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October 2001
October 1, 2001
9/20 points. 1997 Belle Siréne Cabernet/Merlot, Vin De Pays D'oc . Price $2.99 at Trader Joe's. Cloudy, dusty rose that turns brick red at the rim. An odd wine, it transformed itself three times while tasting. At first the body was thin with a very slight nose, then 20 minutes later, no nose/almost no palate! Fifteen minutes later the Merlot came out, along with the Cabernet! Although still rather thin, acceptable levels of berry came through but not much else. An ODD wine.
October 2, 2001
No review
today as it is our daughter's birthday.
Sincerely, The Wine Slob
October 5, 2001
16/20 points. Trader Joe's "French Market" Chardonnay, Vin de Pays D'oc . Price $2.99 at Trader Joe's. I have been reviewing Trader Joe's wines lately to show what kind of wine you can find on a very strict budget. I have been trying to keep the wines at $3.99 a bottle or less. This wine is light yellow in color, the nose is surprisingly good, showing off apple, citrus, and just a touch of orange blossom. Flavors of grapefruit, honeysuckle, and lychee follow. This is bouyed up by lemon-squirt acidity. This is an amazing value and would make another great all-purpose white.
October 15, 2001
15/20 points. 1997 Chateau Greysac, Medoc. Price $8.29 at Rainbow Food Outlet. I was very surprised to see this at Food Outlet! You don't see a decent Bordeaux for less than ten bucks very often. Blood red in color, there's not much of a nose, but what does come through is pretty decent. Mostly berries and wood. Cherries, raspberries, and cassis flavors follow on a medium-light bodied palate. The tannins are fairly drying and the acid lever is nice and brisk. If you live in California, try to find a Food Outlet and see if they carry this wine. It's quite a deal!
October 28, 2001
12/20 points. 2000 Kendall-Jackson, " Collage", Cabernet / Shiraz Blend. Price $8.99 at Raleys. Nice black/red core color, but slightly "dusty" Not quite clear. True to most Kendall-Jackson wines, the nose and palate show high levels of oak. They almost mask the earthy, berry flavors of this wine, but not quite. Rather soft, it still has enough "grip" to go with fairly hearty foods. The finish is respectable, a pleasant generic berry impression. Not too bad for the money. It would have been a better bargain at the $6.99 to $7.99 price level.