Wine batch review 5/28/11

Scoring 6 out of 10 for upper average:

Dom Brunet, Malbec, 2007 (Cahors, France) - Pretty decent for such a plainly labelled bottle.

Domaine Collin, Cremant de Limoux, Brut (France) - Pretty nice for under $10.

Tres Pinos, Three Pines Cuvee White Wine, 2009 (San Luis Obispo County, California) - A Trader Joe's offering and we really liked their red too.

Contadino Vivace, Pinot Grigio, 2010 (Italy) - A Trader Joe's offering and despite the fancy bottle it actually lived up to our peaked anticipations.

Green Fin, White Table Wine, 2009 (California) - Yes a TJ's, this one's organic, and pretty good.

Scoring 5 out of 10 for lower average:

Trader Moon Wine Company, Honey Moon, Viognier, 2009 (Manteca, California)

Canard Sauvage, Zinfandel, 2009 (Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, California)

Barefoot, Riesling (California)

Joseph Handler, Riesling, 2010 (Pfalz, Germany)

JW Morris, Riesling, 2010 (California)

Robertson Winery, Natural Sweet White (South Africa) - This $6 tear drop bottle wine is not much more than a wine cooler but Nancy really enjoyed it. The bottom of the bottle had spoiled after a day.

Almaden Vineyards, Heritage Chardonnay (California) - Nothing special but surprisingly drinkable for a box wine.

Zafrika, Sauvignon Blanc, 2010 (South Africa)

La Finca, Chardonnay, 2009 (Mendoza, Argentina)

And now we have one cellar dwellar to rip on:

Scoring 1 out of 10 for never buy it again:

Gran Barquero, Pedro Ximenez, Fino Sherry (Spain) - $15 at a decent store (Cardullo's, Harvard Square) so I thought it would be OK. What junk. Plastic covering was cheap, twist off cork broke off with the slightest torque, the remaining cork in the bottle was so loosely fit the corkscrew could find no grip it just pushed it further in. Contents were cheap, smelled like a cellar, tasted like a weak relative of a Palomino sherry. A drain pour.