Wines of the Week

Looking for more posts about wine? Great news -- Wine of the Week updates are now available on Instagram! (And, don't judge, but there will most likely be more than one per week.)

Follow Your Daily Joe on Instagram for more great wines. Happy drinking!

Wine of the Week - Latah Creek's Huckleberry D'Latah

This blend of white wine and huckleberry is not what I was expecting at all.

More often than not, sweet wines are overdone - gaggingly sweet or syrupy. This is not. The sweetness is light and subtle, confident and restrained.

Perfect for a mellow summer afternoon. Try it chilled.

10.5% alcohol

Wine of the Week - Carivintas 2011 Jordan Rosé

A blend of 80% tempranillo, 12% syrah and 8% malbec.

This is a confidently mild rosé with tart flavors that quickly give way to gentle floral notes and a white grape finish. Serve chilled on warm, sunny day.

13.5% alcohol

Wine of the Week - Carivintas "Gregory Doggles" 2010 Sauvignon Blanc

Smelling like juicy white grapes, this wine actually turns against you. It's very dry and bitter, tannic, very much like chewing on a grape stem. Not a total loss - I still drank it. Make of that what you will.

13.9% alcohol

Wine of the Week - Spin the Bottle 2012 Chardonnay

While mostly smelling of pear and honey, there's also a tiny bit of fall leaves to be found on the nose.

A surprising amount flavor. Somehow both sweet and sour, with notes of green veggies. More complex than I anticipated, and very good.

13.8% alcohol

Wine of the Week - Oakville Winery 2010 Zinfandel

Deep, dark licorice and other dark flavors, along with earthy sweetness like fresh tobacco and tomato. A long middle, which makes this wine particularly enjoyable. When it finally finishes, it finishes tart.

Well rounded and very enjoyable.

14.5% alcohol

Wine of the Week - STO 2012 "Suited" Muscat

I don't have too much to say about this one. Muscats are known for their sweet dessertiness, and this entry from Sort This Out Cellars doesn't disappoint on that front. Some pear and honey on the nose carries over to the taste. Slight syrupy texture.

10.5% alcohol

Wine of the Week - Ponte Family Estate 2010 Super T

This wine is great! I can't say enough about it.

Strawberry and blueberry on the nose, with some sour notes coming through underneath (not in a bad way).

So many red fruits on the tongue. Strawberries. Cherries. Raspberries. Maybe even some pomegranate. Excellent bite and sourness. Some earthy cocoa grounds the whole thing.

Just delicious. Highly recommended.

13.7% alcohol

Wine of the Week - Cougar Vineyard 2008 Aglianico

I don't usually comment on the color of wine when I do these little write-ups, but this one was unique. There was an odd rustiness to the color. I wasn't quite sure what to make of that. Turns out I didn't need to worry.

Blooming roses and abundant strawberry scents take center stage. I also noticed some spices - cinnamon and nutmeg.

On tasting, there's a brief fruitiness up front, followed quickly by delicious earthy tones which I love. Finishes with a nice tobacco and black licorice. This is a great one.

12.3% alcohol

Wine of the Week - Carivintas "Ohio Bandit" California White

If you love green-skinned summery fruits, you've found your wine right here! This wine smells and tastes like green apples, pears, and green grape skins. Didn't wow me, but is a moderately tasty white wine.

13.9% alcohol

Wine of the Week - Spin the Bottle 2011 Red

The unconvincing nose - basic cherry and blackberry scents - belies the complexity of the taste. A bit watery up front, tart cranberries soon overtake your palate, with a bit of black licorice underneath. The finish is maybe a little bit too sour, but overall this is a really good wine.

Wine of the Week - Sandler Wine Co. 2010 Zinfandel

If you're looking for a wine that comes on strong and sticks around for a while, you've come to the right place.

You're greeted with spicy scents, particularly nutmeg. There are also notes of blackberry, which match the color.

On the palate, this wine is bright and hot. That initial shock gives way to dark berry flavors and settles into a smokey anise.

I like this one quite a bit. If you like them bold, as I do, this one will be great for you.

15.1% alcohol

Wine of the Week - STO 2012 Chenin Blanc

This is a very syrupy wine, better as a dessert or stand-alone cocktail than something to pair with dinner.

Peach scents on the nose translate into a peach syrup taste, not unlike the leftover water at the bottom of a can of peaches. A hint of grape seed. There's something a little flat and lifeless about this wine. But for sweetness alone, you can expect it to be a crowd pleaser at a party.

12.5% alcohol

Wine of the Week - Spin the Bottle 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon

This wine has a great, complex scent signature.  Predominantly cherries, but with a variety of red fruits and some dark cloves underneath.
On tasting, the blast of tart acid up front is a surprise.  But that quickly subsides, and you soon start to notice some minerality and more of those dark flavors; I singled out some subtle earthy coffee bean notes.
Very good wine!
13.8% alcohol

Wine of the Week - Jubileo "Zapata" 2009 Zinfandel

Here's a wine that I very much enjoyed, but may not be for everyone.  It depends on how much you enjoy deep, dark flavors.
This wine has notes of black pepper, burnt leather, and black licorice.  A little bit of berry aftertaste.
15% alcohol

Halloween Wines! [repost]

Not sure what wines to serve at your Halloween party this year?  Don't worry, we've got you covered!


Back in 2009, Eat Well and Prosper explored the resurgence of ciders in America. Ciders tend to taste similar to white wines and champagnes, and are a great thematic drink to serve at any fall function due to their being made of apples.

Read more about cider here.

A company called Bellwether conjures the Halloween spirit every year with a blackcurrant-blended cider called Black Magic.


Here are some other ciders from Bellwether previously reviewed on this site:

• Bellwether Heritage Old
• Bellwether Heritage New
• Bellwether Spyglass

And Trader Joe's always has you covered with nice theme labels containing good wine.

• Dearly Beloved
• Benefactor Cellars

And there's a fun Elvira wine on the market from our friends at Sort This Out Cellars.

If you have any favorites, be sure to mention them in the comments.
Happy Halloween, everybody!!

Wine of the Week - Carivintas 2010 "Rocket" Rosé of Tempranillo

Smells of fresh-cut grass, which I often get from rosés, as well as sour candy and a little bit of foot-odor funk (which, again, does not mean there's anything wrong with the wine, and doesn't usually have an effect on the taste). On the tongue, there's a mixed sensation happening here.  The wine has some bite to it; so much so that it could almost be mistaken for being semi-sparkling (it feels a little bit like bubbles on your tongue).  But at the same time, this wine is somehow flat; just sort of bland and uninteresting.  A mediocre wine, probably overpriced for its quality. 13.9% alcohol

Wine of the Week - STO 2010 "Zin City" Zinfandel

Dark cherries and blueberries on the nose, with an undercurrent of caramel.  Tastes of burnt leather, and more of those dark cherries.  Some unfortunate bitterness. I've been blown away by previous vintages of Sort This Out's Zin City, and this one doesn't quite hold up to that standard.  But this is still a very good Zinfandel that I would highly recommend. 13.5% alcohol

Wine of the Week - Blue Mountain 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon

Summery red fruits on the nose - strawberries, cherries, raspberries.

The taste up front is sweetly acidic. Might be a bit much for some, but I liked it. The taste of red fruits carries over from the nose, and some earthy tobacco notes drift up from underneath. Premium stuff, and a good showing from a Pennsylvania winery.

13.1% alcohol

Wine of the Week - Sandler Wine Co. 2010 Grenache

This wine has a very potent bouquet - you can smell it from across the room. That was promising to me, as I like my wines bold.

The boldness ends up kicking you in the teeth a little bit. Hot up front, with strawberries and floral tastes coming through only after you've had a moment to collect your senses. Finishes tannic and anise-y.

Drinkable, but I'd recommend keeping away from this one. I got it at a discount price, and I'd still say it's not a great value.

14.3% alcohol