Chappellet "Signature" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Napa, California

"Just pick one out.  It doesn't matter which."  <- my cousin to me earlier one night this week, whilst I was snooping around her wine collection.  I see BV Pinot Noir- been there, done that.  Next. A bunch of Sterling Vineyards Chards.  Know what that tastes like.  (All of these wines decent, by the way.)  Hmm.  Then I stumbled upon a wine I wasn't familiar with, Chappellet Cabernet.  Pulled it out, had it approved by the cousins, and popped it open. 


Wow.  Immediately I knew I wasn't dealing with a sub $20 deal, this guy was a WINE.  The nose was a bit of fun, very spicy with dark fruit.  Danced on your nose kind of.  The first taste was seriously good.  This Cab blend is darkly rich and plummy, with a slight acidic bite at the outset.  After it breathes a bit, this Chappellet is very smooth, well-balanced and structured, with velvety tannins and a smoky, oak-y finish that increases in complexity as the wine opens up.  If you aged this guy a few years, you'd have a homerun-hitting wine.  Out of the park.  My mouth was happy for sure.


Turns out this bottle was a gift from a coworker.  Oopsy.  At least my cousins know their coworkers have good taste.  (And are pretty generous, this guy is going to run you ~$40!)

Technical Info:

Varietal: 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Malbec, 4% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Merlot 

Alcohol: 14.9% 

Origin: Napa, CA

Price: $39.99 at wine shops (though the wine has been sold out for a while, so I've read)

Rachel's Grade: A   Forty big ones aren't going to get you a heck of a lot more than this.  I love blends because there's that mastery of flavors that's required of the winemaker.  When all of the notes sing in harmony it's a beautiful thing; and this wine has got a pretty little song to sing for sure.  If you're searching around for this guy and find yourself coming up empty handed, try going for the '08.  I hear excellent things about that as well.  Bottom line: thumbs way up.

The Best Wines <$5 You've Ever Had

So I'm sure some of you reading are soaking up all of my info, but very little of my vino.  Economic times are tough, I know.  Which is why a girl has to know what's up in the bargain barrel.  Here are a few wines with some simple notes letting you know how to get your drink on without breaking the bank.




#1) Huntington Sauvignon Blanc 2006, Sonoma, CA


Notes: This stuff is straight up AWESOME.  Smooth, tangy, and really drinkable.  Our local Newflower Market carried it for $3.33 for a long time.  Yeah, I bought a case.  It's been rated high points-wise in a couple of places.  Pretty sweet for a bottle the price of a soda at a restaurant.




#2) Surf Point Merlot 2005, Somewhere, CA


Notes: Another very drinkable vino, this Merlot is made for everyday.  For me, it was $2.99 at Newflower again, but from what I hear, Food Lion has a monopoly on what's left of it. Scoop it up, seriously.  You won't regret it.


#3) Surf Point Chardonnay 2006, Somewhere, CA


Notes:  You'd think an '06 Chardonnay would be kind of played out.  False.  This guy is really buttery/butterscotchy and again, quite easy on the wallet.  I'd go for Food Lion again.  Surf Point seems to be their best value.


#4) Tisdale Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, 2006, Modesto, CA


Notes: Tisdale Vineyards is owned by Gallo, interestingly enough.  They produce super solid wines all $5 or under.  I like the Cabernet because it has this really unexpected vanilla component that intrigues me.


#5) Tisdale Vineyards Pinot Noir, 2006, Modesto, CA


Notes: Another, just plain drinkable Tisdale wine.  I really recommend all of their varietals for people on a budget.  It makes super table wine for sure.

Bodegas Neo Vivir, Vivir 2008, Ribera Del Duero, Spain

Today my DC cousin and I made our way to her friend's friends wine shop, a cute little Alexandria locale named "Unwined," to grab a couple bottles for dinner tonight, and for her future consumption.  I offered my Simple Girl Sommelier services, and we came away with a few very nice bottles.  It's interesting because, once you've memorized and learned about the different wine regions of the world and the gamut of grape varietals, even though you aren't familiar with a certain producer of wine, you can tell approximately what the wine is going to taste like.  So you're able to guesstimate what is going to be a good buy and what isn't.  It's pretty nifty.  


Anyway, she's a Pinot Noir girl, so naturally I thought we'd try some Spanish Tempranillo and see what she thought.  We picked up two bottles.  She liked one, I liked the other.  Her pick was Paternina Banda Azul 2006 from Rioja, Spain.  My pick was the second, the Bodegas Neo Vivir, Vivir.  I must say I was cheating a bit- I'd had this wine before.  I'd been introduced to it prior to my leap into wine studies, but I recalled it was really pleasant.  I was correct.  The theme of this Tempranillo is "smooth."  Everything about it is very silky.  The nose is slightly spicy and smells of velvety dark fruit. It has a super silky mouthfeel that leaves a bit of smooth tannins on your tongue, but I find the sensation very pleasant.  It's a bit smoky, but it's well balanced and round with a little blast of vanilla oakiness.

Technical Info:

Varietal: 100% Tempranillo 

Alcohol: 13% 

Origin: Ribera del Duero, Spain

Price: $11.99 at Unwined and other wine shops

Rachel's Grade: B+  I know I seem to be giving a lot of B+s these days, but I'm fortunate enough to be drinking a lot of B+ grade vino!  This Tempranillo is really a crowd pleaser, with big fruit and soft tannins.  It's light in the mouth but serious about it's finish.  I've heard the '07 vintage is even more exciting.  I'll have to try it.

Domaine Bellevue Touraine Sauvignon 2009, Loire Valley, France

As we type I am sprawled out on the couch in my cousin's living room, glass of wine in hand.  It's been a fantastic evening, with great food followed up by some great vino.  My cousins and their friends seem to have excellent taste.  I knew I liked these people for a reason....

Let us first start with this Domaine Bellevue.  I pulled it out of their wine collection and stuck it in the freezer a few minutes before dinner.  We were having a spicy African peanut-sauced chicken stew.  I figured an acidic white would cut through that sweet spice, and so I pulled out the only Loire Valley Sauvignon in their collection.  Good call.  Not quite sure about my mad pairing skillz but it worked out for us!

I got this guy into the glass a little warm, but that didn't stop the nose from being downright pretty.  It was lemongrass-y, green apple-y, sweet, zesty, and as tangy as a smell can be.  Really fun to smell.  The first sip gave way to a well-balanced, smooth Sauvignon that I really enjoyed.  There were fruit flavors present, but like most French Sauvignons, they weren't overpowering.  This wine had a nice mouthfeel and a pleasant acidity that really complimented our spicy fare.

Technical Info:

Varietal: 100% Sauvignon Blanc 

Alcohol: 12.5% 

Origin: Loire Valley, France

Price: ~$12 at wineshops from what I hear

Rachel's Grade: A-   This beautiful Loire Valley Sauvignon is worth every dang cent of the money you spend on it.  This is a whole lot of craft for what you're paying for.  This wine is going to be agreeable to just about anybody who tries it- it's not overly fruity or acidic, and it's got enough complexity to interest most red drinkers.  I say, go ahead and buy... a few bottles.  I know I will.

Louis Latour Ardeche Chardonnay 2008, Burgundy, France

Mm a white Burgundy... fancy, no?  No, really, it's not.  This guy runs you under $10.  This great Louis Latour Chardonnay is a classy move that will please most any palate.  I've always had wonderful experiences with Louis Latour wines.  (Clarificiation: Louis Latour is a French importer)  They're always fresh tasting with great flavor.


The Ardeche Chardonnay is no exception.  The initial nose on it is really quite pretty.  It's kind of sweetly zesty and zingy with a refreshing citrus-y component.  When you pop it in your mouth, this Chardonnay has a super silky mouthfeel.  It's a solid, structured white that's at the same time sprightly and bright.  The tanginess of it is tempered by the alcohol, I feel, and the finish is quite short, but very pleasant.

Technical Info:

Varietal: 100% Chardonnay 

Alcohol: 13.5% 

Origin: Burgundy, France

Price: $9.99 at World Market

Rachel's Grade: B+   Louis Latour has done it again.  This Chardonnay is a solid sipping or table wine that should be appreciated by all.  It doesn't have the big butteriness of a lot of the stuff coming out of California, but it's got an interesting sort of complexity to it.  For those of you who haven't had a white Burgundy, they can be reminiscent of Sauvignon Blanc, almost.  And at 13.5% alcohol, who doesn't love a great buzz?!

Masciarelli Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2007, Abruzzo, Italy

I'm sitting in my living room with good friends, sipping on this friendly Montepulciano d'Abruzzo.  I picked up this bottle via a process much like eeny-meeny-miny-mo with my mother today at World Market.  I'm due to pick up and leave in a few days, and Mom and I needed some quality wine for some quality time.  This wine seemed a natural pick- Montepulciano wines are a virtual lock with me- I've never met one I really didn't like.  


The nose on this wine is pretty and simple.  It has notes of sweet red currant and an intensity that makes it interesting.  The first sip gives almost the same impression.  It's a simple, intense, only moderately complex Italian wine with red fruit flavors and a hint of pepperiness.  If you like Merlot or Chianti, this is something you should try.

Technical Info:

Varietal: 100% Montepulciano 

Alcohol: 13% 

Origin: Abruzzo, Italy

Price: $10 at World Market

Rachel's Grade: B- This wine is a solid, reliable mainstay.  It would make for a great table wine with any meat, cheese, or pasta.  It's interesting enough for me to finish the bottle, but not quite great enough for me to buy another bottle tomorrow.  For the price, it's a great deal.  Maybe I spent too long in Tuscany... two months of Chianti 24/7 is.... an experience.

2009 Regali Rosa Banfi Brachetto D'acqui

The day before New Years Eve, my guy and I were strolling around Market Street (an upscale grocery store) in Frisco, TX hoping to find a festive sparkling wine that would spice up our next day's celebrations. We stumbled upon the Regali Rosa: an unusually deep rose-colored sparkler marked down ten dollars from $24.99 to $14.99.  The surprisingly spare black label and interesting color persuaded us to indulge our curiosity and give the wine a try.  (And we were making mussels, which are awesome paired with the crisp zip of carbonation.)


Our intuitions proved excellent.  After my guy opened the bottle party-trick style with a steak knife, (don't try this at home- it involves a large, sharp object and wastes wine!)  we poured two glasses of the vino and gave it a whirl.  The nose on the Brachetto D'acqui was beautiful and zesty, if a little too cloyingly sweet.  It smelled of fresh dark berries and had a tangy, acidic note almost like sweet/sour candy.  The first sip was simple and delicious.  This fizzy guy makes for incredibly easy drinking.  It's like wine/berry/candy/soda with 13% alcohol.  Not bad for a bubbly hmm?  The great thing about the Regali Rosa is that it's actually dry!  The fruity sweetness is kind of combated by the dryness and acidity, leaving a nicely balanced bubbler that slides down super easy.  My one note of caution: when buying, make sure you have more than one bottle on hand.  You're going to want it!

Technical Info:

Varietal: 100% Brachatto 

Alcohol: 13% 

Origin: Piedmont, Italy

Price: $14-24 at Whole Foods, Market Street, and wine shops.

Rachel's Grade: A-/B+  For the low end price, this gets an A-, if you're paying over $20, B+.  Regardless, a very fun wine to drink!  This sparkler makes a great aperitif or dessert wine (going especialllllly well with dark chocolate).  For a light red, Regali Rosa is extraordinarily fruity, sweet, and delicious.  If you happen to stumble upon it, don't hesitate.  Find something to celebrate and pop that bottle!