With the economy these days, everyone seems to be making cut backs in their daily living. Maybe not eating out as often, shopping at discount stores, curbing the entertainment budget or whatever ways one can think of to decrease their own spending. So, what’s diehard wine lover to do?
I have to admit, we haven’t curbed our practices to much, and we certainly aren’t going to give up our wine habit. However, we have searched out a couple great value wines that are perfect for everyday drinking.
First off, the Trader Joe’s Coastal Zinfandel.
A total steal at $3.99 per bottle, it is nice and jammy with a bit of pepper for character. It is lighter than some of the “heavy” zins, but that is a welcome change for the hotter temperatures anyhow. I only picked up one bottle as a trial, but after this I will be getting it by the case! Perfect sipper for a bar-b-que!
Next up, the Gato Negro 2008 Chardonnay.
Now, I’ve mentioned before how my dislike of many chardonnays, but this one is a winner. It hails from central Chile and is produced by San Pedro vineyard. Pale gold, and unoaked, it is a refreshing summer wine. It has overtones of peach and pineapple, and even a hint of green apple. It has just enough acidity and crispness to really hit the spot with a salad or a grilled seafood/salsa type meal.
As a bonus, it is a screw top, which is perfect for picnics and not having to remember the cork screw.
(love the little black kitty)
At $4.99 per bottle, we did in fact, buy a case of this.
What are your favorite value wines? Have you changed your wine drinking at all due to economic reasons?
6 comments:
My fiancee and I just tried the coastal zin last weekend! I agree with your review. It got jammier as it breathed and we had to chill it a bit to bring out the fruit. It just didn't have the full mouth feel that I like, but for the price you can't beat it. I'll have to try that chard. I enjoy the un-oaked ones.
Oh I forgot, TJ's used to have a great reserve zin a little while ago and I'm so sad we didn't buy a case of it. It was only 9.99 and very good. We try not to buy too much wine, even with the economy the way it is. But, it's so hard! Our max price point is around 20, but we usually find some pretty good ones for around 10. Have you ever tried TJ's petite verdot? The wine guy said it was very popular, but we haven't tried it yet.
I'm not sure I've changed my habits. However, I typically only buy wines a few times a year: when I'm on vacation or at a wine tasting. As a result, I tend to spend WAY too much. However, I can say that perhaps my habits have changed in that I think twice before opening a pricey bottle and make sure to re-cork it using my little sealer right away.
Hey Mo. Regarding your request for my slaw recipe. I don't really have one. I pretty much just eye-ball equal amounts of mayo and sour cream and then add a touch of dijon and vinegar. It's really creamy but also slightly tangy, which I LOVE!
I'll have to try the TJ's Zin. Their Charles Shaw, or 2 Buck Chuck, is horrendous in my opinion, so I've steered clear of a lot of their cheaper wines as a result. We LOVE Zin, & we're headed to TJ's sometime this week, so I'll try to remember to grab some!
Wheeere did you find the gato negro? I want to try it!!
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