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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 Zinfandel 2009

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Trader Joe's Zinfandel

Trader Joe's Zinfandel

A wine moment with Delaina…the sipping continues….

I believe I have mentioned that I for the most part love Zinfandels. I am seduced by their smooth flavor and enchanted by their complexity. Don’t get me wrong you will often read me saying the same thing about other red wines but I have never met a Zinfandel I did not love.

Here is a wonderful example of a great zin: Trader Joe’s  Grower’s Reserve Zinfandel 2009. I was very impressed by this $5.99 Zin. I shared this bottle with a friend, as we worked on a project and we were both impressed. The wine came from ASV Wines in San Martin, California. I have never heard of that vineyard, but will tell you I won’t soon forget it.

Funny….I have not even told you the best part.

Beyond this wine being one of the most enjoyable with all of the right things- smoothness, complexity, and under $6 – it is also organic. Yep! you read that right- organic. I could not believe it. Another value bonus from Trader Joe’s

So the label talks about the wine’s flavor as a mixture of berry and plum with a hint of pepper.  I always look for reds that are described with berry, plum and sometime cherry tones, but as I rule I stay away from peppery. I just find that my taste buds will latch on to the peppery and taste nothing else. This usually puts me at odds with many Chilian wines. Never mind,  the point that I am trying to get across,  is that I could not taste the pepper, or maybe more to the point if there was a hint of pepper it only enhanced the berry and plum flavors.

Trader Joe's Delish Zinfandel, 2009

Trader Joe's Delish Zinfandel, 2009

So just in case you were not sure…I highly recommend the Trader Joe’s Grower’s Reserve Zinfandel. I would serve it with anything or just sip it by itself because it is a very drinkable wine. I hope you enjoy this wine at least as much as I have enjoyed talking about it.

Cheers!

Delaina

Trader Joe’s Wine: Penfolds Rawson’s Retreat, 2008

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Penfold's Rawson's Retreat, 2008

Penfold's Rawson's Retreat, 2008

A Wine Moment with Delaina, the sipping continues….

There are a number of reasons that I choose to purchase a wine. Sometimes it is a recommendation, sometimes because of a tasting (ohhh thanks Trader Joe’s), but there is one more, slightly odd reason…

Sometimes wines call to me and make me purchase because of their labels. If they have a cool label that I like, then somehow I feel that the wine inside will also be to my liking. Another, less glamorous reason that pushes me to buy a particular bottle is based on if the bottle has a cork or screw top. Yes, this makes me really sound like a boozer, but I had a good reason, really!

Here is the full story: We were visiting some friends who are not wine drinkers and I forgot my wine opener.  I remembered this as we were heading off to Trader Joe’s to pick up some appetizers (and wine) to nibble on before dinner. Ugh!

So as you can imagine I bought this wine because it had a screw top. I must admit that I stood and contemplated this purchase for a minute. See, once upon a time I thought wines with screw tops wines were crap!  But now I admit that this is no longer the case. The second reason that made me stop and think about my purchase was that this wine was Australian, and again, once upon a time, Australian wines were too sweet for my tastes.  But that personal myth has recently been overturned, and so I took the plunge and purchased wine that had both a screw top and a “cool” lable.

The wine I purchased was:  Penfolds’s 2008 Rawson’s Retreat, which was a blend of a Shiraz and a Cabernet Sauvignon. WOW, this wine was a pleasant surprise. It is no back alley twist-top yucky sweet wine. This red has a great blend of boldness and only cost 5.99 at Trader Joes.  Such a deal!

Now to be truthful, this is not a wine that I would drink alone, but it pairs nicely with roasted chicken and potatoes. Or if you are having a “tapas night”  it pairs nicely with a sharp cheese such as  Kerrygold Dubliner cheese imported from Ireland sold at Trader Joes and Trader Joe’s Pitted Kalamata Olives- yes we tried it:)   In fact I think this wine would pair nicely with almost anything.

However, having said that, I would not recommend having it with Trader Joe’s Orange Chicken – and yes, I tried it 🙁   The sweet Oriental flavors were not the best match for this bold and dare I say dryish wine, by Australian standards.

Nonetheless, is a great wine that will complement most foods,  but might be a bit too complex for beginning wine drinkers.

If you enjoyed this Wine Moment with Delaina, please take a minute to leave us a comment below. Even if you just want to say hello we just love to hear from all of you!