Torrontés is a white wine grape grown only in the Argentina wine region. It has a very distinctive nose and taste that is easily identifiable once you have tasted from a bottle or two. It is very aromatic with floral and peachy notes, with much the same characteristics in the mouth. The acidity of this wine is its calling card. Too much or too little acidity and it is a whole new ballgame as far as enjoyment. The grape is grown in three regions of Argentina. Two of the wines we tasted were from the La Rioja region of Mendoza, and they were the Crios and the LaMadrid Torrontés. The other two wines were from the high altitude area of Cafayate in Salta, and they were the Finca Las Nubes and the Hermanos Torrontés. When we say high altitude we mean between 5000 and 6000 feet, about the same altitude as Lake Tahoe.

We enjoyed all the wines and considered them all to be fun wines, to be enjoyed outside on the warm days of the year and with friends. The wine is perky, crisp, and with its acidity, it is food friendly with salads, seafood, and even a seafood or veggie-based pizza. Of the four wines we tasted, we recommend highly the Hermanos because it was the favorite of each of our tasters. We ranked the wines in this order with the price and where they’re available in the greater San Francisco Bay Area.

Torrontés Wine

• Hermanos 2011 – $14 K&L Wines
• Finca Las Nubes 2010 – $16 but not found in S.F. area.
• Crios 2011 – $13 BevMo, $12 Costco
• LaMadrid 2011 – $11 BevMo, $12 Cost Plus World Market

Torrontés is one of those white wines that I think you either love or hate from the get go. If you like Pinot Grigio, Albariño, and Sauvignon Blanc, chances are you will enjoy a Torrontés wine although it is much different than the aforementioned wines. Give the wine a chance and if you see it on the wine shelf, buy a bottle or two and expand your wine experiences.

Kirkland Signature 2010 Rutherford Meritage – $13.99 Costco
Meritage (pronounced like heritage) is a blend of two or more of the Bordeaux varietals. In this Kirkland Meritage blend we have 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 12.5% Petit Verdot, and 2.5% Cabernet Franc. All of the grapes were obtained from various vineyards in the prestigious Rutherford wine region of the Napa Valley. We very much enjoyed this wine paired with baby back ribs. It has deep black fruit flavors and a terrific mouth feel. What I missed in this wine was complexity. But I really can’t complain because the wine is only $13.99. The wine was produced and bottled for Costco by the D.C. Flynt company based in Healdsburg, CA. 89 Points.

Kirkland Rutherford Meritage 2010

Hahn 2009 Syrah Central Coast – $10.99 Trader Joe’s & BevMo

Hahn Syrah

Cheapskate Wednesday on WinesTilSoldOut – Wednesday, May 16
Here is a blurb I received from WinesTilSoldOut about their marathon event on this coming Wednesday. If you like the Flash wine sale Websites, you will like this special sale.

“Always wanting to offer customers amazing deals and amazing wines, WTSO will host its next Cheapskate Wednesday on May 16, pulling out all the stops to offer deeply discounted wines at blazing speeds, every 15 minutes for 12 straight hours. Offered in their wildly popular marathon format, Cheapskate Wednesday will keep enthusiasts and deal seekers on their toes.

How it works:
Starting at noon on Wednesday, May 16, we will present a wine every 15 minutes, until midnight.

There will be no email announcements; you will have to watch the site or follow us on Twitter for the next deal.

When an item sells out the next one will go live, but there will be at least one new wine every 15 minutes

Wines will be priced $7.99 to $18.99.”

Condes De Albarei – $10.71 at BevMo
For those of you who read GoodCheapVino on a regular basis, you know that Albariño wine from the Rias Baixas region of Spain is a favorite varietal wine of ours. This is one of the good ones and price at BevMo this week is very good at 10.71. We served this wine last Monday with a group of folks who are not all big wine drinkers. At least two guests wanted to know more about the wine, asking to see the bottle, and asked where I purchased it. Not only is this wine refreshing, but it has great character with slight lemon and lime characteristics. It goes well with both outdoor fare and seafood dishes. The Wine Enthusiast gives it 90 Points. I go with 89.

Albariño - the perfect picnic wine

Segura Viudas – $8.99 or $6.09 when you buy four at Cost Plus World Market
If you are looking for sparkling wine that is delicious and costs under $10 then jump on the offer at Cost Plus World Market. The regular price is $8.99, but if you purchase four or more the price is an astounding $6.09 a bottle. This is the best price I have seen this value Cava from Spain offered anywhere in my area. We were introduced to this sparkling wine in Spain and love the flavors of this wine. We now purchase it on a regular basis. The Wine Enthusiast has it at Number 19 on its “Top 100 Best Buys.” I give it 87 Points.

Three 90 Point Napa Valley Cabs under $20

93 Points
Conn Creek 2007 – $17.99 at BevMo – SRP is $25

92 Points
Edge 2009 – $16.99 at KL Wines, The Wine Stop – SRP is $20
B Side 2009 – $19.80 at the Safeway (Burlingame) if you buy six, but it is the 2010 vintage. SRP is $25

91 Points
Franciscan 2008 – $18.99 at KL Wines – SRP is $27
Robert Mondavi 2009 – $18.99 Costco – SRP is $28
Black Stallion 2009 – $18.99 at BevMo – SRP is $25
Oberon 2009 – $17.99 at Safeway (Burlingame), $19.99 at BevMo – SRP is $22

90 Points
Buehler 2009 – $19.99 at KL Wines, The Wine Stop, $18 if you buy 6 at Safeway (Burlingame).

You can see the complete list of wines at the Wine Enthusiast Website.

We were having a little gathering at my house in honor of my son visiting for a few days from his home in Santa Monica. I purchased three wines to drink with our guests and did a side-by-side comparison. We tasted the Oberon, Edge and Conn Creek. There was no disagreement on our choice: The 2007 Conn Creek was stunningly delicious. The Edge was our second choice. I am out the door this morning to get at least a half case of the Conn Creek Cab. Wow!

Each vintage year I try to stock away a mixed case of Napa Valley Cabernet in my cellar. It is a lot of fun and educational to pull bottles from past vintages from your cellar each month. It is a safe bet that a good Napa Valley Cabernet is going to age nicely in the bottle if stored under the proper conditions. If you have the budget, pick a few of these wines to put away for up to ten years. Those $20 Napa Cabs will be worth quite a bit more down the road.

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2010 Vouvray Domain Pichot $12.99 – Weimax Wines
Last week the Vintage Wine Tasters judged six Vouvray wines. In a close vote, the Vouvray Domain Pichot was our third best, but at $12.99 easily the best value of the bunch. This Chenin Blanc really shines in both aroma and flavors. The wine has a medium mouth feel with balanced acidity and a very nice aftertaste. This is a great picnic wine or one to match with light seafood. We give it 88 Points. Be adventurous and try this crispy and fresh white wine from the Loire Valley of France.

Urban uco 2011 Malbec Tempranillo $8.99 – Costco
A 50% Malbec, 50% Tempranillo blend, fermented and aged for 6 months in stainless steel. There is no spice or oak in this wine just very excellent fruit flavors of blackberries, blueberries and plum. This is a terrific bargain for a very friendly and enjoyable wine that drinks like a $15 bottle of wine. This is wine to drink now and to be enjoyed around the Barbecue. 88 Points

Leese-Fitch 2010 Sauvignon Blanc $7.99 – Costco
The Leese Fitch is one of the Other Guys Wines, owned by Mia and August Sebastiani, siblings of the famous Sebastiani Family that recently sold the historic Sebastiani Vineyards. The Other Guys also has the Plungerhead, Hey Mambo, and Pennywise labels. The Leese-Fitch Sauvignon Blanc is a wonderful white wine for a party. It is refreshing with no flaws to speak of. You won’t get any big gooseberry or grapefruit flavor like some of the very popular New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs. This one is more tamed with notes of citrus flavors. Wine Enthusiast loves this wine and gives it 90 points. I think that is way over the top. I go with 87 points, but a fantastic value at $7.99.

Vintage Wine Taster Mike was the host for this wine tasting. After much research Mike settled on six Vouvray wines ranging in price from $12.99 to $20.99. The wines varied slightly in sugar but all were in the dry range. The wines in our estimation were all excellent wines, nicely balanced throughout and each worthy of purchasing for our home cellars. Here are the six wines we tasted and the order in which we judged them. We also list the price and where they were purchased.

• 2009 Champalou ” Cuvée des Fondraux” – $18.99 KL Wines
• 2009 François Pinon “Cuvée Silex Noir” – $20.99 KL Wines
• 2010 Vouvray Domain Pichot – $12.99 Weimax Wines
• 2009 Guy Saget Estates Marie de Beauregard – $12.99 Costco
• 2007 Domaine Des Aubisieres “Cuvée Silex” – $19.99 Weimax Wines
• 2010 Pierre et Catherine Breton “La Dilettante” Vouvray Sec -$19.99 KL Wines

Six delicious Vouvray wines

Very few Chenin Blanc wines are made in California. The San Francisco Chronicle recently ran a review of California Chenin Blanc wines.

All the Vintage Wine Tasters recalled that years ago one of the most popular wines around was Charles Krug Chenin Blanc. We argued what we paid for the wine, but best guess was it was between three and four dollars a bottle. The Charles Krug Chenin Blanc died in 1996.

Saracina Vineyards 2011 Chardonnay – Golden Gate Wine Cellars $16.99 – Joe’s Pick
We visited the Saracina winery in Hopland last week and were very impressed with the quality wines produced by John Fetzer at Saracina. Hopland is far removed from popular Sonoma County and Napa Valley wine country and thus much less crowded. The prices of wine in the area are much more reasonable than the aforementioned, and by and large there are no tasting fees. The Sarcina Chardonnay is an all stainless-steel variety with a tad of Viognier blended into the wine. The fruit flavors are very evident: pear, pineapple, and apple. This is a lush and vibrant Chardonnay with an amazing taste. I think the wine is a steal at the $18 price I paid at the winery. Locally, the only place I could find this wine for sale was the Golden Gate Wine Cellars on Ocean Avenue in San Francisco for $16.99. I rated it 90 points; get it while you can.

Certified organic vineyards at Saracina

Four Vines 2009 Naked Chardonnay – $10.99 various stores – Joe’s Pick

Naked Char

Vouvray Tasting
This week our Vintage Wine Tasting Club meets to blind taste six Vouvray wines. These wines are from the Loire Valley in France and are made from the Chenin Blanc grape. It is a dry and crisp wine and we look forward to reporting back to you on our Vouvray discoveries. Watch for the article on Thursday!

Here are the six wines we tasted in the order we rated them from top to bottom. We also list the price and where available.

1. Mapema 2009 – K&L Wines – $14.99
1. Salentein Reserve 2007 – BevMo – $15.97
3. La Posta Cocina 2010 – Did not find locally
4. Ben Marco 2010 – BevMo $16.99 but it is the 2009 vintage
5. Crios 2011 – $12.99 BevMo and other stores
6. Trumpeter 2009 – $12.99 – BevMo has the 2011

The wines ranked one through five were all close in scoring and all very characteristic of the easy drinking Malbec wines from Argentina. The Trumpeter we thought was a little thin and would not recommend it. The rest are all winners and excellent choices for the wine bargain hunter. It you are looking for a crowd-pleasing wine, any of these will do without braking the bank. Periodically throughout the year BevMo will have the Crios and Salentein on sale at an even bigger discount.

The Mapema received 91 points from the Wine Spectator and 90 Points from Robert Parker.

The Ben Marco received 90 Points from Robert Parker.

The Crios received 89 Points from Steve Tanzer.

Bodegas Numanthia-Termes “Termes” Toro 2008
From the very first sip to the final drop, we enjoyed this wine immensely. Maybe it was because we paired it with a wonderful Paella dish made with Bomba rice, lots of chicken and Spanish chorizo, sprinkled with spices of saffron and smoked paprika. We have always preferred the Tempranillo wines of Toro over ones from Rioja and Ribera del Duero. We think the Toro wines have a little more spunk to them. In 2007 we visited Spain and the wine region of Toro. One winemaker there told us that the challenge in Toro was to “tame the horse.” He was referring to the Tinto de Toro grape (Tempranillo). This grape needs careful cultivating and cellaring to make a beautiful and balanced wine. This wine is an impressive example of “taming the horse.” The Termes is big and bold, but elegant. The Termes has beautiful deep color and in the nose there are so many interesting spice flavors. The wine is layered with equally interesting fruit flavors and has a wonderful finish. At $19.99 at Costco, it is truly a fantastic wine bargain. I rate it at 92 Points. In addition to Costco, you can find this wine at K&L Wines but it is $24.99. The Wine Spectator, Robert Parker, Wine Enthusiast and Steven Tanzer all rated this wine 91 Points. I think that is the first time I have seen all the big boys in total agreement in scoring a wine.

Buehler Napa Valley Zinfandel 2010 – Costco $14.99, K&L Wines $16.99
I reviewed this same wine in 2011 but it is still on the shelves and is a terrific buy. Too many Zinfandel wines these days are over the top, too jammy and raisiny and too high in alcohol. This Zin is so well made!  I am amazed that you can buy this wine for under $20. It beats just about every Zinfandel wine I have tasted that is priced in the $30 and above range. If you are a Zinfandel lover, you must try this wine. I gave it 89 Points last December but this time around I am going with 90 Points.

Costco News
Don’t forget to set your DVR for the broadcasting of the CNBC News original documentary, “The Costco Craze: Inside the Warehouse Giant.” The program premieres Thursday, April 26^th at 9pm et/pt.  Costco wine buyers, you should watch this program.  For more information and a preview, read my post from last week.

I just received a PR alert from CNBC, the business news channel, announcing that it will be broadcasting an original documentary, “The Costco Craze: Inside the Warehouse Giant.” The program premieres Thursday, April 26th at 9pm ET/PT. If you do any shopping at Costco, especially wine shopping, you will not want to miss this show. Set your DVR now!

In the documentary one entire segment will be focused on the Costco wine department. Costco sells more wine than almost any retailer in the world, more than a billion dollars’ worth each year. Costco is the world’s largest importer of high-end French wines, and its bins are stock full of marquee brands from California and Washington State. The wine operation at Costco is somewhat secretive. For my Costco wine article I could not get an interview of any sort with the San Francisco Bay Area wine buyer for Costco or the head of the wine department at their main office in Washington. It will be very interesting to watch the wine segment of this program to see if it reveals anything about how Costco wheels and deals to purchase wines and offer them to the consumer at such low prices. The official PR blurb from CNBC states: “Go behind the curtain of one of the most successful wholesale warehouse retailers. CNBC unveils the secrets of Costco’s success, explores the mystique behind the brand, and taps into the passion of its members. “The Costco Craze: Inside the Warehouse Giant” also looks at the possibility of a “Costco Effect” and explores whether buying those 28-packs of pretzels and oversized bottles of salad dressing saves money, and whether it leads customers to consume more.”

I can tell you without hesitation that when I shop at the Costco wine department I am usually out the door with more wine then I need. How about you?

Preview clip of the documentary