South Carolina Wine Joe

In my previous post, I was disappointed with the Cotes du Rhone Villages that I selected at Trader Joe's.  A few days later I found Lavau Cotes du Rhone Villages at Costco for $8.99 and I was optimistic that I had found a better wine. This wine is a blend of 50% Grenache and 50% Syrah.  The typical Cotes du Rhone will usually have some amount of Mouvedre, but there is none in this wine.  The alcohol content is 13.5%.  This wine is somewhat acidic with flavors of blackberry and spice.  The finish is average.  While this is better than the Trader Joe's wine, it did not reward my optimism.  I will look for another Cotes du Rhone to drink until Costco brings back the Kirkland Cotes du Rhone Villages. SC Wine Joe rating = 87 points

I am a big fan of Cotes du Rhone wines from France.  On my last visit to Trader Joe's, I specifically looked at their selection of Cotes du Rhone wines and selected the Valreas Cotes du Rhone Villages.  I read the labels and selected this because it was from one of the 18 Villages and had 14% alcohol. I know you can find reviews online which praise this wine, but I do not agree.  The best I can say is that this wine is definitely drinkable and only costs $5.99.  Beyond that, I can say that the wine is acidic, dry and somewhat spicy.  I think that I have been spoiled by the delicious Kirkland Signature Cotes du Rhone ( see my blog from September 2016 ) and this is not nearly as good. SC Wine Joe rating = 86 points

The North Coast appelation encompasses all of the counties in California north of the San Francisco Bay.  This includes the wine growing regions of Napa and Sonoma as well as 4 other counties.  Silver Palm Cabernet Sauvignon North Coast is primarily from Mendocino County with some Sonoma County Merlot and a small amount of Cabernet Franc. This wine is dark purple in color and full bodied.  I noted flavors of dark cherry, blackberry and cola.  The oak and tannins are present but not overpowering and I think the most impressive feature of this wine is the long lasting finish.  This is a terrific wine that you should try.  Costco now has the wine for $13.99 and Total Wines sells it for $14.99, but with a coupon you should be able to buy it for less than the Costco price. SC Wine Joe rating = 90 points

A Robert Parker rated 93 points Spanish wine for $9.59 at Costco - I am a buyer!  I am a buyer for more than one. This wine from Yecla in Spain is made from old vine Monastrell (70%), Syrah (20%) and Granacha Tintorera (10%) with 14% alcohol.  The wine is aged 3 months in small french oak casks.  The wine is medium to full bodied with flavors of dark berries and slight minerality. This is a great wine with tons of flavor bursting throughout the mouth.  It would pair nicely with a roast or barbequed baby back ribs.  I really enjoyed this wine!  It is a great bargain and I will buy more if it is still available on my next trip to the Greenville Costco. SC Wine Joe rating = 91 points                                          Feel free to copy image To pinterest

A few weeks ago, the local Costco had a bin of this wine priced at $17.99 and anytime I see a Chateauneuf du Pape for less than $20, I am a buyer.  In fact, the best price you can find online for this wine is $30.  Apparently, I am not the only one who cannot pass up Chateauneuf du Pape at this price, because a few days later, I checked and it was gone. This was our New Years Eve wine.  As you would expect for a wine from this region in Rhone France, it is primarily Granache, Syrah and Mouvedre grapes in a dry, medium bodied wine.  There are flavors of  plum and red licorice as well as dark berries.  Alcohol content is listed at 14%. While this is a very good wine, it is not the finest Chateaunuef du Pape.  For example, the very popular Kirkland Signature Chateauneuf du Pape ($19.99 when available) is definitely more complex and flavorful.  However, Les Terrasses  is still a great buy at $18 and I would buy again at that price. SC Wine ...