.99 | $15.99 | 58% |
| 3:57p | Tinta de Toro Old Vine Carodorum ‘Issos’ 2010 Carmen Rodriguez Mendez | WA90 | $22.00 | $12.99 | 41% |
| 3:47p | Bella Vetta Vineyards 2008 Rockpile Zinfandel | CG92, WE90 | $34.00 | $16.99 | 50% |
| 3:38p | Bourgogne Pinot Noir Philippe Leclerc 2009 | JHN91-92 | $35.00 | $16.99 | 51% |
| 3:28p | Riesling Spatlese Urziger Wurzgarten Markus Molitor 2009 Mosel, Germany | WA90, WS90 | $30.00 | $18.99 | 37% |
| 3:22p | Malbec Reserva 2009 Bodega Clop ‘Los Clop’ Mendoza, Argentina | WA90 | $25.00 | $13.99 | 44% |
| 3:07p | Right Bank Bordeaux Puisseguin Saint-Emilion 2009 Chateau Rigaud | WS90 | $32.99 | $16.99 | 49% |
| 3:01p | Michel-Schlumberger Red ‘Coteaux Sauvages’ 2009 Dry Creek Valley | JHN92+ | $62.00 | $18.99 | 69% |
| 2:49p | Ardeche Viognier 2011 Vin de Pays IGP Coteaux de L’Ardeche Maison Louis Latour | $27.00 | $12.99 | 52% | |
| 2:42p | Burgess Cellars Merlot Oak Knoll, Napa 2007 | WRO90 | $28.00 | $14.99 | 46% |
| 2:39p | Bernabe Navarro ‘Beryna’ Alicante DO 2008 | WA92 | $55.00 | $13.99 | 75% |
| 2:24p | Friulano 2011 Terre Di Risano by Pighin & Figli | $25.00 | $11.99 | 52% | |
| 2:20p | Pinot Noir ‘Crane Vineyard’ David Noyes Wines Sonoma Coast 2008 | JHN92 | $50.00 | $17.99 | 64% |
| 2:07p | Northern Rhone Cru St.-Joseph 2011 Louis Cheze ‘Ro-Ree’ | RR91, ST90 | $50.00 | $17.99 | 64% |
| 1:56p | Quixote Petite Sirah ‘Pretense’ 2009 By Carl Doumani | $25.00 | $12.99 | 48% | |
| 1:45p | Gavi di Gavi DOCG 2012 Michele Chiarlo ‘Rovereto’ | $40.00 | $17.99 | 55% | |
| 1:39p | Chianti DOCG 2011 ‘Colle De’ Fossili’ Fattoria Piccaratico | $21.00 | $9.99 | 52% | |
| 1:35p | Dignitas Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2010 By David Stevens | JHN93 | $50.00 | $18.99 | 62% |
| 1:30p | Casa di Terra ‘Moreccio’ IGT Super Tuscan Bolgheri 2010 | JS92, ST91 | $45.00 | $15.99 | 64% |
| 1:14p | Ridgeline Cabernet Franc Napa Valley 2010 By Mark Beringer | JHN91 | $35.00 | $15.99 | 54% |
| 1:00p | Rioja Reserva 2004 Diez-Caballero Vendimia Seleccionada | WA91+ | $38.00 | $16.99 | 55% |
| 12:44p | N.Z. Sauvignon Blanc Spy Valley Wines Marlborough 2011 | WA89, WS89 | $20.00 | $12.99 | 35% |
| 12:29p | Maremma Toscana Syrah Pieve Dei Monaci 2010 Cantina Pieve Vecchia | ST90, WE90 | $20.00 | $12.99 | 35% |
| 12:22p | Robert Storey Red Alexander Valley 2010 By Nick Goldschmidt | $37.99 | $12.99 | 66% | |
| 12:14p | Cotes-du-Rhone Cuvee Prestige 2011 Auguste Ravier | $15.99 | $9.99 | 38% | |
| 11:56a | Southern Rhone Cru ‘Rasteau’ 2010 Domaine Fond Croze By Philippe Cambie | WS91, RR91 | $35.00 | $17.49 | 50% |
| 11:47a | Napa Red Blend Verismo ‘Stella’ 2007 | JHN92 | $36.00 | $15.99 | 56% |
| 11:34a | Vionta Albarino 2010 Limited Release Rias Baixas, Spain | WE89 | $18.00 | $9.99 | 45% |
| 11:26a | Morellino di Scansano AnimaLibera 2009 By Emiliano Falsini | $30.00 | $9.99 | 67% | |
| 11:14a | McCrea Cellars Syrah ‘Cuvee Orleans’ 2006 Yakima Valley | WE91 | $40.00 | $16.99 | 58% |
| 11:08a | Barrister Red Wine Sonoma County 2010 By Zach Long | JHN92 | $35.00 | $14.99 | 57% |
| 11:01a | Spanish Red Wine Arrayan Petit Verdot 2007 | WA91+ | $34.00 | $17.99 | 47% |
| 10:56a | Maroon Napa Cabernet Heritage Collection 2010 | $40.00 | $18.99 | 53% | |
| 10:49a | Black Stallion Chardonnay Napa Valley 2010 | $32.00 | $14.99 | 53% | |
| 10:44a | Bordeaux Rouge 2011 Chateau Lucat | $15.99 | $7.99 | 50% | |
| 10:38a | Chianti Classico Riserva Castello di Bibbione 2008 | JS92, WE91 | $35.00 | $17.99 | 49% |
| 10:30a | Valley Gate Chardonnay Versada Vineyard Napa Valley 2010 | JHN92+ | $39.99 | $13.99 | 65% |
| 10:19a | d’Arenberg Shiraz / Viognier 2009 ‘The Laughing Magpie’ McLaren Vale | WA91, ST91 | $30.00 | $18.99 | 37% |
| 10:16a | Cabernet Reserve 2011 Mockingbird Hill Winery Napa Valley By Reed Renaudinrating | 92 | 58% | ||
| 10:09a | La Tribu Red Wine 2010Bodegas El Angosto | WA90 | $16.99 | $8.99 | 47% |
| 10:02a | Estate Sauvignon Blanc Ant Moore 2012 Marlborough, NZ | $20.00 | $11.99 | 40% | |
| 9:56a | Russian River Pinot Noir David Noyes Wines 2008 | JHN91+ | $50.00 | $16.99 | 66% |
| 9:52a | Castlebank Zinfandel O.V. Giulia’s Vineyard 2010 Dry Creek Valley48% | JHN92 | $25.00 | $12.99 | 48% |
| 9:39a | Bodegas Olarra Anares Rioja Reserva 2006 | WS92 | $22.00 | $12.99 | 41% |
| 9:34a | Super Tuscan 2005 Vitanza ‘Quadrimendo’ Toscana | WE90 | $32.00 | $14.99 | 53% |
| 9:30a | Arger-Martucci Cabernet Napa Valley 2006 | $40.00 | $16.99 | 58% | |
| 9:15a | Cotes de Bordeaux 2009Chateau Lafitte-Marcellin | IWR89 | $20.00 | $10.49 | 48% |
| 9:09a | Fitch Mountain Cabernet Alexander Valley 2010 By Optima Winery | $40.00 | $15.99 | 60% | |
| 9:00a | Napa Chardonnay 2010 Mockingbird Hill Winery By Mark Beringer | JHN91-92 | $30.00 | $14.99 | 50% |
| 8:50a | Valpolicella DOC Classico Superiore 2010 Caterina Zardini | WE90 | $35.00 | $16.99 | 51% |
| 8:35a | Cotes de Provence Rose Vieilles Vignes 2012 Dom. du Garde Temps | $25.00 | $10.99 | 56% | |
| 8:23a | Rioja Gran Reserva Vendimia Seleccionada Diez-Caballero 2001 | WA92 | $44.99 | $17.99 | 60% |
| 8:17a | Muir-Hanna Vineyards Estate Muir’s Heritage Bully! Red Oak Knoll District, Napa Valley Red Blend 2008 | $24.99 | $10.99 | 56% | |
| 8:11a | Barbaresco DOCG 2007 Fontanafredda ‘Varej’ | $60.00 | $18.99 | 68% | |
| 8:00a | Gigondas AOC 2009 Cotes du Rhone Cru Domaine du Pradas | WE91 | $40.00 | $17.99 | 55% |
| 7:55a | Saddlers Peak Zinfandel Napa Valley 2009 | JHN90-91 | $32.00 | $13.99 | 56% |
| 7:49a | Villa Romanti Pinot Grigio Venezie IGT 2012 | $10.00 | $9.99 | 50% | |
| 7:45a | Red Burgundy 2009 Chassagne-Montrachet Chateau Chassagne de Montrachet | JHN91-92 | $50.00 | $18.99 | 62% |
| 7:40a | Red Heads Studio ‘The Moonlighters’ Cabernet Blend 2010 South Austrailia | WS91 | $22.00 | $12.99 | 41% |
| 7:25a | RustRidge Winery Napa Valley Estate Bottled Chardonnay 2009 | JHN91 | $30.00 | $14.99 | 50% |
| 7:17a | Turn 4 Cabernet 2010 By Bennett Lane Winery | $25.00 | $10.99 | 56% | |
| 7:08a | 93 Pt. Ribera del Duero Reserva Bodegas Balbas 2001 | WS93, IWR92 | $50.00 | $18.99 | 62% |
| 6:53a | Regnie Cru du Beaujolais Vignes de 1918 Domaine Dupre 2010 | WA90 | $23.00 | $11.99 | 48% |
| 6:48a | Sonoma Mountain Cabernet 2008 Peters Family Winery | WE86 | $55.00 | $18.99 | 65% |
| 6:36a | Maxwell Creek Rose Napa Valley 2011 | JHN89 | $21.99 | $8.89 | 60% |
| 6:28a | Vina Aljibes Red 2009 Tierra de Castilla Bodegas Los Aljibes | WA90 | $15.99 | $8.99 | 44% |
| 6:15a | Conundrum (by Caymus) California Red Blend 2010 | $28.00 | $18.99 | 32% | |
| 6:00a | Brancott Pinot Noir Marlborough, NZ 2011 | $14.00 | $8.99 | 36% | |
| Marathon STARTS NOW! GO!!! and Good luck! #wine #deals #free #shipping #until11PMEST #online #mayham #MoveQuickorEndUpThirsty |
Daily Glass: Simplicity and Value
There are times when you really value simplicity in wines. What? No, I don’t mean single-dimensional excruciatingly boring wines which can be called wine only by association “well, if the bottle says wine, then it must be wine…”. By simplicity I mean more of a convenience. For instance, when the bottle is easy to open – like in the case of a screw top. Or when you just need one glass, and moreover, you might be on the go – and don’t want to carry the glass around. As it is in the case of the wine I’m about to present to you – enter Fetzer Crimson and Quartz.
Fetzer Crimson and Quartz
If you are surprised by the look, it is okay – I was too. When Zak told me “this is a good wine”, I was going with “yeah, right, come on, today ain’t April 1st”. My experience with another wine, called Copa, similarly pre-packaged in the plastic, was outright terrible (while I didn’t write the blog post about it, you can find full rendering of the experience in the post by Kirsten at The Armchair Sommelier). Thus I was not inclined to really experiment – but at the price of $3.99 per “glass”, it sounded like it was still worth trying.
And I’m glad I did. No, neither one of the wines was earth-shuttering. But they were solid, drinkable and enjoyable(!) wines – and a clear reminder that wine snobbery always has two sides, and you can’t judge the wine before you will actually try it. For what it worth, below are my notes, and you can find all the detailed wine information at the Fetzer’s web site (which also looks quite stylish).
2011 Fetzer Quartz California White Blend (12% ABV, $3.99) is a blend of 35% Chardonnay, 23% Riesling, 18% Gewürtraminer, 14% Pinot Grigio,7% Muscat and 3% other grapes. Refreshing, zesty, with lots of citrus notes, such as lemon and grapefruit, touch of pineapple, very balanced. Of course a great value. Just to pet myself on the back, my notes said “definitely has some Moscato, probably with Chardonnay and Gewurztraminer”. Drinkability: 7+
2010 Fetzer Crimson California Red Blend (13.5% ABV, $3.99) is a blend of 32% Zinfandel, 32% Syrah, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petite Sirah, 1% Petit Verdot, 2% other grapes. Nose was unimpressive, but body was very good, medium to full, oak is not fully integrated and well noticeable, but overall wine was still perceived as balanced. Touch of cinnamon and black fruit on the palate. Later on, sweetness became more apparent, as well as alcohol (which is strange at 13.5% ABV). Overall, quite enjoyable. Drinkability: 7.
There you have it, my friends. These wines were yet another perfect example of “don’t judge the wine by its bottle” life comedy. Next time when you will need a convenient glass of wine – you might know what to look for. Cheers!
Following Wines Til Sold Out – The Sky Is The Limit
And here we come again – one of my favorite subjects – a round up of a Wine Til Sold Out wine marathon event – 18 hours of non-stop selling during so called Cheapskate Wednesday on June 19, 2013. For those who are not familiar with the Cheapskate Marathon, it is the event which takes place once in the few month on WTSO, where all the wines are priced in the fixed range of $7.99 to $18.99 and typically are sold in the quantity of 4. Also, unlike normal course of sales at WTSO, during Cheapskate the new wines are only advertized on Twitter and you need to keep refreshing the main WTSO web page in order to see the new wines coming out.
If you read any of my past reports (you can find two of the recent ones here and here), and now you will take a look at the numbers I’m about to share with you, you will see one trend – the sky is the limit… Need explanation? Here are some stats:
| Time | Wine | Rating | MSRP | Price | %off |
| 12:00a | Corton Grand Cru 2007 Red Burgundy Domaine Louis Latour | WS92 | $80.00 | $32.39 | 60% |
| 11:49p | Burgess Estate Syrah Napa Valley 2007 | $28.00 | $11.99 | 57% | |
| 11:43p | Silver Falls Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2009 | JHN91 | $28.00 | $13.99 | 50% |
| 11:26p | Mentrida Syrah 2007 Bodegas Arrayan Finca La Verdosa | RP91+ | $34.99 | $16.99 | 51% |
| 11:15p | Goldschmidt Cabernet ‘Luke’ 2009 Alexander Valley | JHN92 | $45.00 | $17.99 | 60% |
| 10:58p | Paso Robles Red 2008 Edward Sellers ‘Mayhem’ | TRR89 | $20.00 | $10.99 | 45% |
| 10:38p | Ondarre Cava Brut Millenium N/V Grupo Bodegas Olarra | $21.99 | $9.99 | 55% | |
| 10:30p | Bell Canyon Estate Red Napa Valley 2010 91 rating | JHN91 | $27.99 | $12.99 | 54% |
| 10:14p | Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel Talty Vineyards 2008 | $38.00 | $18.99 | 50% | |
| 10:05p | Solovino Napa Cabernet Rios Wine Cellars 2008 | $48.00 | $18.99 | 60% | |
| 9:57p | Valley Gate Chardonnay Versada Vineyard Napa Valley 2010 | JHN92+ | $39.99 | $13.99 | 65% |
| 9:42p | Red BurgundySavigny-Les-Beaune Domaine Moillard 2011 | IWR90 | $45.00 | $17.99 | 60% |
| 9:36p | Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG AnimaLibera 2008 | $30.00 | $12.99 | 57% | |
| 9:21p | Ribera del Duero ‘Arrocal’ Seleccion 2008 Bodegas Arrocal | WA91 | $42.00 | $18.99 | 55% |
| 9:12p | Amicus Chardonnay Reserve 2010 Carneros Sangiacomo Vineyard | JHN92 | $39.99 | $15.99 | 60% |
| 8:57p | St-Georges St-Emilion Chateau Tour du Pas 2009 By Pascal Delbeck | WS90 | $35.00 | $16.99 | 51% |
| 8:54p | Terra Alta Red Blend Oriel ‘Setena’ 2004 Catalonia Spain | $19.99 | $7.99 | 60% | |
| 8:49p | Malbec Reserva 2006 Clos Des Andes Bodegas Poesia | WA92
ST90 |
$36.99 | $15.99 | 57% |
| 8:39p | Marco Real Crianza Red Blend 2006 Navarra, Spain 88 rating | $18.99 | $8.99 | 53% | |
| 8:36p | Ty Caton Cabernet 2010 Caton Vineyard Sonoma | JHN93 | $44.00 | $17.99 | 59% |
| 8:16p | Eden Hall Cabernet 2005 Eden Valley Australia | JH92,
WA91 |
$38.00 | $18.99 | 50% |
| 8:11p | Ribera del Duero Roble Vinedos Tamaral 2010 | W&S90 | $19.00 | $8.99 | 53% |
| 8:00p | Benziger Family Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2010 | $28.00 | $15.99 | 43% | |
| 7:55p | Mazzocco Zinfandel Mendocino County 2008 | JHN91 | $29.99 | $10.99 | 62% |
| 7:40p | Campion Los Carneros Pinot Noir 2006 | $35.00 | $14.99 | 57% | |
| 7:30p | Cortona Sangiovese Baracchi Smeriglio 2010 Top 100 Super Tuscan | JS94 | $30.00 | $18.99 | 37% |
| 7:15p | Columbia Valley Red 2009 Tertulia Cellars ‘Sobra’ | $26.00 | $12.99 | 50% | |
| 7:04p | Red Bordeaux Left Bank Saint-Estephe AOC Chateau Arnaud 2010 | IWR91
WS90 |
$60.00 | $18.99 | 68% |
| 6:52p | Beckley Zinfandel Reserve Napa Valley 2009 91 rating | JHN91 | $32.00 | $14.99 | 53% |
| 6:43p | Medoc Bordeaux AOC Left Bank 2010 Ch. Du Moulin Neuf | $26.99 | $10.99 | 59% | |
| 6:28p | California Rhone Blend Anaba ‘Coriol’ Red 2009 Sonoma County | BTI92 | $40.00 | $17.99 | 55% |
| 6:13p | Priorat Grenache Blend Gotes del Priorat 2010 By Alfredo Arribas | WA91 | $32.99 | $15.99 | 52% |
| 6:03p | Alexander Valley Cabernet Ispiri Wines 2008 Sonoma County | $49.99 | $18.99 | 62% | |
| 5:47p | Marangi Negroamaro 2009 Rosso Salento IGT Tenute Mater Domini | $20.00 | $11.99 | 40% | |
| 5:32p | Burgundy Chardonnay Vire-Clesse 2010 Domaine du Mont | JHN91+ | $31.99 | $13.99 | 56% |
| ? | Castlebank Cellars Napa Valley Red Blend Reserve 2008 | JHN91 | $30.00 | $13.99 | 53% |
| 5:19p | Ch. Bizard Red Rhone Grignan-les-Adhemar 2011 by Philippe Cambie | IWR91
WA90 |
$40.00 | $14.99 | 63% |
| 5:07p | Rusina Zinfandel 2010 Sonoma County | $25.00 | $13.99 | 44% | |
| 4:52p | Pinot Grigio 2012 Colli Orientali del Friuli Vigna Traverso | $26.00 | $13.99 | 46% | |
| 4:46p | Solovino Cabernet 2009 Napa Valley | $48.00 | $17.99 | 63% | |
| 4:34p | Haut-Medoc 2010 Chateau Dasvin-Bel-Air Cru Bourgeois | WS90 | $32.99 | $15.99 | 52% |
| 4:27p | Amusee Chardonnay 2010 Russian River Valley By Nick Goldschmidt | JHN92-93 | $45.00 | $17.99 | 60% |
| 4:25p | Toro Crianza 2006 Bodegas Tardencuba | W&S94
WA90 |
$29.99 | $12.99 | 55% |
| 4:22p | Sartarelli Verdicchio 2008 Balciana Le Marche Italy | 93 | 72% | ||
| 4:07p | Cru du Beaujolais 2011 Chenas ‘Vignes de 1939’ Domaine Pascal Aufranc | WE92 | $38.00 | $14.99 | 61% |
| 3:59p | Expo Cabernet 2008 Napa Valley By Alison Crowe | $29.99 | $12.99 | 57% | |
| 3:49p | Montagne St.-Emilion Chateau Des Moines 2009 Right Bank Bordeaux | $22.00 | $11.99 | 46% | |
| 3:44p | Havens Chardonnay 2009 Oakville Napa Valley | JHN92 | $45.00 | $16.99 | 62% |
| 3:38p | Michel-Schlumberger Cabernet ‘La Cime’ Dry Creek Valley 2009 | JHN92 | $45.00 | $18.99 | 58% |
| 3:31p | Tuscan Red 2010 Fertuna ‘Droppello’ By Sassacaia | $40.00 | $12.99 | 68% | |
| 3:26p | Friuli Grave Cabernet ‘Terre Di Risano’ 2009 By Pighin | $24.99 | $9.99 | 60% | |
| 3:09p | Rioja DOC Crianza 2007 Bodegas Baigorri | ST90 | $35.00 | $14.99 | 57% |
| 2:54p | So sorry! Hang Tight!!We will be back up shortly…TOO MANY ORDERS ALL AT ONCE!! Chaos at WTSO -we will fix it, you’re not missing anything! | ||||
| 2:44p | Friuli Grave Cabernet ‘Terre Di Risano’ 2009 By Pighin | $24.99 | $9.99 | 60% | |
| 2:39p | Schug Sauvignon Blanc Winemaker’s Reserve Sonoma Coast 2012 | $27.00 | $13.99 | 48% | |
| 2:36p | Ch. Bellevue Claribes Bordeaux Superieur 2010 | IWR90 | $18.49 | $9.99 | 46% |
| 2:30p | Justified Red Meritage Sonoma County 2008 by Adam Braunstein | JHN91 | $30.00 | $13.99 | 53% |
| 2:21p | Bordeaux St.-Emilion Rose Ch. Bellefont Belcier 2011 | $20.00 | $9.99 | 50% | |
| 2:15p | Cotes Du Rhone Villages Dom. Fond Croze 2009 Cuvee Vincent Catari | WS90 | $21.99 | $9.99 | 55% |
| 1:59p | Willamette Pinot Noir 2009 Vitae Springs Vineyard | $27.00 | $15.99 | 41% | |
| 1:47p | Petite Sirah Reserve Stonehedge Winery Napa Valley 2009 | JHN91 | $35.00 | $14.99 | 57% |
| 1:41p | Chartron et Trebuchet Bourgogne Chardonnay 2011 | $29.99 | $12.99 | 57% | |
| 1:38p | Cab Franc Reserve 2009 Jocelyn Lonen Winery Stagecoach Vineyard Napa | JHN92+ | $50.00 | $17.99 | 64% |
| 1:23p | Adissat Lirac AOC Southern Rhone Cru 2010 | TRR90 | $30.00 | $12.99 | 57% |
| 1:09p | Cortona Merlot 2010 Baracchi Smeriglio Tuscany | WS91 | $30.00 | $16.99 | 43% |
| 12:59p | Craggy Range Chard Les Beaux Cailloux Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay 2006 | WRO93
WA92 |
$45.00 | $18.99 | 58% |
| 12:51p | Ondarre Ursa Maior Rioja Reserva 2006 | TLC95 | $24.99 | $12.99 | 48% |
| 12:36p | Cabernet Reserve 2006 Beau Pere Cellars Chalk Hill CA | $30.00 | $13.99 | 53% | |
| 12:24p | Valencia Red Wine 2009 Bodegas El Angosto ‘Angosto’ | WA91 | $44.99 | $13.99 | 69% |
| 12:18p | Gigondas Vieilles Vignes Southern Rhone 2009 Dom. du Grand Montmirail | ST92
WE92 |
$40.00 | $16.99 | 58% |
| 12:06p | Gauthier Sauvignon Blanc Block House Vineyard Napa Valley 2012 | JHN90-91 | $30.00 | $12.99 | 57% |
| 11:51a | Valpolicella Classico Superiore Ripasso Tenuta Galtarossa 2005 Corte Colombara | $30.00 | $12.99 | 57% | |
| 11:41a | Eden Hall Shiraz Single Vineyard 2005 Eden Valley Australia | JH92
WA91 |
$40.00 | $18.99 | 53% |
| 11:26 | Provenance Merlot 2009 Napa Valley | $35.00 | $16.99 | 51% | |
| 11:23a | Carneros Syrah Reserve Amicus by X Winery 2009 Truchard Vineyard | 68% | |||
| 11:12a | Valpolicella Ripasso DOC Villa Mattielli 2010 Veneto Italy | D**** | $30.00 | $12.99 | 57% |
| 10:57a | Pinot Grigio 2011 Pighin ‘Terre Di Risano’ Friuli Grave DOC By Pighin & Figli | $25.00 | $11.99 | 52% | |
| 10:50a | Alexander Valley Cabernet Yokayo ‘Buteo’ 2007 | $29.99 | $13.99 | 53% | |
| 10:38a | Roessler Pinot Noir ‘La Brisa’ 2009 Sonoma Coast | WE89 | $36.99 | $18.99 | 49% |
| 10:30a | Bordeaux Superieur Chateau de Macard 2009 By Amelie Aubert | WS90 | $21.99 | $10.99 | 50% |
| 10:26a | Chianti Rufina DOCG Lavacchio ‘Cedro’ 2005 | $25.00 | $8.99 | 64% | |
| 10:20a | Pomerol Red Bordeaux Rocher-Bonregard 2008 | WE89 | $49.99 | $16.99 | 66% |
| 10:16a | Napa Sauvignon Blanc Mockingbird Hill Winery Lauren’s Vineyard 2012 | JHN91 | $28.00 | $12.99 | 54% |
| 10:08a | CLAN Crianza Old Vine Bodegas Estefania 2007 Castilla y Leon Spain | ST91 | $21.99 | $10.99 | 50% |
| 10:04a | Ardeche Viognier 2011 Vin de Pays IGP Coteaux de L’Ardeche Maison Louis Latour | $27.00 | $12.99 | 52% | |
| 10:01a | RustRidge Cabernet Library Selection 2004 Chiles Valley Napa Valley | $40.00 | $14.99 | 63% | |
| 9:54a | Bordeaux Right Bank 2010 Chateau Tertre de Viaud Cotes de Bourg | $25.00 | $10.99 | 56% | |
| 9:44a | Sauvignon Blanc 2012 Lobster Point Marlborough NZ | $18.00 | $11.49 | 36% | |
| 9:37a | Chianti Classico DOCG Rocca di Castagnoli Tuscany 2009 | WA90 | $22.00 | $13.49 | 39% |
| 9:27a | Paso Robles Petite Sirah West Hill Vineyard 2009 by Nathan Carlson | JHN91+ | $28.00 | $12.99 | 54% |
| 9:19a | Red Burgundy 2008 Chorey-Les-Beaune Domaine Laleure-Piot | JHN92 | $30.00 | $14.99 | 50% |
| 9:16a | Sevona Estate Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2010 | $29.99 | $10.99 | 63% | |
| 9:12a | Castlebank Cabernet Vivian’s Vineyard 2009 Dry Creek Valley | 92 | 48% | ||
| 9:06a | Toscana Sangiovese 2004 Oriel Wines ‘Taralula’ By Giuseppe Maria Sesti | $35.00 | $11.99 | 66% | |
| 9:02a | Reserve Chardonnay Maxwell Creek Winery Napa Valley 2010 | 91 | 57% | ||
| 8:57a | Marlborough Pinot Noir Shepherds Ridge 2007 | $24.99 | $9.99 | 60% | |
| 8:54a | Ribera del Duero 2006 Valtostao Legon Crianza | W&S92 | $25.99 | $11.99 | 54% |
| 8:49a | Dry Creek Valley Syrah Kokomo Wines 2006 Green Pastures Vineyards | $27.00 | $11.99 | 56% | |
| 8:43a | Garnacha Old Vines Alto Las Pizarras 2008 Bodegas del Jalon | WA91 | $46.00 | $13.99 | 70% |
| 8:30a | Haut-Medoc 2008 Red Bordeaux Chateau Belle-Vue | WA88-90 | $31.99 | $15.99 | 50% |
| 8:15a | Carles Andreu Cava Brut Brut Nature N/V | $33.00 | $10.99 | 67% | |
| 8:08a | Toscana Sangiovese IGT Vignavecchia Raddese ’06 | WS90 | $40.00 | $15.99 | 60% |
| 8:04a | Alexander Valley Cabernet Pomo Nation 2007 By Everett Ridge | $50.00 | $14.99 | 70% | |
| 8:00a | Cotes du Rhone Ch. Bizard 2009 Serre de Courrent By Philippe Cambie | WA90 | $29.99 | $12.99 | 57% |
| 7:55a | Verdejo Dry White Wine ‘Prius de Morena’ 2010 Solar De Munosancho | WA90 | $23.99 | $9.99 | 58% |
| 7:51a | Blackjack ‘Harmonie’ 2004 Red Bordeaux Blend Santa Barbara County | 51% | |||
| 7:45a | RustRidge Chardonnay ’07 Chiles Valley Napa Valley | $30.00 | $11.99 | 60% | |
| 7:43a | Rosso di Montalcino Domus Vitae 2006 | 63% | |||
| 7:40a | Barbera D’Alba 2004 Tenuta Rocca ‘Roca Neira | WS91 | $29.99 | $9.99 | 67% |
| 7:37a | Cabernet Franc 2010 Cotes De Bordeaux Chateau Lauretan | 54% | |||
| 7:34a | White Bordeaux Chateau Saint-Robert 2009 Poncet-Deville Graves | JHN92 | $29.00 | $11.99 | 59% |
| 7:31a | Milat Zinfandel 2008 Estate Bottled St. Helena Napa Valley | JHN91+ | $29.99 | $13.99 | 53% |
| 7:24a | Bordeaux Superieur 2008 Reserve du Croix Mouton By Michel Rolland | $21.99 | $9.99 | 55% | |
| 7:19a | Chianti Rufina Riserva Lavacchio Cedro 2004 | WS90 | $25.00 | $11.99 | 52% |
| 7:16a | Muir Hanna Chardonnay Muir’s Legacy 2008 Oak Knoll Napa Valley | 56% | |||
| 7:12a | Andre Lurton Divinus De Chateau Bonnet Bordeaux 2005 | WS90 | $37.00 | $16.99 | 54% |
| 7:08a | Thumbprint Zinfandel Winemaker’s Reserve Dry Creek Valley 2008 | JHN91+ | $29.99 | $10.99 | 63% |
| 6:54a | Brancott Pinot Noir Marlborough NZ 2011 | $14.00 | $8.99 | 36% | |
| 6:43a | Russian River Chardonnay Laguna Ranch Vineyard Laguna Winery 2009 | WA91 | $35.00 | $18.99 | 46% |
| 6:36a | Scopone Super Tuscan ‘Il Bagatto’ Toscana IGT 2004 90 rating | WS90 | $39.99 | $15.99 | 60% |
| 6:28a | Chateauneuf du Pape “Cotes Noires” 2007 La Ferme de Suzon | $40.00 | $16.99 | 58% | |
| 6:15a | Mueller Chardonnay 2008 Russian River Valley | JHN91 | $34.99 | $12.99 | 63% |
| 6:00a | Amicus Cabernet 2006 Spring Mountain Napa By Reed Renaudin | $45.00 | $17.99 | 60% |
Daily Glass: WTSO Wines – Mockingbird Hill Cabernet Sauvignon, Just Add A Little Time…
As you probably know, I’m a big fun of Wine Til Sold Out (WTSO). As someone who consumes wine all the time, I greatly appreciate an opportunity to save money but still drink great wines – and that is what WTSO allows us to do.
A number of wines sold by WTSO are really of an unknown pedigree. Yes, when the wine is offered for sale at WTSO, you get all the info associated with that wine – winemakers notes, technical details, etc. – but quite often, nothing else can be found on Internet.
The Mockingbird Hill wines belong to that group. I know that my WTSO posts are quite popular, and Mockingbird Hill wines come up quite often among search terms in my blog stats (yes, I do look at that info). But when I searched for the info on Mockingbird Hill wines, I was unable to find much. So I decided to try some of the Mockingbird Hill wines and write the review on my own.
Our wine today is 2011 Mockingbird Hill Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Napa Valley (14.5% ABV, $19.99), 100% Cabernet Sauvignon (according to the info on WTSO web site). I have to honestly tell you that the pop-and-pour model failed completely for this wine. Open the bottle, pour into the glass, nice ruby color, sniff and…nothing. Really, not much to report. The first sip left me disappointed – definitely wine, but very tight, maybe some underripe blackberries. So I decided to stop right there (yes, this was not a happy stopping with a sigh), pump the air out and put it aside.
The next day… What do you think happened to this wine on the next day? Well, in a few words – it actually became pop’n pour wine. Great inviting nose of the succulent berries from the get go. Cassis and blackberries on the palate, bright and fresh, acidity, tannins, all together in a perfect harmony. It is pretty incredible what little time can do with the wine… Drinkability: 8-
I would definitely recommend this wine – as long as you are willing to give it little time. Yes, you can cellar it, or you can decant it – it is your choice, but in the end, you will not be disappointed.
That’s all I have for you folks for today. Happy Monday and cheers!
Following Wine Till Sold Out – Cheapskate Wednesday, February 20th
About two weeks ago, on February 20th, WTSO (Wine Til Sold Out), one of my very favorite purveyors of great QPR wines, had another one of their Cheapskate events – all the wines are priced from $7.99 to $18.99, offered in the quantities of four, new wines are offered every 15 minutes or sooner, and all the notifications about new wines are only coming out on the Twitter. While I was on vacation and couldn’t take advantage of any offers, my faithful computer did its best to collect the information (which in the end of the day made me upset as I saw how many great deals I missed).
As I have done it before, I would like to share with you all the data, so you too can get upset – or not, as you can instead be happy about all the money you saved. Let me add few observations here. There were about 130 wines offered. Very few wines lasted 15 minutes, many wines disappeared in a matter of couple of minutes. I counted four very strange glitches, where the wine was seemingly offered at WTSO web site, but not showing up in the twitter stream – if you followed the event and saw that too, I would like to know what you think about it. This is definitely a first time for me observing such a discrepancy (not that this is all that essential though).
Before I will leave you with the data, here is the usual guide to rating abbreviations: WS – Wine Spectator, WA – Wine Advocate, ST – Steven Tanzer, WE – Wine Enthusiast, WRO – Wine Review Online, W&S – Wine and Spirits, JS – James Suckling, RP – Robert Parker, JHN – Jonathan H. Newman, D – Decanter Magazine, rating goes in stars ( 5 stars is max), JH – James Halliday, TRR – The Rhone Report, BH – Burghound.
Enjoy and cheers!
My Case For Bringing The End Of The World Back
And why would anyone want to bring that “end of the world” craziness back, you ask? I’m sure many of the “preparedness kit” sellers would love that, as they would make ton of money [again]. My case is exactly opposite – I’m talking about saving money. On the critical “end of the world” necessity. Yep, wine.
As you could’ve notice in this blog, I’ve been a long time aficionado of Wine Til Sold Out (WTSO), which offers amazing savings on the wines. About half a year back, thedrunkencyclist introduced me to another value wine source – Last Bottle Wines. Last Bottle Wines operates very similarly to WTSO – one wine at a time, usually at a great price, and minimum number of bottles to buy in order to get free shipping. There are few differences compare to WTSO – for one, the wines are not shipped during hot months, unless you will make special arrangements (everything you buy is accumulated and shipped once weather allows). Another distinction is the fact that less than $10 wines are offered quite often.
Getting back to the “end of the world” connection. Couple of days before the end of the world was supposed to take place (December 21st, 2012 for those who happily dropped that date from the memory), Last Bottle Wines declared “end of the world” marathon. They were offering tremendous number of wines at a great prices, with no minimum quantity in order to get free shipping. Caveat? If the world ends, you are not getting your wines. Fair? I think so. Also, all the wines you buy are accumulated into one order which shipped after the new year. Fair again.
The only way to learn about new offerings was by clicking “refresh” in your browser all the time. But this inconvenience was a small price to pay for the gems which were offered. Well, forget the gems – great value wines we are talking about.
Need an example of a great value wine? Easy. 2007 Vine Hill Gatos Locos Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains. Beautiful smoky nose. Dark dense fruit on the palate, ripe plums but precisely ripe and not over-extracted, coffee notes. Supple tannins, good acidity. Structure. Finesse. Balance. All for $9 (no, I’m not missing at least 1 in front or 0 at the end). And the person of a limited intelligence, who is writing this right now (yep, me), bought only two bottles (!). Well my only excuse – I had no idea…
All in all I got 5 different wines, for the total of one case (12 bottles), for which I paid a whooping $78…
I also tried 2006 Clos Chanteduc Cotes du Rhone, which was very good, but not as amazing as the Gatos Locos Pinot.
So this is my case for asking to bring the “end of the world” back – may be, may be the Last Bottle Wines would do another sale, and I will be able to find more great wines at a great prices. On another hand, there is always hope that they would just have another sale without waiting for the next “end of the world” to be declared. We can even drink to that. Cheers!
Following Wines Til Sold Out: November’s Magnum Monday
Last Monday, November 26th, was Magnum Monday at WTSO (first event of this kind, if I’m not mistaken). During the period of 18 hours (from 9 AM Eastern until midnight), only large format bottles were offered for sale. There were total of 28 different wines offered, majority in the magnum size (1.5 liters, equivalent of 2 standard size bottles) with the exception of one wine which offered in the Imperial size (6 liters, equal to 8 standard size bottles). The most expensive wine was offered at $450, and the least expensive one was priced at $49.99. For many wines, free shipping was offered with the purchase of one bottle, and for some it was necessary to buy 2 to get the same free shipping. The very first wine offered was sold out within 3 minutes, and few other wines lasted only for 4 minutes.
Large bottles are very popular among wine collectors, as they considered to be better aging (better wine/air ratio compare to the standard size bottles), and the prices were good for many wines, so I would assume that the event made many people happy. Below is the guide to ratings and the table with all the information I was able to collect.
Guide to ratings: WS – Wine Spectator, WA – Wine Advocate, WE – Wine Enthusiast, W&S – Wine & Spirits, ST – Steven Tanzer, JHN – Jonathan H. Newman, RP – Robert Parker, JS – James Suckling, JH – James Halliday, WRO – Wine Review Online.
Enjoy!
| Time | Wine | Btl. size | Rating(s) | Orig. price | WTSO price | Min. # btls | % off |
| 11:35 PM | Burgess Napa Cabernet Vintage Selection 2001 Magnum | 1.5L | WE89 WS88 | $125 | $59.99 | 1 | 52% |
| 11:07 PM | I Balzini Black Label 2006 Tuscan Red Wine Dai Colli Della Toscana Magnum | 1.5L | WS92 WE92 | $130 | $59.99 | 1 | 54% |
| 10:45 PM | Barbaresco 2009 Michele Chiarlo Reyna Magnum | 1.5L | WE91 | $95 | $54.99 | 1 | 42% |
| 10:00 PM | Diadema Super Tuscan Rosso IGT 2009 Swarovski Bottle Magnum | 1.5L | WE93 JS91 | $250 | $99.99 | 1 | 60% |
| 9:25 PM | Brut Champagne N/V Piper Heidsieck #84 Top 100 WS 2012! Magnum | 1.5L | WS93 WE89 | $100 | $64.99 | 2 | 35% |
| 9:04 PM | Barolo 2006 Sarmassa di Barolo Roberto Voerzio Magnum | 1.5L | WA96+ WS93 | $620 | $449.99 | 1 | 27% |
| 8:53 PM | Piancornello Brunello DOCG 2003 | 1.5L | RP90 WS89 | $139.99 | $69.99 | 1 | 50% |
| 8:41 PM | Pommard Grand Epenots Pinot Noir 1er Cru 2009 ‘Clos de Citeaux’ Jean Monnier | 1.5L | JHN94 | $180 | $89.99 | 1 | 50% |
| 7:53 PM | Shingleback Shiraz D Block Reserve McLaren Vale 2004 Magnum | 1.5L | JH93 WS92 | $125 | 59.99 | 2 | 52% |
| 7:10 PM | I Balzini White Label IGT Rosso 2006 Magnum | 1.5L | WS93 WE91 | $130 | $59.99 | 2 | 54% |
| 6:24 PM | Burgess Cabernet 2002 Vintage Selection Napa Valley Magnum | 1.5L | $116 | $59.99 | 2 | 48% | |
| 6:15 PM | Barolo DOCG 2006 Fontanafredda Magnum | 1.5L | WA89+ | $250 | $99.99 | 2 | 60% |
| 5:30 PM | Sette Ponte ‘Oreno’ Super Tuscan 2007 Magnum | 1.5L | WE96 WS95 | $250 | $149.99 | 1 | 40% |
| 4:54 PM | Brut Select Champagne ‘Le Cordon Bleu’ NV De Venoge Magnum | 1.5L | WS91 | $120 | $62.99 | 2 | 48% |
| 4:17 PM | Belpoggio Brunello DOCG 2007 Magnum | 1.5L | JS92 WE92 | $199.99 | $99.99 | 1 | 50% |
| 4:00 PM | Corton Grand Cru 2007 Domaine Louis Latour | 1.5L | WS92 | $200 | $69.99 | 2 | 65% |
| 3:24 PM | Diadema Super Tuscan Rosso IGT 2009 Swarovski Bottle Magnum | 1.5L | WE93 JS91 | $250 | $99.99 | 1 | 60% |
| 3:15 PM | Barolo ‘Tortoniano’ Michele Chiarlo 2008 Magnum | 1.5L | WE92 WRO92 | $125 | $69.99 | 1 | 44% |
| 2:31 PM | Brut Champagne N/V Piper Heidsieck #84 Top 100 WS 2012! Magnum | 1.5L | WS93 WE89 | $100 | $64.99 | 2 | 35% |
| 1:55 PM | Roda Cirsion Rioja 2006 Magnum | 1.5L | WA95 WS92 | $600 | $299.99 | 1 | 50% |
| 1:09 PM | Burgess Napa Cabernet Vintage Selection 2001 Magnum | 1.5L | WE89 WS88 | $125 | $59.99 | 1 | 52% |
| 12:38 PM | Barolo Riserva 2004 ‘Roggeri’ Ciabot Berton Magnum | 1.5L | $200 | $114.99 | 1 | 43% | |
| 12:10 PM | Mont Redon Rouge 2009 Chateauneuf-du- Pape Magnum | 1.5L | ST92 WS91 | $125 | $59.99 | 2 | 52% |
| 11:25 AM | Phelps Insignia 2009 Magnum | 1.5L | WA93-96 ST94 | $429.99 | $314.99 | 1 | 27% |
| 10:40 AM | Shingleback Shiraz D Block Reserve McLaren Vale 2004 Magnum | 1.5L | JH93 WS92 | $125 | $59.99 | 2 | 52% |
| 10:24 AM | Silvio Nardi Brunello 2007 Magnum | 1.5L | JS95 | $175 | $99.99 | 1 | 43% |
| 10:13 AM | Grand Cru Burgundy White 2007 Corton Charlemagne Domaine Louis Latour Magnum | 1.5L | WS93 | $300 | $129.99 | 1 | 57% |
| 10:09 AM | Stormy Weather Cabernet Napa Valley 2006 Cellar Selection Magnum | 1.5L | 68% | ||||
| 9:52 AM | Barolo ‘La Villa’ DOCG Fontanafredda 2001 Magnum | 1.5L | WA94 W&S93 | $285 | $139.99 | 1 | 51% |
| 9:49 AM | St. Supery Red Wine ‘Elu’ 2005 Napa Valley Imperial | 6L | WE91 | $800 | $349.99 | 1 | 56% |
| 9:45 AM | Burgess Estate Cabernet Napa Valley 2005 Magnum | 1.5L | WE90 W&S90 | $100 | $49.99 | 2 | 50% |
| 9:03 AM | I Balzini Black Label 2006 Tuscan Red Wine Dai Colli Della Toscana Magnum | 1.5L | WS92 WE92 | $130 | $59.99 | 1 | 54% |
| 9:00 AM | St. Supery Cabernet Napa Valley 2004 Magnum | 1.5L | 91 | 50% |
Following Wines Til Sold Out: October’s Full-On Marathon
121 wines (if my count is correct) during 18 hours, lots of 90+ wines, including 95-99 rated, great names (Joseph Phelps, Dominus, Antinori Solaia, Tattinger and many others) – “wow” is the only descriptor I can use here. Some (quite a few) of the wines lasted only 3 minutes – “you snooze, you lose” was in the full effect.
The event took place on Tuesday, October 2nd. As before, I did my best to collect the data, which is always challenging. Below is the table containing all (hopefully) wines offered during the event.
Guide to ratings: WS – Wine Spectator, WA – Wine Advocate, WE – Wine Enthusiast, W&S – Wine & Spirits, ST – Steven Tanzer, JHN – Jonathan H. Newman, WRO – Wine Review Online, RP – Robert Parker, JS – James Suckling, BH – Bourghound, IWC – International Wine Cellars, CG – Consumer Guide, IWR -International Wine Review, TWN – The Wine News.
Enjoy!
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