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Tim Lemke

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

Maquis Cabernet Sauvignon

A lot of the wines that I review seem to have a similar story.  A family owns a vineyard for generations and recently renovated their winery, blah, blah, blah.  Well, the story behind Maquis has a slightly different twist.  Yes, it’s a vineyard that has been owned by the same family for over 100 years. […]

William Cole Vineyards Columbine Special Reserve Sauvignon Blanc

The William Cole estate is situated in the Casablanca Valley, near the city of Casablanca.   There is also a William Cole Vineyards in St. Helena, California, but the wineries are unrelated.  William Cole Vineyards, the Chilean version, is owned and operated by William Cole, while William Cole Vineyards in St. Helena is owned and operated […]

Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cabernet Sauvignon

Last week, David did a review of a sauvignon blanc from Robert Mondavi, so I thought I’d work in another Mondavi wine today.  This one is a cabernet sauvignon from their “Private Selection” line. Like David, I haven’t had any negative experiences with any of Mondavi’s wines.  I’ve had some that are great, some that […]

Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Sauvignon Blanc

My experience with Robert Mondavi’s various wineries goes back many vintages.  And, I can say that I’ve never had a negative experience with any of their wines, whether they were from the main estate, from Woodbridge, or from their joint venture with Baron Philippe de Rothschild, Opus One.  Regarding the latter, I’ve been fortunate to […]

Peñalolen Cabernet Sauvignon

As any regular reader here probably knows, I’m a fan of Chilean wines.  It’s not that I have any personal connection to Chile, it’s just that we tend to find really good values from this region.  This cabernet from Peñalolen is no exception. This wine comes from the Maipo Valley region in Chile, which is […]

Graffigna Centenario Cabernet Sauvignon

Graffigna Wines is part of the Pernod Ricard portfolio of brands, although it has a rich history as a family-owned winery going back to 1870. The Centenario line of wines was added in 1970, marking the centennial anniversary of the winery (in case you didn’t figure out the translation.)  And while many consumers are just […]

Handcraft Cabernet Sauvignon

Last week, Cheryl Indelicato from DFV Wines was in town for the Cincinnati International Wine Festival and I had a chance to meet up with her for lunch and to taste the lineup in her new brand of wines, Handcraft.  I had previously tasted the cabernet sauvignon, but this was an opportunity to revisit it […]

Irony Cabernet Sauvignon

When you’re into bargain-priced wines, it’s good to find some reliable names.  While one of the fun things about wine is trying different ones—since the number of options is nearly limitless—sometimes you’re in a rush, or you don’t feel like mulling over the options and you want to just grab a bottle you know will […]

Concannon Central Coast Cabernet Sauvignon

Concannon is a California wine brand that’s been around for a long time.  In fact, it’s roots go back over 125 years.  That’s a long history for an American winery, particularly when you factor in prohibition.  And with such a long history, Concannon has pioneered a number of things in California wine.  They’re best known […]

Villa San-Juliette Cabernet Sauvignon

Last week, when we reviewed the Ancient Peaks cabernet sauvignon, I was singing the praises of cabernet sauvignon from Paso Robles.  So, I thought it would be good to highlight yet another fine Paso Robles cabernet. This one comes from Villa San-Juliette, a brand we’ve tasted before.  This brand is owned by the producers of […]