$20 Below: C.G. Di Arie Break Away Zinfandel 2009

C.G. Di Arie Break Away Zinfandel 2009

Date Tasted: 3/28/13

Price: Suggested Retail is around $18.00

From The Winery: 14.3% alcohol. Sierra Foothills AVA. 3000 cases produced.

Impressions/Notes: On a recent shopping adventure, I was approached by a woman that was obviously pushing this wine (not sure if she worked for the shop, the distributor, maybe even the winery). I usually steer away from purchases in this type of scenario, but there were a couple of buzzwords that caught my attention. “Zinfandel”, “low production”, and “Sierra Foothills.” Despite being utterly annoyed by her unflinching proclamation that America’s best Zinfandels come from the Sierra Foothills (the Russian River and Dry Creek valleys say hello), I purchased a bottle. C.G. Di Arie Vineyard and Winery is owned by Chaim Gur-Arieh, a former inventor and new food product developer. Some of his most notable products include Cap’n Crunch, Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing, and Pudding Cups. C.G. Di Arie’s Break Away Zinfandel owes it’s name to symbolize the wine’s departure from jammy, over-oaked Zinfandels. It presents with a light-medium purple color that is remarkably transparent for a Zin. The aroma profile consists of blackberry, black pepper, tilled earth, and molasses. In the mouth, it’s light-medium bodied with soft tannins and tangy blue fruits.There is a very minimal oak presence on the nose and palate. I’m a big proponent of experimentation (and this is a different breed of Zin) but I couldn’t help but think of this wine as Zinfandel Lite as I was drinking it.

Rating: Recommended (86), 3/5 Value

$20 Below: Franciscan Sauvignon Blanc 2011

Franciscan Sauvignon Blanc 2011

Date Tasted: 3/20/13

Price: Suggested Retail is $16.99

From The Winery: 13% alcohol. Napa Valley AVA. 6,970 cases produced.

Impressions/Notes: Franciscan’s 2011 Sauvignon Blanc falls on the fruiter side of the Sauvignon Blanc spectrum. The wine presents with a light straw color. There’s a bit of sliced bell pepper on the nose, but lanolin and orange zest provide the primary aromas. It’s easy-drinking and mellow–domesticated for a Sauvignon Blanc–with moderate acidity. Retailing at $16.99, this is one of my favorite Napa budget wines.

Rating: Recommended (88), 4/5 Value

Posted on March 28, 2013 by Nick in $20 Below, California, Sauvignon Blanc 3 Comments

$20 Below: Gifford-Hirlinger Stateline Red 2010

Gifford-Hirlinger Stateline Red 2010

Date Tasted: 3/6/13

Price: Suggested Retail is around $16.00

From The Winery: 14.7% alcohol. 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 15% Malbec, 9% Tempranillo, 2% Petit Verdot. Walla Walla Valley AVA. 774 cases produced.

Impressions/Notes: I gushed about the two Gifford-Hirlinger Stateline Red vintages reviewed last year (2005 and 2009) and named the 2009 bottling the under-$20 red wine of the year. The 2010 had a lot to live up to. It’s a good wine, but in my opinion does not approach the quality level of the previous vintages that I’ve tasted. Dark purple in color, this uber-ripe, fruit-forward wine leads with cherry, plum, and red licorice, with cola, cedar, cloves, and dark chocolate in the background. Slightly sweet on the palate, with below-average acidity, green tea tannins, and a flavorful finish highlighted by plum and sweet spice flavors.

Rating: Recommended (86), 3/5 Value

Posted on March 25, 2013 by Nick in $20 Below, Red Blends, Washington 1 Comment

$20 Below: Gewurz Gewurztraminer 2012

Gewurz Gewürztraminer 2012

Date Tasted: 3/2/13

Price: Suggested Retail is around $11.00

From The Winery: 12.8% alcohol. Mendocino County AVA.

Impressions/Notes: The Gewurz Gewürztraminer is produced by Healdsburg, CA based Alexander Valley Vineyards. The 2012 version of this wine is all about the nose. It boasts a wide range of aromas–lemon, cantaloupe, white pepper, crushed gravel, ginger, and spice. In the mouth, it falls flat. Literally. The minimal acid presence and ultra-dry mouthfeel do not compliment each other. This is certainly not a wine that I would buy again. Fortunately, there are some nice domestic Gewürztraminers available at a comparable price point.

Rating: Not Too Shabby (83), 2/5 Value

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Nick in $20 Below, California, Gewuztraminer 3 Comments

$20 Below: Dr. Konstantin Frank Semi Dry Riesling 2011

Dr. Konstantin Frank Semi Dry Riesling 2011

Date Tasted: 3/2/13

Price: Suggested Retail is $14.99.

From The Winery: 11.5% alcohol. Finger Lakes AVA.

Impressions/Notes: I was damn near giddy upon discovering that a bottle of New York wine had made it’s way west of the Mississippi and landed on a shelf in a Denver-area wine shop. It’s fitting that it was a Dr. Frank Riesling. For those that don’t know much about New York wines (I don’t), you’ve probably at least heard about Dr. Frank’s Rieslings. Dr. Konstantin Frank founded Vinifera Cellars in 1961 and his success with Riesling and other Vitis Vinifera varieties helped to establish the Finger Lakes region as a serious player in American fine wine production. Dr. Frank’s medium straw hued 2011 Semi Dry Riesling led off with an interesting doughy aroma, followed by pine and Fuji apple. Moderate sweetness is for the most part balanced by low-medium acidity. It’s well-priced at $15 and offers an interesting contrast to the Washington, Oregon, and California Rieslings that this palate is more accustomed to.

Rating: Recommended (86), 3/5 Value

Posted on March 8, 2013 by Nick in $20 Below, New York, Riesling 2 Comments

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