Red Wines

Cardinal Zin a Controvertial and Musical Zinfandel

May 15, 2008 Tim Lemke

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8.96K

Cardinal Zin is the epitome of a Zin with a fun name and a fun label.  In fact it’s so much fun that in 2001 it was banned in Ohio!  OK, it wasn’t banned for being too much fun specifically.  It was banned because Ohio’s state code on wine labeling forbids “advertisement or representation portraying pictures […]

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4.5

Review: Domaine Bousquet Gran-Cabernet Sauvignon

Twisted Zin Zinfandel

May 12, 2008 Tim Lemke

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5.39K

Californian Wine

Twist the top off this and celebrate a cork-free bargain.  Twisted Wines are a brand of wine that jumps out at you on the wine shelves.  The marketing guy in me loves this brand.  They have good packaging with a fun attitude, eye-popping shelf talkers and a well-designed website.  And the brand is not all […]

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4.5

Review: Domaine Bousquet Gran-Cabernet Sauvignon

Renwood Sierra Foothills Zinfandel

April 28, 2008 Tim Lemke

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4.28K

The Sierra Foothills designation of Renwood Zinfandel, also know as “red label,” is the entry-level Zinfandel from Renwood Winery.  They have some more pricey Zins available, but they are mostly out of the range for Cheap Wine Ratings.  The red label wines from Renwood are produced from their younger vines and are much simpler than […]

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4.5

Review: Domaine Bousquet Gran-Cabernet Sauvignon

Alexander Valley Vineyards Zinfandel

April 21, 2008 Tim Lemke

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8.60K

The next series we’re doing on Cheap Wine Ratings is California Zinfandel.  At times Zinfandel is one of my favorite varietals but sometimes it ends up just way too sweet and jammy.  Zinfandel is really a chameleon though, as its wine can have a variety of characteristics from jar-full-of-jam fruit, to spicy, to tannic, and […]

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4.5

Review: Domaine Bousquet Gran-Cabernet Sauvignon

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Review

April 15, 2008 Tim Lemke

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20.03K

Say it with me: mon-tuh-pul-CHEE-an-no dah BROOT-zo.  It’s one of my favorite Italian wines and not just because it’s fun to say.  It’s a very approachable Italian country wine that is often overlooked.  Yet it is very enjoyable and can have as much complexity as more popular varietals.  It’s much less acidic than many other […]

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4.5

Review: Domaine Bousquet Gran-Cabernet Sauvignon

Rubiro Montepulciano d’Abruzzo

April 13, 2008 Tim Lemke

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6.52K

Rubiro Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is (from what I can tell) a second label from Villa Cervia where oenologist Rino Moretti has been producing wine since 1989. This would be a good choice if you want a red wine that’s not too aggressive.  It’s approachable and soft in every way, making it easy to pair with a variety […]

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4.5

Review: Domaine Bousquet Gran-Cabernet Sauvignon

Villa Cerrina Montepulciano d’Abruzzo

April 10, 2008 Tim Lemke

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17.63K

I’ll keep this one relatively short as there’s not much to get excited about. This review adds fodder to my “there’s better places to shop for wine than Trader Joe’s” rant. Yep, it’s another wine from Trader Joe’s that rates less than 80. The fruit is soft in this one. It has a little leather […]

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4.5

Review: Domaine Bousquet Gran-Cabernet Sauvignon

Masciarelli Montepulciano d’Abruzzo

April 7, 2008 Tim Lemke

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12.44K

Azienda Agricola Masciarelli operates 13 estates across Abruzzo totaling about 300 hectares with lots of Montepulciano vines, plus other varietals such as Trebbiano, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cococciola and one hectare of Falaghina.  They also have olive groves on many of their estates and are well known for their olive oil sold under the Cvetic […]

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4.5

Review: Domaine Bousquet Gran-Cabernet Sauvignon

Fattoria La Valentina Montepulciano d’Abruzzo

April 3, 2008 Tim Lemke

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7.70K

La Valentina is a much younger producer than many of the others I’ve tasted for this series, but they produce a classic Montepulciano d’Abruzzo.  They were established in 1990 and currently manage over 40 hectares.  They have two vineyards in Abruzzo and the grapes for this label are from the San Valentino vineyard, about 20km from Maiella mountain […]

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4.5

Review: Domaine Bousquet Gran-Cabernet Sauvignon

Majolica Montepulciano d’Abruzzo

March 27, 2008 Tim Lemke

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7.65K

The next wine in our series on Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is Majolica from producer Podere Castorani.  The Castorani name comes from the family of surgeon Raffaele Castorani who invented the first surgical procedure to treat cataracts and owned the property in the late 18th century.  The property has since gone through different owners and the winemaking […]

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4.5

Review: Domaine Bousquet Gran-Cabernet Sauvignon