Ermita de San Lorenzo Red 2001

Vineyard: Ermita de San Lorenzo
Location: Spain
Type: Red
Vintage: 2001
Alcohol Content: 14%
Purchased: 3/29/11 - Virgin Wine Club
Cost: $5.99
Rating: 6/10

It's a fancy one. A little gold net wrapped around it. Perfect for a gift!

There were two in the Virgin Wine Club box, and for some reason we left them until the final three. We almost drank the other remaining one first, but thought we probably shouldn't have two of the same one in a row later.

It's really not that bad, but doesn't leave much for description. If you have the box, no need to leave it for a special occation - just rip open that gold armor and drink it down.

Route 40 Malbec 2009

Vineyard: Route 40
Location: Mendoza, Argentina
Type: Malbec
Vintage: 2009
Alcohol Content: 13.5%
Purchased: 3/29/11 - Virgin Wine Club
Cost: $5.99
Rating: 6.5/10

I know, I know. You've been sitting around anxiously awaiting for my return for the last two years. I would be, too! You probably had to go two whole years without drinking any wine under $5, out of fear that it would be terrible. I don't blame you... it's a scary thought.

Anyway, here I am - back! I had to take some time off to be able to stick to the title of this blog. Now, it's not that I didn't drink ANY wine over the past while, but certainly not as much.

So, with a clean palate and a half-wine-head mind, let's get on to the task at hand:

This Route 40 Malbec is a great wine to come back to the blog with. If you've been a follower for long, you know by now that I'm a fan of Malbecs in general. But even so, this is a good one. Which is good, because...

There are 2 in the Virgin Wines Club case. Most of the wines in the case have been good, with few exceptions. Unfortunately, I didn't keep track of those for you. Were you really going to get the case and not drink those ones, though? I highly recommend getting a case of your own and drinking them along with me. It's great fun. I even got a very futuristic (as in battery powered, lights up, etc.) wine bottle opener. Yeah, it's the thing below, there.

See you back, soon!

It's been a while...

... but I'm coming back. Look out for new content in the days to come! (Come on, I had to take a break to be able to say, once again, that I don't drink wine!)

Any requests?

Spiral Wines Cab Sab 2008

Vineyard: Spiral Wines
Location: Napa Valley
Type: Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2008
Alcohol Content: 13.9%

Purchased: 1/24/09 - Trader Joe's, San Francisco, CA
Cost: $4.99
Rating: 4.75/10

A nice Sunday afternoon treat. Nothing about the wine is especially good or bad - no strange features like many of the wines I chronicle. It's not going to offend anybody, certainly.

Like so many CA wines, there is a great blurb on the back of the bottle. One piece states: "Our wines are the celebration of our quest for growth and love of life." This is something I can certainly get behind, and I hope to enjoy more of their wines as their 'spiral of life' continues. In English: they will make more wine and I will drink it.

Terrenal Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Vineyard: Terrenal
Location: Mendoza, Argentina
Type: Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2009
Alcohol Content: 13%

Purchased: 1/13/09 - Trader Joe's, SF, CA
Cost: $3.99
Rating: 5.75/10

The first sip is a bit of a shock, but once acclimated it's good. Not really sure why the first sip is so rough, but it is. I'm guessing that 'shocking' isn't an adjective that vintners usually go for....

Petanque Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Vineyard: Petanque
Location: Healdsburg, CA
Type: Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2007
Alcohol Content: 13.8%

Purchased: 1/13/09 - Trader Joe's, SF, CA
Cost: $4.99
Rating: 4.66/10

I liked this wine more than our guest raters. Oh well, they don't know what they are talking about.

I'm most impressed by the quote on the back of the bottle which says: "We built a Petanque court for a little recreation. Then we thought we'd better make a wine to go with it!" This seems to ring very true to me and certainly applies to this blog. They built the internet - better drink wine and blog about it!

La Finca Malbec 2009

Vineyard: La Finca
Location: Mendoza, Argentina
Type: Malbec
Vintage: 2009
Alcohol Content: 13%

Purchased: 1/13/10 - Trader Joes, SF, CA
Cost: $3.99
Rating: 5.25/10

I'm on a Malbec kick. Last one was a Malbec and the next one is a Malbec, too. The La Finca is certainly good, but I'd rate it the worse of the three. That said, I would certainly encourage you to get all three and try yourself. It's possible, that if you drink this one third, you might like it the best! Not because it actually tastes the best, but because you will be drunk.