Category Archives: Under $75

Epicuro Nero D’Avola Review | Sicily’s Answer to Malbec?

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Epicuro Nero D’Avola Review | Sicily’s Answer to Malbec?

Nero D'Avola

When looking for a bottle of wine, do you seek out something that’s rich in dark fruit yet has soft tannins and a smooth mouthfeel? If so then you’re probably a fan of Argentinian Malbec, but have you tried Nero D’Avola?

Otherwise known as “The Black Grape of Avola” (a small town in Southeast Sicily), it’s quite similar in style to an Argentinian Malbec and just so happens to be Sicily’s most popular and widely planted grape.

Plus, many fine examples can be found under $12. But just how good can Nero D’Avola be at half that price? Today I’m investigating a possible find in the Trader Joe’s Wine Section: The $6 Epicuro Nero D’Avola 2013.

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J Lohr Cabernet Sauvignon | Top Cabernet’s Under $15

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J Lohr Cabernet Sauvignon | Top Cabernet’s Under $15

J Lohr Cabernet

Judging by the number of searches I have for the J Lohr Cabernet on my site, the great folks who regularly read TheFermentedFruit would like to know whether it’s a good value. I was once pretty fond of J Lohr’s Cabernet for it’s accessibility and sheer drinkability but thought quality had dropped off until I tasted the 2012 J Lohr Cabernet at a party recently.

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Ruston Cabernet Sauvignon | A Cabernet for Pinot Lovers?

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 Ruston Cabernet Sauvignon Valley 2010 | A Cabernet for Pinot Lovers?

Ruston Cabernet

When I received an e-mail offering from Last Bottle Wines touting a hyper-limited Napa Cabernet from the stellar 2010 vintage at 50% off, I began clicking away feverishly. I discovered that the wine on offer was the 2010 Ruston Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon produced 100% from notoriously expensive and character-laden Rutherford fruit.

As is often the case with any great wine region, many of the best wines – the hidden gems, rarely leave the region. They are enjoyed without abandon by in-the-know locals, who don’t subscribe to clever marketing prowess and highly-commercialized wines. I love finding these local favorites, and I just had to see for myself if the Ruston Cabernet Sauvignon itself is worth seeking out.

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Protocolo Wine Review | Do Affordability & Drinkability Mix?

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Protocolo Wine Review | Do Affordability & Drinkability Mix?

Protocolo Wine

So let’s say you’re heading to the Wal-Mart of wine stores, Total Wine, to search for some reasonably priced wine, say under $8. After splurging at Ovid recently myself, that’s exactly what I found myself doing!

Maybe you’re throwing a party or maybe you’re just looking for something decent to pour at home without having to worry about when to drink it, how long to decant it or how you’re going to pay off your hefty credit card bill after drinking it.

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Frisson Cabernet Sauvignon Review | Frisson Wines

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Frisson Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Review | Frisson Wines

Frisson Wines

One night at a garden dinner party Houston businessman and wine-lover Terry Davis met veteran winemaker Wayne Donaldson and the two hit it off and became quick friends. A serendipitous meeting, the pair would soon be united by their mutual passion for Napa Valley and their love of wine.

After learning of Terry’s desire to make his own Napa Valley wine, Wayne contacted him shortly after their meeting with an opportunity to purchase three tons of Diamond Mountain fruit. For Terry, the moment was surely a ‘Frisson’ – the French description for a moment of intense excitement or thrill. With Wayne’s partnership and 25 years of wine-making expertise, Frisson Wines was born.

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Elyse Cabernet Sauvignon Review | Elyse Winery

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Elyse Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Review | Elyse Winery

Elyse Winery

A few months ago I picked up Elyse Winery’s Morisoli Vineyard Zinfandel from Last Bottle Wines and it was excellent – rich, pure and balanced with great Zin character. It was also a really great value at $16 shipped, so when I received another e-mail from Last Bottle offering Elyse Winery’s Napa Valley Cabernet I jumped at the opportunity to give it a try.

It’s tougher and tougher to find good Napa Cabernet without draining the checking account, and Elyse Winery is a respected, somewhat under-the-radar producer who sources their fruit from top vineyard sites throughout Napa Valley.

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Chateau Cantenac Brown | Making It’s Mark in Margaux

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Chateau Cantenac Brown | Making It’s Mark in Margaux

Cantenac Brown

A Grand Tasting in The Big Apple

Recently I had the incredible honor of being invited to attend the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux 2012 vintage release tasting at Cipriani’s in New York. The weather outside was frightful – they were calling for 3 feet of snow on that 26th day of January, and it was quickly accumulating outside.

But inside members of the wine media, restauranteurs and wine buyers from all over were warm with excitement. Why? Over 100 of the most prestigious Chateau in Bordeaux were on site to showcase their newly released 2012 vintage wines, either represented by their Chateau owners themselves or their representatives. Amongst the representatives in attendance was Mr. Jose Sanfins, the accomplished and passionate Technical Director of Chateau Cantenac Brown.

A Successful Vintage and a Great Find

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Jaume Serra Cristalino Brut | Not Cheap, But Inexpensive

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Jaume Serra Cristalino Brut Cava | Trader Joe’s Wine

Jaume Serra Cristalino

The Jaume Serra Cristalino Brut Cava has become a perennial favorite amongst those looking for a nice bargain bubbly. Is it’s success due to the clean and elegant label? Or possibly because the catchy name sounds an awful lot like the awfully expensive Cristal Champagne?

Or is it fittingly because the Jaume Serra Cristalino is simple a great sparkling wine for the money? I spotted the Cristalino Brut while browsing my local Trader Joe’s Wine Section and decided to answer those questions for myself. I mean it can’t be all that bad if Wine & Spirits Magazine has rather impressively named the Jaume Serra Cristalino the ‘Value Brand of the Year’ for three consecutive years!

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Altano Douro Review | Top Costco Wine’s

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Altano Douro Review | Costco Wine Review

Altano Douro

The Douro wine region of Portugal has a history of producing wines for over 2,000 years. On the label of the Altano Douro 2012 I spotted in the Costco Wine Section you’ll see proudly displayed that the Symington family has been producing wine in the Douro for an impressive 125 of those years. That’s a long time and they’ve likely learned a thing or two about winemaking.

While the Douro is most commonly associated with it’s notable Port wine production, roughly half of the wines being produced there are actually not fortified. I’m not a huge fan of Port myself, but I am a fan of excellent table-wine bargains and the Altano Douro 2012 rang in at under $9 while boasting a commendable 91 point Wine Spectator score for the previous 2011 vintage. Needless to say I had to try it!

Have you seen my tips on Where to Buy Wine so that you’re not overpaying?

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Famiglia Bianchi Malbec Review | World’s Best Red Wine?

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Famiglia Bianchi Malbec Review | World’s Best Red Wine?

Famiglia Bianchi Malbec

Last year the annual wine competition known as the “Vinalies Internationales’ took place in Paris. The event is organized by the French Winemakers Association with the intent to identify the best wines in the world. Over 3,500 wines were presented from 41 countries to be evaluated blindly by 150 members of the international judging panel. Amongst the contestants: the Famiglia Bianchi Malbec 2012 from Casa Bianchi Winery in Mendoza, Argentina.

The results were shocking: Not only was it the first wine from Argentina to receive the top honors from the prestigious panel, but the Famiglia Bianchi Malbec 2012 was awarded the Grand Trophy of “World’s Best Red Wine”.

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