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Trader Joe’s Wine: Mionetto Prosecco D.o.c Treviso- Brut

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Hello Everyone;

It is time for another wine moment with Delaina.

I had a need for celebration gift this week,  and as the beautiful blue bottled Villa Carlotti Prosecco was not in stock at Trader Joes (or anywhere else that I called) I had to try another Prosecco.  I needed a Prosecco that would impress and show my gratitude,  so I spent a little more than I do normally. The Prosecco I chose was Mionetto Prosecco D.o.c. Treviso – Brut. Click to check out the Mionetto Website.

Mionetto Prosecco D.o.c. Treviso- Brut

Mionetto Prosecco D.o.c. Treviso- Brut

This sparkling Italian wine cost $9.99 at Trader Joe’s and offers a sophisticated apple essence. The tag that comes on the bottle implies a hint of “golden apple.” The Mionetto is dry in comparison to the Villa Carlotti; yet offers a soft-smooth finish that has the taste buds longing for more.

As I have said, I prefer Proseccos to other highly charged and overly sweet sparkling wines. I would say that this Mionetto Prosecco would be in competition with the much higher price Champagnes. Mionetto’s light, dry, and sophisticated flavors and balance would pair nicely with cheese and of course Italian dishes, like Kris’s Meatless Monday Meal Go Italian. I would recommend the Mionetto Prosecco for a nice gift or for your own celebratory events.

Cheers!

Trader Joe’s Wine: Villa Carlotti Prosecco

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Trader Joe's Villa Carlotti Prosecco in cool blue bottle

Trader Joe's Villa Carlotti Prosecco in cool blue bottle

So it is July and I thought that it would be appropriate to share a Prosecco I found at Trader Joes.

Trader Joes had a Villa Carlotti Prosecco for around five dollars so I gave it a try. I tend to like Proseccos because, as the label states, it is a “Soft White Wine”. This slightly charged and bubbly wine was just perfect. The apple and pear flavors were balanced with a subtle dryness that made this Prosecco a great Trader Joe’s fine.

The cool blue bottle would make it a great hit for a 4th of July party. Or just a warm evening that you want to celebrate life…

The Prosecco would go nicely with anything you would serve a light white wine with, such as fish, chicken or a salad. I also like to have a little cheese with my white wine so I would recommend brie, smoked Gouda, and/or a little or rich, creamy Port-Salut. The great news is Trader Joes sells all of those cheeses so it can be a one stop entertainment shop.

By the way you will still need to remove the cork with a cork screw. Yes, this does seem strange for a bubbly wine, but these bubbles are not as strong as Champaign or Asti. In fact, there was not even a wire basket to hold down the cork, nor was there a “POP” when the cork came out. Oh yeah…. The bottle also states a certain type of cork screw is necessary, but we used our regular one, and everything was OK.

So go ahead have fun…celebrate life…and all of the wonders of your world,

Cheers,

Delaina

Trader Joe’s Wine: Chariot Gypsy, 2007

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A wine moment with Delaina…the sipping continues….

This wine moment features the red wine Chariot Gypsy 2007. Chariot’s Gypsy comes out of Jim Neal Wines in St Helena, California. This red wine is complex and smooth, but with enough playfulness to drink on summer evening.

Now remember, we live in Tucson Arizona so a summer evening for us means that we are inside with the air conditioner running… and staying cool.

The label does not describe the wine’s flavors for you, other then to note the obvious, “Red Wine”.  I am always intrigued by wines that say “Red Wine” or “Table Wine” (the latter is usual for Italian wines). So I thought perhaps the winery from California wanted the Chariot Gypsy to be California’s “table wine.”

So you have only my taste buds to describe this wine for you. The bouquet to me is a mixture of lavender and cherries. The flavor I would say matches the smell.  It is what I would imagine drinking summer would be like in a vineyard.

Yeah…  I do know this sounds ‘cheesy.’ But hey speaking of cheese, this wine would pair nicely with a number of different cheeses. For example, try smoked Gouda, or even a creamy plain and simple cheese like Monterey Jack. We love to serve a selection of cheeses and fun crackers with wine for an appetizer.

If you were thinking about a full dinner paring, then I can tell you that this wine also pairs nicely with a salad and gnocchi tossed in garlic butter.

Either way, bon appétit! And I hope you enjoy drinking yummy wines during the summer nights to come.

Have you tried this wine? Take a moment to leave a comment if you like… we can compare wine tasting notes….

Cheers!

Delaina

Trader Joe’s Wine: Grower’s Reserve Chardonnay 2009

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A wine moment with Delaina…the sipping continues….

After the success of the Trader Joe’s Grower’s Reserve Zinfandel (yes this is another plug for that Zin), I decided to give the Trader Joe’s Grower’s Reserve Chardonnay 2009 a try.

I was very impressed. Sometimes Chardonnays are just too dry for me. As a rule I like Chardonnays that have little bit of “oakieness” but not so much they lose their buttery smoothness. It is true I expect the same complexity from white wine as I do reds.

Too often I feel that white wines have little complexity. This is not, I repeat, not the case with Trader Joe’s Grower’s Reserve Chardonnay.

This organic Trader Joe’s wine find has complexity, at least by my white wine standards. The label talks about this Chardonnay’s straw coloring and apple, pear, and melon flavor.  Personally I think it is the melon flavor that  gives this wine its complexity, but I might be biased.

Trader Joe’s Chardonnay is from ASV Wines out of San Martin, California (just like the Zinfandel).

This wine would pair nicely with salads, fish, lightly buttered pasta, and anything really that you would drink white wine with. In fact, depending on your own tastes, this could be one of the rare white wines that could be fancied/ drank  on its own. Alone there is a bit more of a bite but the bite is more like a nibble.

I hope you enjoy this wine as much as I did. Drop me a comment below to let me know what you thought of this wine…

Cheers!

Delaina