South Carolina Wine Joe

One year ago, Lidl opened the first North American stores.  On my initial visit, I purchased the 2012 Northbound Railway Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley.  I was exuberant when I tasted the wine, calling it a $30 wine selling for $15. Time passes and last week Lidl advertised Northbound Railway Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon on sale for $10.49.  Since I drive past the store nearly every day, I told Wine Jane I needed to get bananas and stopped for bananas and wine.  After bringing the wine home, I noticed some unusual facts when comparing the bottle to the wine I reviewed last year:      1.  The wine I bought last year was a 2012 vintage.  One year later, the wine was a 2015                         vintage.  What happened to 2013 and 2014?      2.  This wine has 13.5% alcohol and the 2012 had 15%.  That is a signific...

It has been three years since I last blogged about the Kirkland Signature Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley, Sonoma County.  Since I have recently been enjoying "Untamed Vine Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon" from Lidl, this is a great time to revisit the Kirkland wine and make a comparison. Kirkland Signature Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley is a deep violet color in the glass.  It is a fruit forward Cabernet with flavors of blackberry, black cherry and plum with a distinct undertone of mocha.  The tannins are dusty and not harsh with a long lasting finish. From my notes, I believe that I enjoyed this wine even more than the past vintages. We decided to do a side by side taste comparison of the Kirkland Alexander Valley Cabernet and the Untamed Vine Alexander Valley Cabernet.  I knew which glass was which wine, but my research assistant, SC Wine Jane, did not.  We both agreed that we could barely tell any difference between the wines.  I think ...

 I never know what to expect from Kirkland Signature Cabernet Sauvignon Napa County.  Looking back over my previous reviews, I found that I did not like the 2011 version, liked the 2012, was unimpressed with the 2013 and liked the 2014.  Although I would rate the 2014 version and the current 2015 version equally at 90 points, my review of the 2014 version does not match my impressions of the 2015.  I described the previous vintage having flavors of blackberry, plum and a little vanilla.  This year, I taste more black cherry, blackberry, no vanilla and a little cola.  Nevertheless, this is a smooth, rich blend with a pleasant long lasting finish.  The wine has 14.9% alcohol and delivers more than you would expect from a wine costing $12.99. SC Wine Joe rating = 90 points

Back in 2016, I wrote about Cherry Blossom Pinot Noir from Trader Joe's.  At a price of $4.99, I found it an exceptional value.  I shared the wine in a tasting I led at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Furman University and several people told me that they liked it better than the more expensive wines I presented. Now, Trader Joe's has introduced a Cherry Blossom Rose' also priced at $4.99.  You may remember that Cherry Blossom wines are produced by the Bronco Wine Company, the same company behind Charles Shaw (Two Buck Chuck) wines. Cherry Blossom Rose' is a very drinkable wine.  The color is a little darker than most Rose' wines and an aroma of sweet fruit bursts from the glass.  The flavors detected are cherry and strawberry.  This is a fun, enjoyable poolside or patio wine.  It is a little too sweet to be a serious food wine but not overly sweet like a blush wine from our youth.  Just like the Cherry Blossom Pinot Noir, this is the...

I have reviewed Kirkland Signature Sonoma County Old Vine Zinfandel every year since I started this blog.  It is always a dependable favorite for under $10 and is usually introduced into the warehouses in the first quarter of the year.  I have been looking for the wine for months since I read online reviews of the wine that indicated it was available elsewhere.  For some unknown reason I could not find it at the Greenville SC store.  Finally, I found a small display of the wine last week.  Who can explain the workings of Costco? In prior years, I was quite happy with this wine.  I rated it 90 points every year but one.  Fortunately, I bought two bottles of the 2015 version, because the first bottle that I opened was not very flavorful.  It did not seem to have been ruined by air reaching the wine but the fruit flavors were dull.  Who knows what can happen during transportation and storage of  the wine. The second bottle had the bright ...

It had been a few years since we last visited Burntshirt Vineyards and Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards.  Yesterday, we decided to make a day trip to both tasting rooms preceded by lunch at "A Day in the Country".  Both tasting rooms and the restaurant are just east of Hendersonville, NC. Burntshirt Vineyards is a vineyard and a winery.  The beautiful outdoor porch and patio area features a long view over the vineyards with mountain ridges in the background.  The facilities and the outdoor landscaping are well maintained.  The tasting consisted of choosing 5 wines out of the 18 available for $10.  My favorite was the Cabernet Franc, a medium bodied red with flavors of cherry and dark cherry.  The wine was aged 18 months in French and American oak.  Wine Jane liked the "Sunset Sippin" semi sweet blend of Traminette and Petite Manseng.  She also favored the Meritage left bank (more Merlot) Bordeaux style blend. Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards ...