2003 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Shiraz
YEAR: 2003WINERY: Columbia Crest
FLAVOR: Red, Shiraz
ORIGIN: Columbia Valley, USA
PURCHASED: Seattle, WA
AMOUNT: $10
NICKNAME: "Columbia Crest Grande Shiraz"
Psydr Short & To-The-Point Wine Reviews
Below are reviews of fun little finds purchased locally. The typical cost per bottle is $10 or less, and the label probably has a little more pizazz than your traditional Barolo. But don't judge the bottle by the label. These reviews are personal and certainly non-professional evaluations of wines we've tried. Enjoy!
March 31, 2008
YEAR: 2003WINERY: Columbia Crest
FLAVOR: Red, Shiraz
ORIGIN: Columbia Valley, USA
PURCHASED: Seattle, WA
AMOUNT: $10
NICKNAME: "Columbia Crest Grande Shiraz"
March 30, 2008
2006 Robert Mondavi Pinot Noir
YEAR: 2006WINERY: Robert Mondavi
FLAVOR: Red, Pinot Noir
ORIGIN: California, USA
PURCHASED: Seattle, WA
AMOUNT: $10
NICKNAME: "Mondavi Pinot Noir"
Labels: 2006, 5 STAR, Pinot Noir, Red, Robert Mondavi, USA
1 Reviews:
-
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March 30, 2008 at 9:06 PM ,
psydr said...
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5 OUT OF 5 STARS
This wine is just excellent. I love it. Gorgeous color and smell. More quaffable than water. It's just a delight to drink. This is possibly the best wine I've reviewed in quite sometime. I'm not kidding.
There's some cherry here and a slight oak palate as it glides off the tongue and down the back of the throat. Perfect. Incredibly smooth. I just can't say enough about this wine. Bravo Robert Mondavi!
Do yourself a favor and pick up a bottle on your very next trip to the store. It is readily available at most stores in the Great Northwest...
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March 29, 2008
1 Reviews:
-
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March 29, 2008 at 8:34 PM ,
psydr said...
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3 OUT OF 5 STARS
A good solid Syrah. Not great. My first impression was not good. After a good whiff and a swirl onto my tongue, there was an immediate bitterness I did not appreciate. After a couple more swills, the wine was going down smoother. It certainly mellowed over time. Now, I find it quite palatable.
There are better Syrahs out there for your $7. Try another. I only recommend this particular bottle if you enjoy a very, very strong taste of cherry.
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March 25, 2008
2005 Chalk Creek Petite Sirah
YEAR: 2005WINERY: Chalk Creek
FLAVOR: Red, Petite Sirah
ORIGIN: California, USA
PURCHASED: Trader Joe's, Seattle, WA
AMOUNT: $6
NICKNAME: "Chalk Creek Petite Sirah"
Labels: 2005, 3 STAR, Chalk Creek, Petite Sirah, Red, USA
1 Reviews:
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March 26, 2008 at 6:16 PM ,
psydr said...
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3 OUT OF 5 STARS
Quite smooth until the slightly bitter end -- which is atypical of a Petite Sirah in my opinion. If it wasn't for the bite of bitter left lingering on my tongue, I would've easily given this wine a 4. So, if you don't mind such a bite, this will be a great wine for you at a great price.
Palate? Cherry and blackberry... Good with a simple meal of steak and potatoes. I can see the bitter coming in at the right moment to really spark the flavor of a nice, juicy, medium-raw sirloin.
I also like the label. Simple style and lack of color. Funky.
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2005 Michele Chiarlo Barbara d'Asti
YEAR: 2005WINERY: Michele Chiarlo
FLAVOR: Red, Barbara
ORIGIN: Piedmonte, Italy
PURCHASED: Trader Joe's, Seattle, WA
AMOUNT: $10
NICKNAME: "Chiarlo Barbara"
1 Reviews:
-
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March 25, 2008 at 5:44 PM ,
psydr said...
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5 OUT OF 5 STARS
An excellent Barbara and for only 10 bucks if you can believe that. Hurray for TJ's for bringing us yet another great wine from the Piedmonte.
This wine would go well with practically any food you were to throw at it while at the same time making that food better. The palate is simple and smells delicious. A very, very smooth wine with virtually no aftertaste minus the slightest hint of oak just to let you know how it was aged... And aged properly it was.
2005 was a magnificent year for Chiarlo. I'll be scooping up several more of their varietals in the near future. However, first I will be heading back to Trader Joe's to acquire a few more bottles of this stuff. I love it!
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March 21, 2008
2004 Columbia Crest Shiraz
YEAR: 2004WINERY: Columbia Crest
FLAVOR: Red, Shiraz
ORIGIN: Columbia Valley, USA
PURCHASED: Seattle, WA
AMOUNT: $9
NICKNAME: "Columbia Crest Shiraz"
1 Reviews:
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March 21, 2008 at 8:31 PM ,
psydr said...
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5 OUT OF 5 STARS
Delicious! This is a great wine. In general, all Columbia Crest vintages and varietals can be used as a successful standby. They never disappoint.
If you were to throw a party and know absolutely nothing about wine, then the one thing you should be aware of is this: Columbia Crest will ALWAYS please. They haven't produced a single failure to my knowledge.
The Shiraz is sweet, but not too sweet. It's smooth and goes well with anything I've thrown at it. Tonight I had Lamb Korma. Perfect accompaniment.
Damn, I'm ecstatic Columbia Crest does what they do. Nice work folks. Keep it up. I don't personally know another winery which can be counted on without fail year after year, vintage after vintage, and across sooooo many varietals...
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March 19, 2008
2006 Tierra Del Sol Syrah
YEAR: 2006WINERY: Tierra Del Sol
FLAVOR: Red, Syrah
ORIGIN: Mendoza, Argentina
PURCHASED: Seattle, WA
AMOUNT: $8
NICKNAME: "Tierra Syrah"
1 Reviews:
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March 20, 2008 at 12:05 AM ,
psydr said...
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3 OUT OF 5 STARS
Again, not too bad. There is almost a hint of licorice here. I'm pretty sure I've never used such to describe the flavor of a wine before. In fact, I rather dislike licorice. But, in this case, it's not bad. I don't really know how that works...
Another smooth wine from Tierra Del Sol. Zero harshness during nor after. This bottle could probably compliment just about anything you stir up in the kitchen... that's red and bloody.
My bottle missed dinner but helped accompany me through a sitting of Goya's Ghosts. Not my favorite film. But not terrible either. Since No Country for Old Men I've been looking forward to viewing another film with Xavier Bardem. He's a fairly convincing actor I'd say...
Is it okay to accompany a Spanish film with Argentinian wine? I'm not sure, but everything seemed to go alright. No complaints.
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2006 Tierra Del Sol Tempranillo
YEAR: 2006WINERY: Tierra Del Sol
FLAVOR: Red, Tempranillo
ORIGIN: Mendoza, Argentina
PURCHASED: Seattle, WA
AMOUNT: $8
NICKNAME: "Tierra Tempranillo"
Labels: 2006, 3 STAR, Argentina, Red, Tempranillo, Tierra Del Sol
1 Reviews:
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March 19, 2008 at 9:13 PM ,
psydr said...
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3 OUT OF 5 STARS
Very smooth with a good, solid earthy flavor. A nice Tempranillo which goes quite well with many foods. No bitter aftertaste. Nothing really to dislike at all. An enjoyable bottle from start to finish.
I found this bottle in a local stop of mine. It had several bretheren varietals along side it. In fact, I believe I also picked up the Syrah. Perhaps it'll be my next review.
So far, so good.
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March 18, 2008
2006 Walnut Crest Cabernet Sauvignon
YEAR: 2006WINERY: Walnut Crest
FLAVOR: Red, Cabernet Sauvignon
ORIGIN: Chile
PURCHASED: Trader Joe's, Seattle, WA
AMOUNT: $5
NICKNAME: "Walnut Cab"
Labels: 2 STAR, 2006, Cabernet Sauvignon, Red, Walnut Creek
2 Reviews:
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March 19, 2008 at 12:05 AM ,
psydr said...
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3 OUT OF 5 STARS
Folks, I was really going to tear into this wine. It's NOT great. Then I realized it's $5. How bad could it be? Answer: Not too bad. I guess on the reality scale of 0 to 5 it's a fairly average wine. Therefore the Three rating.
It's not great, nor terrible. Therefore average. Not a bad thing to be in this HIGHLY competitive industry of "cheap" wines. To be cheap and NOT suck is the key... And this wine doesn't suck...
Earthy. Cherry. Light Tannins. That's what I taste... -
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June 11, 2008 at 6:57 PM ,
psydr said...
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2 OUT OF 5 STARS
Sorry folks. This is a slight re-evaluation of this wine: I just don't dig it. It's not very good.
Originally, I held back from giving it a lower score based on its price. But, really, even the low cost doesn't make it a better wine. I'm going to go back to my gut instinct and give this bottle a 2 STAR. It's just not very good. Certainly below average...
There's a hint of tar and a scent of "just don't drink too much of me, or you're going to regret it." Does that make sense?
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1 Reviews:
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March 18, 2008 at 11:27 PM ,
psydr said...
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4 OUT OF 5 STARS
This is a damn good wine. Personally, I was incredibly surprised to find a Barbera for under $10. From Alba, in the region of Piedmonte, this is a great wine. Eat with steak. Eat with pasta made by a redhead. Anything red is good with this bottle. I just can't believe I found a bottle for $7! Cheers to Trader Joe's.
Now, don't get too excited. It's by FAR not the best Barbera I've consumed. But for under $10 it IS. Who sells a Barbera for less than $10? Well, Trader Joe's. That's who.
What is it I want to see in my near future? A bottle of Barolo for $10 or less. Please, please let it be. Yeah, right. One day. We ALL hope for it. While we're at it, let's hope for under-twenty Nebbiolo and/or Gatinnara.
Of course the day THAT happens dogs and cats will be sleeping together and I won't actually have to travel to the wine store to purchase a bottle of my favorite vino. My favorite bottles will just start appearing before each meal via some sort of teleportation device... Ah, welcome good "vino" future. Welcome.
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March 16, 2008
1 Reviews:
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March 16, 2008 at 4:44 PM ,
psydr said...
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4 OUT OF 5 STARS
Of course this was a good wine. It's from Piedmonte - home to the grandest grape known to mankind - the Nebbiolo.
While Barbara is no Nebbiolo, it IS a very tasty varietal if aged appropriately in oak. Coming from Alba, one of the smaller producers of Barbera, this particular bottle is an excellent example of what can be achieved with a Barbara.
Yum!
This bottle is almost double our theoretical maximum here on my blog. But I've been reconsidering my price ceiling. I may just raise the bar to $20 to allow for reviews of a greater percentage of wines I enjoy... I'd like to hear some feedback on that...
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2006 Palacios Remondo La Vendimia Rioja
YEAR: 2006WINERY: Palacios Remondo
FLAVOR: Red, Tempranillo
ORIGIN: Spain
PURCHASED: Spanish Table, Seattle, WA
AMOUNT: $13
NICKNAME: "Palacios Remondo Rioja"
Labels: 2006, 3 STAR, Palacios Remondo, Red, Spain, Tempranillo
1 Reviews:
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March 16, 2008 at 3:04 PM ,
psydr said...
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3 OUT OF 5 STARS
Not a bad Rioja. Good deep purple in color with great clarity. Palate is a bit sweet for my taste with a slightly bitter aftertaste or "bite." I don't really have anything to complain about here. It just doesn't grab me. There's almost something about it I just don't like. The bitter postlude is also marred by a slight nutty taste.
I don't know. This is an average wine I guess. Feel free to try it. I just think there are a ton better wines out there for your hard-earned bucks.
I enjoy Riojas quite a bit. So, hopefully, you'll see more reviews of them here soon.
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March 3, 2008
1 Reviews:
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March 13, 2008 at 6:37 PM ,
psydr said...
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4 OUT OF 5 STARS
An excellent and very smooth Syrah. A taste of Cherry and perhaps Blackberry... Good stuff.
Get it. Try it. I liked it!
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2 Reviews:
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March 4, 2008 at 1:19 AM ,
psydr said...
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2 OUT OF 5 STARS
Another mediocre wine. Not terrible. But not even remotely average. This wine was cheap for a reason. Fairly sweet with a strong hint of berry...
Let's move along. -
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April 10, 2008 at 11:53 AM ,
said...
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I gave this one a 4 of 5 - above average. A lighter style cab, w/ soft tannins, dark fruit & choc on the palate and a nice black currant nose. Seemed well put-together to me. Maybe my sweet-tooth doesn't pick up the sweetness that you found, but I found this to be a pretty good deal @ $7.99 (btw, the bottle I bought was from Mattawa, WA, from WA grapes).
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1 Reviews:
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March 4, 2008 at 12:55 AM ,
psydr said...
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2 OUT OF 5 STARS
Tastes a bit like carbonated grape juice. Not quite to that extent, but something is surely wrong here. At the same time I didn't find it awful. At first I was tempted to rate this wine a 1 STAR but ended up enjoying it enough to give it 2. Hmmm... Maybe this has something to do with the amount of the wine I drank. We'll never know.
Either way, there's no real need to purchase this wine. Why not spend $6 bucks on something that tastes much better.
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2 Reviews:
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March 4, 2008 at 1:01 AM ,
psydr said...
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3 OUT OF 5 STARS
A strong flavor of current and cherry here in my opinion. I almost gave this bottle a 4 STAR rating... but didn't. Not a bad bottle. My only issue is that I believe it was a $15 or $16 bottle on sale for $10.
Much better wines are available for half the price. This wine is a good example of why we produce this blog. -
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February 19, 2009 at 9:50 PM ,
said...
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2 out of 5 stars
I think 3 out of 5 stars was being generous.
My 2005 bottle was $8 at Costco in Atlanta.
Very dry. Otherwise forgettable. Sorry.
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2005 Scarlet of Paris Pinot Noir
YEAR: 2005WINERY: Scarlet of Paris
FLAVOR: Red, Pinot Noir
ORIGIN: France
PURCHASED: Seattle, WA
AMOUNT: $8
NICKNAME: "Scarlet Pinot Noir"
Labels: 2005, France, Pinot Noir, Red, Scarlet of Paris, UNRATED
1 Reviews:
5 OUT OF 5 STARS
First of all, this is a great wine. 5 STARS without a doubt. There's a wonderful cherry/oak flavor which comes together perfectly. Hats off to Colombia Crest. This is their best wine yet!
Okay, this is one of those moments of personal awkwardness. I'm pretty sure I've already reviewed the "regular" Columbia Crest Shiraz. And I believe I gave it a 5 STAR rating... which it deserved. However, if that's the case, then I have to come up with a new rating system, because this wine is easily TWICE as good as their "regular" shiraz. This Grand Estates stuff is the bomb. Damb, it's good!
Does this really mean I have to come up with a new rating system? No. It just means there's a wide variety of vinos which fit in the 5 STAR catagory. And ALL of them are incredible.
Is there one 5 STAR that's better than another? Of course. Absolutely. But my intention here is to make sure that if you were to pick up any wine I rate 5 STAR, you're going to be one happy camper.
We all need variety. Remember one thing: The bitter makes the sweet sweeter. There's soooooo much truth to that I won't even begin to approach the subject here...
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