Wal-Mart Wines

Wal-Mart announced that sometime in 2008 it will begin offering customers a new discount item: Wal-Mart's own brand of wine. The world's largest retail chain is rumored to be teaming up with Ernest & Julio Gallo Winery of California to produce the spirits at an affordable price - in the $2 to $5
range.

Wine connoisseurs may not be inclined to put a bottle of the Wal-Mart brand into their shopping carts, but, "There is a market for inexpensive wine," said Kathy Micken, professor of marketing at the University of Arkansas, Bentonville. "However, branding will be very important."

Customer surveys were conducted to determine the most attractive name for
the Wal-Mart wine brand. The top surveyed names in order of popularity were:

10. Chateau Traileur Parc
9. White Trashfindel
8. Big Red Gulp
7. World Championship Riesling
6. NASCARbernet
5. Chef Boyardeaux
4. Peanut Noir
3. I Can't Believe it's not Vinegar
2. Grape Expectations
1. Nasti Spumante

The beauty of Wal-Mart wine is that it can be served with either white meat
(Possum [sic]) or red meat (Squirrel).



P.S. This is a joke. Laugh already. ;-)

Enter the Lair

After a long and stressful day, I forced myself to go to yoga. That was a good idea in and of itself, but coming home, making some dinner, and deciding to open this bottle up was my best idea of the entire day.

We picked this bottle of Bears' Lair Cabernet Sauvignon up from our awesome Trader Joe's grocery store. This place never fails to provide us good wine and often for a reasonable price.

Everything about this cabernet sauvignon from nearby Napa is a pleasurable experience. From the first minute after uncorking to the end of the swallow is right on target. The aroma is luscious, but not overly sweet. I hate to say that I was bracing myself for a let-down, but was not served with cold disappointment, but a very warm embrace.

Flavors include a strong blackberry and then cherry and plum ring in evenly as well. It's got such a smooth finish it's ridiculously amazing. It's also just dry enough to even out the sweet perfectly. I'm so impressed with this wine, it is officially my favorite cabernet sauvignon now.


Rex: 10!!!
Cost: ~$3 (yes, 3 bucks on sale. I love you Trader Joe's!)

Frias Family Vineyard

My second taste of Frias. This time with the Rosé. I was told that it is made by blending some Cabernet Sauvignon with a few other wines instead of the usual ingredients (I can't remember what it is usually made from, Merlot? Syrah?). Anyways, I looked forward to tasting this all the way till I got home.

As instructed, I put it in the fridge for an hour (while I prepared dinner!) and then finally just before I was done, my roommate popped it open and we gave it a go.

Fab-U-Lus.

The best Rosé I've ever had. Sweet strawberry and pear flavors and smells–crisp and light.

Price: $20
Rex: 10

Old Bessie

Sorry, this wine reminded me of an ancient tractor my dad used to have that I lovingly referred to as "Old Bessie." It was actually something like "Ole' Bessie" if you want to phonetically spell it out the way I'd obnoxiously say it in an overdone and fake hickish accent. Riding a tractor as a city kid will do that to you. Yes, I am a half-hick, but took after my mother. The only difference between this old tractor and Old Bessie was that Old Bessie was school bus yellow, but the model has to be the same.

Tractor Shed Red (2005) is a blend, and an odd one at that. Like the last one I posted about, this bottle doesn't specifically state what kind of red it is. Fortunately, the web site does:

"Sangiovese (60%) is the base providing the cherry, strawberry and up front fruit. Merlot (20%) generates texture and a nice velvety middle. Finishing up on the palate is Zinfandel (20%) providing the backbone and extra spice."

It's an odd wine. It's aroma is sweet, but slightly disturbing to the nose. The taste is altogether better. It's definitely a very complex mixture and confuses my tongue. I can't even begin to describe it. However, I will say that it's intriguing enough to try at least once (or twice). Only in the aroma do I pick up on the cherry or strawberry that is mentioned, but it's got a subtle but robust fruit punch to it. Not fruit punch fruit punch, just a strong punch of fruit. ;-) There's nothing spiked in this punch, but some alcohol that I already saw coming.

It comes from Tudal Family Winery in Oakville, California, which Google Maps says is 61.1 miles away from The City. Hmmm... can you say Road Trip‽‽‽


Rex rating: 7
Cost: ~$7 (on sale), ~$13 normally

Follow Your Goat!

I mean, nose! (An old Fruit Loops commercial is now running through my head.)

Ok, so the story on this vineyard/wine is that the owner's son and friend let out a heard of goats. "As in the legend of the Yemeni goat herder, whose roaming flock first discovered the joys of coffee beans, our goats picked out the best and tastiest fruit. Their choice serves as our inspiration for this wine." Whatever...

Goats Do Roam (2006) is a South African coastal red wine from the Fairview winery. Unfortunately, there is no information on what kind of red wine. That always scares me a bit, and keeps it from ever being anything but a table wine in my mind. I also can't classify it here for you, aside from region.

I couldn't help myself. I bought it because of the label and the goat. I was born in the Chinese year of the Goat/Sheep, so anything depicted like this in an antiquated sort of way will get me every time.

It's a decent wine, all things considered. It's a little on the acidic side, but isn't bad overall. It's nicely dry and pleasant, and for the price is fine.

I probably won't buy it again, but I'm giving it a 5.5, meaning that one day, under the right circumstances, I might. Keep in mind that 5 is the cut off for never buying again. Anything above that is decent or better.

Now if only they'd let me/us know what kind of red wine this is. I'm skeptical and am not likely to purchase it again unless I learn this information. Does they care? I don't know. I wouldn't have bought it if I realized it wasn't anywhere to be found on the bottle.

Rex rating: 5.5
Cost: ~$6 (on sale), normally ~$13

Meow!

This cool and unusual bottle with absolutely no front label was one of the coolest birthday gifts I could have received. Thank you Jen. It's nothing special to about anyone else, but I have an awesome cat who is mostly black, and since I also tend to collect black cats in art, this was a very thoughtful gift.

I should have blogged about it within a day of drinking it (5 weeks late), but I won't let this one be skipped.

Here's what Jen and I remember from our conversation on it when we drank it:

"This riesling was amazing, but that we have also never had a bad riesing." "It was more subtle [subdued] than a typical German Riesling, but surprisingly very smooth and eloquent."

It's called Zeller Schwarze Katz and is a 2006 German Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, specifically from the village of Zell.

Rex: 8.5
(Happy Birthday to me!)

One More Reason to Fight Global Warming

All I'm saying is read these articles. Days of good wine are numbered! Thanks Abhay for tipping me off to this!

Global Warming Wrecks All the Fun

Climate change and the world wine map

Global Warming Makes Oregon's Wine Hot as Pinot Purists Fret

The gist is that you can likely sip your favorite wines goodbye!