Grocery Wine » On Sale

Three Grocery Store Reds Under $15 – Two Winners and One Loser

Phil — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:04:38 +0000

With the arrival of cooler fall weather our tastes our definitely shifting towards reds. And with the holidays around the core now is a great time to flesh out the wine collection before all the guests arrive. We’ve reviewed three cabernets over the last few weeks and found two that definitely deserve your attention and one you should avoid. They’re all available at your local grocery store (ours came from Vons aka Safeway) and all are under $15.

Geyser Peak Cabernet Sauvignon ($14)
Let’s get the bad news out of the way first. Geyser Peak is known for its Sauvignon Blanc, so when I saw the Cab was on sale for under $10 I thought it would be worth a shot. Unfortunately, we were disappointed. It seemed a bit lifeless without any real distinguishing characteristics. There are better options available (for example see below).

Dancing Bull Cabernet Sauvignon ($9)
The Dancing Bull cab was new to us when we picked it up for the first time a few months back, but it has become a weeknight staple. And since it can frequently be found on sale for well under the $9 list price this one is down right cheap. The flavors are of black cherry with maybe a hint of chocolate. We’ve always liked the Rancho Zabaco zinfandel’s, and Dancing Bull is Rancho Zabaco’s sub brand, made by the same team but with grapes from outside of the Sonoma area that Rancho Zabaco normally pulls from. The benefit to you is a a great wine at a bargain price.

Red Diamond Cabernet Sauvignon ($12)
Quick! If you live near a Safeway or Vons go and buy a bottle of this right now. It’s on sale for $8! Alright, now that you’re back, here’s the rest of the review: Pronounced blackberry and black cherry flavors combine with a silky texture to make this one worthy of sharing with guests or treating yourself to a little “the kids are finally in bed” celebration. We’d somehow overlooked Red Diamond until recently when the wine guy at our local grocery store mentioned he can barely keep it on the shelf. We’ve now tried it a number of times and continue to be impressed. Based in Washington, Red Diamond has put together a great wine and even at the $12 list price this one is well worth it.

Interested in some other options? Take a look at some other posts by clicking here.

Top 5 Grocery Wines for the Week

Phil — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 23:11:50 +0000

It’s Friday and what better way to celebrate than by swinging by the grocery store on your way home and picking up a bottle or five of wine. Listed below are our picks for the week.

Champagne – Gloria Ferrer (on sale $15.98 at Safeway / Vons until 6/10)
Chardonnay – Bogle (on sale $8.98 at Safeway / Vons until 6/24)
Sauvignon Blanc – Dry Creek Vineyard (available at Safeway / Vons)
Cabernet Sauvignon – BV (on sale $7.76 at Safeway / Vons until 6/10)
Zinfandel – Edmeades (Costco)

Review: Sea Ridge Chardonnay – 100% Drinkable!

Phil — Tue, 19 May 2009 21:32:00 +0000

You’ve probably spotted this one on the bottom shelf at your local grocery store with a price somewhere under $4. Four dollar wine? I figured there was a decent chance I might go blind from drinking the cheap stuff but in the name of science (and cheapskatedness) I thought I’d give it a try. Because of the inherent danger involved in drinking this stuff I thought it prudent to slip Amy the first glass (who’d update Grocery Wine if I didn’t survive?). Here’s how it went down:

Phil: Hey honey, want a glass of chardonnay?
Amy: Sure, what kind is it?
Phil: Sea Ridge Chardonnay
Amy: Is it supposed to be good?
Phil: Did you hear Lithuania elected its first female president?

The final verdict: Surprisingly drinkable! It’s definitely sweeter than you’d expect from a chardonnay but still tasty. Perhaps the perfect wine for sipping on the patio or deck on a hot summer day. Give it a try and let us know your thoughts in the comments.