Category Archives: Under $20

Kirkland Signature Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley Review

Kirkland Signature 2011 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Review

I’m perennially tempted and intrigued by Costco’s Kirkland Signature wines so I thought I might give the Kirkland Signature Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 2011 a try. Alexander Valley is the northernmost part of Sonoma County and is known for producing Cabernet’s that are slightly softer and more elegant in style.

It’s generally cooler temperatures produce a different Cabernet than you get in Napa, where wines are often riper, fruitier and more tannic. Often I find myself more inclined to drink Cabernet that is less fruity with good balance and acidity and Alexander Valley fits the bill at a better price point. Several notable wineries you might recognize produce sought after Cabernet’s from Alexander Valley including Silver Oak,  Jordan and Lancaster Estate.

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Domaine Lafage Cuvee Nicolas Review

Domaine Lafage Cuvee Nicolas

Domaine Lafage Cuvee Nicolas

The Domaine Lafage Cuvee Nicolas 2012 really caught my attention when I received an e-mail offering from The Wine Library. Not only was it fashioned by the same talented winemaker who produces the Novellum Chardonnay, but at only $13 it had scored a whopping 93 point score by Jeb Dunnuck of the Wine Advocate.

The Novellum Chardonnay is an excellent value, consistently over delivering for it’s modest price point at the hands of winemaker Jean Marc Lafage. He is also responsible for producing the wildly popular Las Rocas Garnacha for power-importer Eric Solomon.

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Dr. Wagner Riesling Review

Dr. Wagner Riesling ReviewI don’t drink many Rieslings, mostly because I’m not a huge fan of sweetness in my wines. Rieslings are however considered to be amongst the greatest age-worthy white wines, and they aren’t always very sweet, if at all. I very much enjoyed a Riesling recently while visiting Long Island Wine Country at Paumanok Vineyards so when I spotted the Dr. Wagner Riesling Kabinett at my local Costco I decided to give it a try.

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Cupcake Sauvignon Blanc | Costco Wine Reviews

Cupcake Sauvignon Blanc | Costco Wine Reviews

Cupcake Sauvignon Blanc

Chances are that you’ve either seen or know of the Cupcake Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc. It’s usually prominently displayed in every supermarket wine section across across America. So today at The Fermented Fruit my mission of unearthing the wine bargains we’re all searching for continues. I love these missions; and I love Sauvignon Blanc too.

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La Marca Prosecco | Understated & Elegant

La Marca Prosecco Review | Understated & Elegant

La Marca Prosecco

Perhaps taking a cue from the success of Veuve Clicquot’s inescapable bright orange label, the La Marca Prosecco boasts an elegant and eye catching blue label which certainly stands out amongst a sea of wine labels. But we mustn’t get too distracted by pretty labels and well executed marketing! What’s behind the label and inside the bottle is far more important.

I was intrigued to learn that the La Marca is the only Prosecco producer from Veneto, Italy to have earned the honorable distinction of “Top 100 Wines of the Year” for it’s Prosecco by Wine Spectator. This leads me to believe that the La Marca Prosecco could very well have some serious potential. Now let’s investigate the La Marca Prosecco

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Roederer Estate Brut Review | Cristal’s American Relative

Roederer Estate Brut Review | Cristal’s American Relative

Roederer Estate Brut

In 1982, Jean-Claude Rouzaud selected a 580 acre vineyard site in California’s Anderson Valley with the intent to expand and further build upon his long family tradition of producing world-class sparkling wine.

The descendant of the founder of Champagne Louis Roederer, Jean-Claude Rouzaud was running the highly successful family company when he decided to bring his vision of Champagne to the United States in the form of Roederer Estate. Six years after locating this ideal, sizable site near the Mendocino Coast, the Roederer Estate Brut was born!

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J Pinot Gris Review | J Vineyards & Winery

J Pinot Gris Review | J Vineyards & Winery

J Pinot Gris

This summer in Washington D.C. has been surprisingly mild and beautiful – which for me translates to being unusually conducive to patio wine sipping. Such opportunities call for a wine that is crisp and refreshing, but my favorite sippers are those with a bit of depth and complexity to keep things interesting.

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Lunetta Prosecco | Top Sparkling Wines | Costco Wine Review

Lunetta Prosecco  | Top Sparkling Wines | Costco Wine Review

Lunetta Prosecco

There could never be enough good Champagne alternatives in my opinion. Don’t get me wrong…I’d be happy to drink in its sunshine all the time, but for those of us born without a trust fund we must look to places outside of the Champagne like California, Spain, other wine growing regions of France or in the case of the Lunetta Prosecco: Italy.

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Hess Select Cabernet Review | Your House Cab Has Arrived

Hess Select Cabernet Review | Your House Cabernet Has Arrived!

Hess Select Cabernet

On a recent trip to Costco in Arlington I was originally on the hunt for one of my new favorite Spanish bargains, the Tarima Hill Old Vine Monastrell, when I spotted the Hess Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2011.

I had tasted prior vintages by the glass at several restaurants who pour this as their house Cabernet Sauvignon, but I had never actually committed to a full bottle. It’s not often you order house wine that actually tastes somewhat varietally correct and like…real wine. I decided at under $12 it was about time to pull the trigger and give it a shot.

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Tarima Hill Monastrell 2011

Tarima Hill Monastrell Review | Costco Wine Review

Tarima Hill Monastrell

Bodegas Volver produces the Tarima Hill Monastrell 2011 with fruit from it’s vineyard holdings of approximately 834 acres spread across the Spanish wine regions of Alicante, Jumilla and La Mancha. Of those impressive holdings (which the winery has plans to expand further), 457 acres are located in the Alicante. Despite having a history of wine production for over 2,000 years, Alicante is still better known for it’s beaches than it’s wines.

It’s reputation of producing cheap, bulk wine is quickly transforming as a new generation of vanguard winemakers produce bold reds with superb extraction and balance at price points few other, if any, wine regions can match.

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