Wine Rack Store Blog

A Trader Joe’s has opened less than a block from my apartment. I’ve mentioned before they offer the fabled Two Buck Chuck but their stores harbor many other wonderful things. I first went into one of these stores in California. I had assumed they were a west coast phenomenon so I was surprised to find this one here.

Besides having great prices on wine (very tempting to fill the wine rack), Traders Joe’s sells a lot exotic foods you won’t find elsewhere. People were so excited about the new store opening we had to wait in line outside so the store wouldn’t over crowd. I hadn’t planned on purchasing much but we ended up with a few bottles of wine, a potted plant, and some tofu.

We weren’t able to really browse because the aisles were so jammed up with shopping carts. We’ll probably go back over after the crowds have calmed down a bit.

Labels: cheap wine, Trader Joe's, wine rack, wine rack store

I am not sure how popular Charles Shaw wine is outside of California but it is definitely a phenomenon within the state. The wine has been given the nickname “Two Buck Chuck” because of its $1.99 price tag. It is sold exclusively at Trader’s Joe. If you haven’t been to this eclectic grocery store, I’d suggest checking it out. They have a lot of unique food items and is just fun to walk through.

Generally in the wine world a cheap price tag equals a cheap, bad wine. Well this wine is attempting to break this trend. These wines sell incredibly well even in Californian wine country.

So how do they make it so cheap? They use cheap grapes from California’s Central Valley rather than Napa Valley. They are able to retain the flashy Napa name on the bottle because the winery is located there.

I have had the Chardonnay and enjoyed it. I have also tried the Merlot, which I think tastes like watered down gasoline. I have no idea how my grandfather drinks it everyday for his "health". It may be cheap but it’s worth buying a few for the wine rack. If you don’t like it your only out some pocket change.

Labels: Charles Shaw, cheap wine, napa valley, wine rack, wine rack store

I’ve talked about wines from the Mosel region of Germany but I haven’t had a chance to drink one awhile. This weekend I was able to try a bottle of Riesling by Monchhof. It was purchased at a local wine shop so I am not sure if you will be able to find it om a grocery store’s wine rack.

The first thing that struck me was the color and clarity. The color was very light and it was very clear. It is probably the clearest wine I have ever had. The taste was very overwhelming. What I would consider “sickly sweet.” I have tried many Rieslings and the spectrum of sweetness has been very big but this bottle was definitely the sweetest I have ever had. It was almost syrup. The percentage of sugar was not on the label.

If you really enjoy sweet wine, give this a try. This was too sweet for my palette so I will not be having it again.

Labels: cheap wine, german wine, wine rack, wine rack store

I was first introduced to Saint Laurent Estate Winery with their Syrah Rose. That wine was the bottle that helped start me down the red wine path. I enjoyed it very much and also enjoyed the price tag at $14.99.

Recently we broke out a bottle of their Lucky Red we had been saving on our wine rack. I was not as impressed with this wine. Also, it proved to be undrinkable the next day even after we vacuum sealed the bottle so we had to dump half of it. Perhaps if we had been able to finish it off it would have justified the $14.99 price tag.

The winery offers over 10 different types of wine including 4 whites and 6 reds. The vineyard is located in Malaga, which is south of Wenatchee, Washington. They have a tasting room there and in Quincy.

If you’d like to support a Washington State winery I’d suggest giving them a try. If your wine rack is in need of a Rose, they are the people to go to.

Labels: cheap wine, Washington State Wine, wine rack, wine rack store

As I mentioned before I enjoyed good priced champagne on Valentine’s Day. It was Cuvee 21 by Paxet. Paxet is based out of Spain and manufactures many types of champagne and a few white wines. I actually think this may be the first Spanish wine I have tried. The brut champagne we had was only $14.99.

It had a very fruity flavor, which I love. It would pair well with a light dinner, cheese, or fruit. I didn’t explore the flavor with food because I drank it outside by a bonfire.

The problem I seem to have with champagnes is that I have a hard time telling the difference between them. This one did not stand out on my palette anymore than anything else I have tried. I wonder if this is a common problem especially for people just starting to analyze wine flavors.

So if you would like to add some good priced champagne to your wine rack, give Paxet a try.

Labels: cheap wine, wine rack, wine rack store