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Photo Courtesy Whole Foods
Three Wishes Vineyards (based in Livermore, California, an emerging wine-production area southeast of the East Bay area of San Francisco; and Ripon, California, in San Joaquin County) is the producer for these wines. Non-vintage, they first became available for sale at Whole Foods Market locations in October. The glass bottles are even made of a lighter-weight glass, which is a green thing to do (fewer fossil fuels are needed to transport the wine to retailers).
We took a swig of these and here are our thoughts. Bottom line: For $3? Good. Is it the best wine we've ever had? No. But it sure beats the quality of a lot of $8-$10 wines. Consider stocking up for the holidays, even if you just need a new vice while you wrap presents late into the night...
California Chardonnay
There was no detection of oak on this Chard, which ought to please the masses. Pineapples and floral aromas kick into a juicy palate where notes of pineapple mingles with pear.
California Merlot
A lot of Cali Merlots are blah (translation: flat and unremarkable). This one takes a little detour into a Merlot style that's got bright fruit (cherries) matched with currants, too. A cigar-box nose is interesting and gently eases into toasty vanilla and some oak on the finish.
California Cabernet Sauvignon
It's tough to find a good Cab from the Golden State for under, say, $30. At 90% less than that cost, this is a strong effort. Tobacco aromas are followed by black cherry and currant notes that evolve into soft tannins. If you aren't a typical Cab drinker you will probably like this. While it might lack complexity it's not as robost -- and with tight tannins -- as most Cal Cabs are.
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12-06-2010 @4:01PM Tara (@teaberryrelish) said... Absolutely, $3 wines are worth a try, and some are quite surprising! Tisdale Winery (http://www.tisdalewine.com/) has some very good wines that I get at my local Winco Grocery for $3.08 a bottle. My favorite is the Shiraz, and is a bold, peppery wine that I keep on hand as a staple. Great to drink, great to cook with. I also just recently noticed their Pinot Grigio, when on search for an inexpensive white wine for use in a stew recipe -- the wine was slightly tart, yet had a soft finish. Since I'm not a chardonnay fan, I was glad to find this go-to white.
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12-06-2010 @9:39PM Pam said... I found this wine a few months ago at my local Whole Foods and was so excited! Completely drinkable and delicious!
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12-06-2010 @10:41PM JasonGoalie34 said... "It's tough to find a good Cab from the Golden State for under, say, $30."
WOAH. BIG TIME fallacy there, miss "wine expert." Wine is one of those diversions that is completely in the eye of the beholder. A statement like that comes off as REALLY callous and presumptuous to wine-drinking commoners like me.
I personally adhere to a principle that is almost the diametric opposite. I say, 'It's tough to find a good wine from ANYWHERE for under, say, $30, that is remotely worth the pricetag.'
Don't get me wrong, I'm sure you'll find some great ones over $30 too. But is it really worth that kind of ridiculous markup when there are wines that I've personally found to be excellent for $15 and under? Not to me.
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12-07-2010 @12:14AM Philip Gomez said... Can someone give me some advice on buying an inexpensive wine that is on the sweet side and fruity. Something that will go with a good dinner plate of meat and pasta. thanks.
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12-07-2010 @3:19PM Tara (@teaberryrelish) said... I find Gerwurztraminers to be a good choice for entree pairings because they're not so dry, like a Chardonnay would be, but also not nearly as sweet and cloying as Rieslings or Muscats. My favorite is Fetzer Gerwurztraminer, and can often be found for under $12. Gerwurz are great to pair with turkey and seafood! For a red choice, try Pinot Noir or Petite Sirah. Bogle Petit Sirah is a juicy, smooth red and is my personal favorite all-around, and is usually about $10. Cheers!