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Under $12 Review: 14 Hands “Stampede” Bold Red Blend (2022)
Critter label? Check. Screw cap? Check. All signs say that a casual, fruity wine is on the table tonight. And here we are: The “Stampede” Bold Red Blend from 14 Hands. 14 Hands is owned by Ste. Michelle Wine Estates and is Washington’s second largest winery (after Ste. Michelle itself). Ste. Michelle created the 14…
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Costco Advent Calendar Wine #21: Brillo Solar Garnacha (Spain)
Known for bold red fruit flavors with a hint of spice, Garnacha (also called Grenache) is a workhorse of the wine world. The French claim it, but it probably originated in Spain’s Aragon region before spreading across the Mediterranean. Garnacha is a hardy, high-yielding vine–one that can be counted on to produce good-to-great wines even…
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Costco Advent Calendar Wine #5: Concentric Circles Red Blend (Australia)
Welcome to another Costco wine advent calendar review! This is an ongoing feature at The Wine Fairy where we annoy our palates (and possibly ruin Christmas) by tasting through a whole case full of random half-bottles this September and October. Today’s wine is the Concentric Circles Red Blend from Australia. It’s a dry red medley…
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Review: Mitolo “7th Son” McLaren Vale Grenache-Shiraz (2017)
It’s an exciting evening at the Wine Fairy house: The bottle on the table is big, red, and Grenache-y. We’re tasting the “7th Son” red blend from McLaren Vale’s Mitolo Wines, and the one-word review summary is, “Whoa!” Mitolo’s “7th Son” is in the genre of GSM blends, but with an Italian twist: The Mourvèdre…
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Merlot Thursday: Ferrari-Carano Sonoma County Merlot (2021)
Today’s #MerlotThursday pick is a by-the-glass pour at The Wine Authority: The 2021 Ferrari-Carano Sonoma County Merlot. Welcome, wine friends–let’s bring Merlot back! 🍇🍷 Ferrari-Carano makes moderately-priced, food-friendly wines from their Sonoma County vineyards. I generally find them to be a good value and I reviewed their exuberant Dry Sangiovese Rosé earlier this year. In…
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Review: Günzer Estate Bocor Single Vineyard Selection Cuvée (2016)
It’s kind of an obvious tip–but if you’re ever stuck in a wine rut, ask a sommelier what they’re drinking at home. Somms work in the food and beverage industry, which means most are chronically underpaid. They regularly taste all the big name wines at work, so that’s not what they’re buying on their days…
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Review: Lyla & Kennedy Barrel Aged Rosé (2022)
Another day, another strange rosé. Today we’re sipping on Lyla & Kennedy Barrel Aged Rosé. This was a limited-stock bottle I picked up at the wine shop because the packaging was gorgeous and the price was right. My impulsive moment is about to be either punished or rewarded–we shall see. The label text doesn’t reveal very…
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Under $12 Review: Ed Edmundo Red Blend (2020)
I am not now (nor have I ever been) “serious” about wine. Ew. Perish the thought. But at some point–and it wasn’t too long ago–there was a change. I got a little more…focused about wine. Or disciplined. Or perceptive. Something shifted, and I started paying more attention to what was in the glass. The result…
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Review: The Black Stump Durif-Shiraz (2022)
An oddball wine from Down Under is tonight’s random tipple. I don’t remember buying this, but I’m almost certain it was in my first shipment from the Wall Street Journal wine club. That means it cost approximately negative two dollars after introductory offers…so my expectations were dialed down low. The Black Stump is a blend…