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Tim Lemke

Tim is the founder and chief reviewer at Cheap Wine Ratings since 2007.

Review: Bila-Haut Côtes Du Roussillon Villages

This isn’t the first time I’ve reviewed Les Vignes de Bila-Haut,  Côtes Du Roussillon Villages from winemaker Michel Chapoutier. This is the fourth vintage of the wine I’ve reviewed and one thing I’ve found is that it is consistently good. In fact, the Bila-Haut portfolio of wines tends to be a bargain-hunters dream — which […]

Review: Quinta dos Murças, Minas

For years, Portuguese wines have been something I’ve sought out, due to the tremendous price-to-quality ratio I’ve found in them. But I’ve done a lot more seeking than finding due to limited availability in my region. In many stores I’d be lucky to find one or two Portuguese wines and they were often placed on […]

Review: Cline Cellars Estate Pinot Gris

One of the principles I try to adhere to is the idea of putting aside preconceptions and prejudices I may have about a wine and letting the wine speak for itself. It’s not as easy to do as you would think. The more you get into wine, the more expectations you develop that influence your […]

Review: Domaine Bousquet, Virgen Red Blend

I often come across wines that are produced using organically-grown grapes, but I don’t often find wines that are USDA certified organic. This is because sulfites are often added to wines as a preservative, which makes it easier for producers by lowering the risk of flaws developing. The Virgen Red Blend from Domaine Bousquet, however, […]

Review: Pasqua, Romeo & Juliet Prosecco

I’ve reviewed a couple other wines from Pasqua recently, and one thing I haven’t mentioned is that these wines are brought to us in the US by Bronco Wine Company, the fourth largest wine company in the US. When it comes to bargain wines, the portfolios at Bronco are massive and filled with great deals. […]

Review: Selbach Saar Riesling Kabinett

In a couple of my recent reviews I’ve featured wines that seem appropriate for springtime, and since springtime is part of anytime that means it’s also a fine time for riesling. This particular riesling, Selbach Riesling Kabinett, comes from the Saar region of Germany — which is part of the Mosel region. The Saar is […]

Review: Marqués de Cáceres, Cava, Brut

There’s an old idiom about having “Champagne taste on a a beer budget,” that is to say you like expensive things but you don’t have the money to afford those things. Suffering from this affliction is one of the things that drove me to start Cheap Wine Ratings. I literally have Champagne taste on a […]

Review: Pasqua, 11 Minutes Rosé

My spring rosé reveling continues with a rosé from northern Italy. More specifically, it comes from the Lake Garda vicinity, which is not only a beautiful region but is also home to one of my favorite DOCs, Lugana. But, of course, I have many favorite DOCs. The wine comes from a winery called Pasqua and […]

Review: Marqués de Cáceres, Rosé

Lately, spring is springing up more and more each day. That means rosé season is upon us. Imagine yourself sitting outside on a sunny, 70 degree day, relaxing with a slightly chilled glass of rosé and listening to the birds chirp. Now that’s my kind of spring day! I’m kicking off the season with a […]

Herdade de São Miguel, Alicante Bouschet

The last couple reviews I posted, here and here, were of alicante bouschet wines from the Alentejo region of Portugal. I have one more of these wines to share with you all, and this is the best one yet! Herdade de São Miguel is based in Redondo, which is pretty much in the center of […]