Wine Review: Trader Joe’s Coastal Syrah

Trader Joe’s Coastal Syrah is a discount wine offered at the popular grocery retailer.  You wouldn’t likely take a special trip to purchase this wine but might consider it the next time you’re completing your grocery shopping and need grab a wine for dinner. At a price under $5 you may consider picking up a few for later use.

This wine is produced in California using the coast cool weather to help create a riper taste. It isn’t a wine that you would first think of buying but would naturally be attracted to its price. I was as well as I am sure others.  As a wine it isn’t the best or the worst I have tasted but fits nicely in the medium range. 

The Nose: Jam high berry taste. A slight smell of ripeness.

The Mouth: Balanced, ripe berries, blackberry, tobacco, spice. Medium tannins.

The Glass: Medium to full body ruby red.

http://www.traderjoes.com/guides/wine-guide.asp

Wine Review: Lindeman’s Bin 45 Cabernet Sauvignon

Wine is served on dinner tables across the country with a tradition that predates the founding of the country. Early settlers brought wine vines with them on their travels.  Wine lovers regularly seek to find new varieties of foreign and domestic productions to experiment with. Lindeman’s Bin 45 Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 offers an exciting option at a price only your local market can provide.  A true table wine ready to serve for most dinner functions.

Lindeman’s Bin 45 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon is a bright red wine with high viscosity and long legs. In the glass Bin 45 contains current flavors, dark berry, vanilla, spices and oak. A smooth start and higher tannin finish with a reasonable level of acidity. A well balanced wine that retails for under $10. It pairs well with most meat dishes making it versatile for most home uses. 

The growing region of southern Australia has warmer interiors and cooler exteriors. The type of soil in the region has an impact on the taste and texture of the wine. For example, organic soils produce looser clumps, heavier berries, and high performance grapes (Cheng, et. al. 2014). In this case they produced a solid product ready for market production. 

It is hard to find wines that have a solid taste but still not budget busting your hard earned dollars.  Among the variety of wines that I have tasted and reviewed I find the Cabernet Sauvignons to be some of the best wine categories. They generally work well with oak barrels that lessen the tannin levels and raise the vanilla flavor. Bin 45 fulfilled my expectations and is on the “buy again” list. 

Cheng, et. al. (2014). Effects of climatic conditions and soil properties on Cabernet Sauvignon berry growth and anthocyanin profiles. Molecules, 19 (9).  

Wine Review: 2012 Cave de Roquebrun Saint-Chinian Terrasses de Cabrio

The type of red wine you serve at your next social gathering says a lot about you as a person. It prompts others as to your style, taste, wine knowledge, and social graces. Cave de Roquebrun Saint-Chinian Terrasses de Cabrio has all the style of a French import without the heavy price making you look sophisticated and refined. It retails for under $15.

It is a ruby dark red wine with heavy legs and plenty of flavor. It is a fairly solid wine but carries with it a high pitched taste and strong flavors. You can notice black fruit, herbs, tart berries and a little tobacco. The taste may not suit all pallets the same way but most will be pleased with the product. 

Red wine is generally a winter wine that is still served most seasons. This red wine pairs well with any meat or spicy dishes you may be offering. Considered rich and ripe cheeses that have a heavy flavor. Think stinky! Putting out a plate of different types of cheeses with this wine will reflect well on your social graces.

Wine Review: Apothic Red Wine 2012

You have been invited to a dinner party and need to pick up a quality wine for supper. No need to walk up and down the aisle to find the right wine that meets both the quality and cost criteria you had in your head when you first stepped into the store. Apothic Red 2012 is a blend of Syrah, Zinfandel, and Merlot that balances the different wines for a high quality outcome.

It contains mostly sweet flavors that include raspberry, cherry, vanilla, mocha and some boysenberry. It is a smooth wine with a hardy body and a pleasant aftertaste. This would be the type of wine you would pick up for just about any social affair. Most drinkers will be satisfied with the quality, taste, and consistency of their product.

Apothic Red Wine Maker’s Blend is a winter wine by style and complements a variety of winter related foods. Meat dishes, heavy soups, and wild game regularly pair with a heavier red wine. Room temperature wine also complements hot dish foods more commonly in the cool months. 

Red wine is generally considered healthiest choice among wines. Studies have shown that red wine compounds in the form of polyphenols play a role in inhibiting lipid peroxidation, free radicals, platelet aggregation, and strengthens anti-inflammation (Natella, et. al, 2011). A glass of wine every once in a while has positive supporting effect on overall health. 

http://www.apothic.com/

Natella, F., et. al. (2011). Drinking guidance for red wine: to be taken with meals: red wine prevents post prandial increase of plasma oxidized lipids. Journal of Wine Research, 22 (2).