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Tim Lemke

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

Vigna Dogarina Prosecco Brut

A couple weeks ago we reviewed the Vigna Dogarina Extra Dry, which I thought was outstanding, and tonight it’s another Prosecco from Vigna Dogarina, this time it’s the Brut. If you’re not a bubbly wine buff you might not guess this, but the Brut is slightly more dry than the Extra Dry.  So, I guess […]

Barefoot Bubbly Review

I’ve reviewed a number of different Barefoot wines on this site and it’s one bargain brand that seems to do OK.  I’ve never been totally blown away by any of their wines, but they’ve all been quite drinkable and great values.  That continues to be the case with their line-up of sparkling wine… none of […]

Banfi Rosa Regale Brachetto d’Acqui

We’re checking out another sparkling wine today, but this one is a sweet, dessert sparkler: Rosa Regale To be honest, I was a little reluctant to review this wine just based on price.  In my opinion, Banfi wines are overpriced.  For a while I was seeing this wine sell for $25+, but recently I’ve seen […]

Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut

Time and time again, Gloria Ferrer is a brand of sparkling wine that you’ll see get accolades as a good, affordable sparkling wine.  And for good reason, it’s good stuff. I often tell people to toss aside the Champagne flutes and drink bubbly from a bigger glass.  The reason is that I think aroma is […]

Vigna Dogarina Prosecco Extra Dry

Tonight we’re tasting another Prosecco, and it happens to be another outstanding value for sparkling wine. Like most Prosecco, Vigna Dogarina comes from the Veneto region in Italy.  But that’s just the broader region.  This particular Prosecco comes from Valdobbiadene, one of the most prestigious places for Prosecco. Pay close attention to the “Extra Dry” […]

Riondo Prosecco Spago Nero

When it comes to finding bubbly wine at bargain prices, Prosecco can’t be beat.  Actually, Prosecco is a grape variety from the Veneto region of Italy and there is some of it produced as still wine, but the vast majority of it is bubbly.  Here’s one that is simply awesome and it’s about $10 to […]

Mumm Napa Brut Prestige

Here’s another sparkling wine that I think is just awesome, and I found it for about $17.  This one comes from Mumm Napa, and as you might guess by the name it’s from Napa Valley. One thing you might notice about sparking wine in the lower price range is that non-vintage is commonplace.  You won’t […]

Lucien Albrecht Cremant D’Alsace – Brut Blanc de Blancs

In case you haven’t seen it yet, you might want to check out the November/December issue of Mutineer Magazine.  This issue includes a column, authored by yours truly, about sparkling wines—just in time for the holidays.  One of the wines included in this article is the Lucien Albrecht Cremant D’Alsace – Brut Blanc de Blancs. […]

Forest Glen Pinot Noir

This past weekend I did a blind tasting with about 20 wines.  They were grouped according to variety (i.e. all the Cabernet Sauvignon at once, all the Pinot Noir, etc.)  There were a few surprises coming out of the tasting and this was one of them. There are some brands that are seen practically everywhere […]

Terra d’Oro Moscato

I’ll be the first to admit, that I’m not a big fan of sweet wine, outside of a few very well-done Botrytized wines.  Nonetheless, I receive some every now and then and I’ll still review them for the benefit of those who do prefer sweet wine. Although I’m not a big fan of sweet wines, […]