Supermarket Wines
One of the things I first started trumpeting my approval of when we moved west was that everywhere, even the supermarket, sells wine. Not uncommon for a working writer, there are days when my travels take me no farther than the Ralph’s up the street, where everyone’s neighborhood friend Sonja presides over her register with a chat, a discreet extra scan of your club card to rack up fuel points, and a braid that belies her Indian heritage. She is used by now to my cart being laden with wines and spirits. In the three years since we settled out here full time, Sonja and I have bonded over several bottles from the supermarket shelves. She is an aficionado of sparkling wine, flavored vodka, and California red blends. I focus on gin, California wine and the occasional seasonal beer. In honor of Sonja, and the largesse of spirit embodied not only by her friendliness but by her naughty sense of humor, and out of respect for panicked last-minuters who are designated to "bring the wine," here are my thoughts about and recommendations for wine from the supermarket shelves.
Some dismiss mass market wines, and their rationale is not unfounded. High yield mass production can result in pedestrian juice or worse. While any wine regardless of cost or availability can falter or fail, carelessly produced wines announce that fact with distortions in color and clarity, a taste profile that is too sweet or too acidic, an off bouquet, or no particular color, flavor, or bouquet to speak of. Those are characteristics to be avoided in all wine.
Having participated in tastings across the spectrum, from rarefied cellar uncorkings to box-wine taste tests, I have learned that, as with anything, cost is not a hallmark of quality. Quality proceeds beyond cost, from vineyard, vintner, vintage, terroir and, frankly, magic. While the complex considerations that lead to the price of a bottle of wine make sense upon study, it is fair and accurate to state that, with wine, expensive and rare do not automatically equate to noteworthiness, and that inexpensive and widely available do not automatically equate to poor quality. The lesson of supermarket wines is that, like any other amassing of them, the important qualities are those that land in the glass. There are very good supermarket wines every bit as much as there are mediocre cellar wines.
To some oenophiles, there is a distinction between cellar- versus table wines. As a rule, one collects the former as an investment both financial and aesthetic, whereas one serves the latter for the simple enjoyment of it. One of the joys of wine is the worlds that open up in the glass and upon the palate, and neither the conveyance of the glass nor the destination of the palate distinguish a wine's quality until the tasting happens. Some look down upon table wines as the guzzle with which you wash down weeknight dinner, but the most important characteristic of wine, whatever its provenance or its purpose, are the qualities that reveal themselves in the pour. As true as it is that we should respect wine, even admire it in its highest expressions, it is also true that all wine started as table wine, and there is no room, at least in my cellar or at my bar, for snobbery. But the corollary must also be respected: if a wine is undrinkable, then it is undrinkable.
For this column, supermarket wines are identified as widely available, comparatively inexpensive, and stocked in commonly accessible purveyors to accompany home cooking or to provide a tasty buzz for partygoers. I set a per-bottle cap of $25 as determined by the Southern California market, but many of these wines fall below that price point. While box- and other mass-market wines such as four-packs were not disqualified, none of those that were tasted were of sufficient quality to be included in this column.
Supermarket Wines
As with all lists and guides at Urban Home Blog, all of these are recommendations based on my skills and experience as a homekeeper and lifestyle writer and none is a compensated endorsement. Where applicable, vintage is noted for these wines, but among the considerations for supermarket wines is consistency of quality across vintage, and that is reflected in these recommendations.
Bridlewood maintains a showstopping tasting room in Santa Ynez, where everything from car commercials to tv movies has been filmed. But that doesn’t overshadow the wines, which in the tasting room are perfectly serviceable with one blend – the 175 Blend – being notable. Bridlewood's star bottling is their supermarket-staple Bridlewood Chardonnay. This commendable Cali Chard is balanced and easygoing, lush but not overly oakey, buttery but not slippery. The fruit is bright and fresh, with mingled flavors of green apples, lemon and orange and a nose-tickle of honeysuckle. This is the Golden State Chardonnay that we should all expect.
Oranges, figs and fern are not a mix of flavors we typically associate with Chardonnay, but this is not the only mashup that Mark West Winery is guilty of. A honeyed quality emerges from Mark West Chardonnay that evokes the sleek French treatment of this workhorse grape; all the more dexterous because Mark West is a signature California winery, a milieu in which Chardonnay not only rules but typically evidences distinct Californian qualities. Mark West Pinot Noir is arguably the official house red of the Golden State, a stalwart of dinner tables and by-the-glass menus. This very drinkable, fruit-forward red plumps up nicely in the glass with cherry, pomegranate and black pepper flavors leading to a woodsy if thin finish that does not deter from being a pleasing glass, or two, of wine.
The simple script of the Josh Cellars label is familiar to California wine drinkers. This winery produces table- and reserve wines that embrace the heritage of NorCal wine country. Josh Chardonnay is a pinto pony of apples, peaches and oak, playful and slightly rebellious, with a nuzzling finish of straw and sweet spices. Josh's noteworthy Cabernet Sauvignon is elegant, pure, and evocative, with lots of plum and cassis cradled in a soft-bodied mouthfeel. The Cab is the go-to, but don't overlook Josh Pinot Noir. This deft expression of the heartbreak grape is aromatic and powerful, with a burst of berries amid currants and a dash of licorice presenting through a bouquet of smoke and tea.
Chasers after Cali Cult Cabs may think that Robert Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles 2012 is unworthy of the game, but this is a notable wine on any table. A buttery blackberry center settles into the glass like the jam on a scone, before revealing a summery note of cherry tomato and green pepper with a smoky finish of cedar and ash. This wine would be a showstopper at any price point, and would be the pour the sommelier reveals near the end of a tasting in a wine room. Among supermarket wines, this one is worth short cellaring.
Some Chilean Cabernet Sauvignons approach Californian mastery. Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 is earthy and full, landing with chewy black cherry and plum flavors before wandering into the playground of Monterey Veggies. There the wine displays green pepper and tomato notes and culminates with hints of tobacco and green olives. This is the wine that hair-chested generals quaff in the game room before moving on to cigars and brandy. While it won't usurp the loftiest efforts, this Cabernet Sauvignon is a reasonably priced, widely available, and very drinkable accompaniment to a roast beef dinner or weekend barbeque.
I've written before about Line 39 Petite Sirah, which I still enjoy and serve, as suggested, with steak. It figures that Line 39 Cabernet Sauvignon would fall into place as the Sirah's strong-armed sibling. Line 39 expresses this definitive California grape with opening notes of smoky tea leading to a vegetal tangle of celery, red pepper and green vines. Decant for 30 minutes to allow the slight alcohol sourness to settle and the country lane flavors to bloom.
Cambria Pinot Noir 2012 Julia's Vineyard would likely be a success based on vintage and locale alone, but this deftly handled wine is notable beyond vintage. It is spritely for a Pinot Noir, with vivid notes of figs and resin and earthy bloom upon the nose. This wine plays a funky, plummy game upon ocean-cooled Santa Maria hillsides, and in the playing, the profound nature of the grape reveals some of its charm and grace.
In our reverence for Pinot Noir, we may have forgotten its festive nature. The Crusher Pinot Noir 2013 is as mischievous as the claret poured from a crystal ewer at Agatha Christie's dinner party. Slight acidity suspends a strong fruit-forward profile with the playfulness of an Italian red. After breathing, the wine opens unto a juicy, bright expression of Pinot Noir that is as lively as a grape stomp, as flirtatious as the emergent rose and chocolate notes, and as rewarding as offering your glass for a second pour.
Bogle Petite Sirah slides into the glass as the inky pour this wine is supposed to be. The ruby plasma of the wine hints at the jewel-like prism of its flavors: charcoal, moss, anise, plum, cherries, and orange zest. This courtly Sirah verges on an old-world evocation of a well-rounded Shiraz whose acreage was planted to supplement revenue for a coffee plantation. Accordingly, pair this Sirah as you would a Syrah: with grilled beef, lamb or game, or spicy pork.
I can’t write a column about supermarket wines without addressing the phenomenon of Two-Buck Chuck. Two-Buck Chuck is Charles Shaw, the house wine of Trader Joe's, which averages $2.99/bottle in the Los Angeles market. I am a fan of and customer at Trader Joe’s, but I approach Two Buck Chuck cautiously. Overall, it is not far beyond the vinegary high alcohol tipple of the local wino, often with a detectable sugar content and almost a gas station level of alcohol burn. That said, both the Chardonnay and the Merlot are perfectly agreeable, with the former displaying a fine if workaday body of apples and pears and the latter providing a chocolaty intensity that is really quite notable for this workhorse grape. To vet my opinion, I checked with a wine writer and friend who agreed that the Chardonnay is good and with a sommelier and friend who christened the Shiraz as the best budget bottle of that grape. And in case you need to know this, they both reported that the Cabernet Sauvignon, which has a noticeable amount of sugar and bite, is a solid base wine for sangria.
Some dismiss mass market wines, and their rationale is not unfounded. High yield mass production can result in pedestrian juice or worse. While any wine regardless of cost or availability can falter or fail, carelessly produced wines announce that fact with distortions in color and clarity, a taste profile that is too sweet or too acidic, an off bouquet, or no particular color, flavor, or bouquet to speak of. Those are characteristics to be avoided in all wine.
Having participated in tastings across the spectrum, from rarefied cellar uncorkings to box-wine taste tests, I have learned that, as with anything, cost is not a hallmark of quality. Quality proceeds beyond cost, from vineyard, vintner, vintage, terroir and, frankly, magic. While the complex considerations that lead to the price of a bottle of wine make sense upon study, it is fair and accurate to state that, with wine, expensive and rare do not automatically equate to noteworthiness, and that inexpensive and widely available do not automatically equate to poor quality. The lesson of supermarket wines is that, like any other amassing of them, the important qualities are those that land in the glass. There are very good supermarket wines every bit as much as there are mediocre cellar wines.
To some oenophiles, there is a distinction between cellar- versus table wines. As a rule, one collects the former as an investment both financial and aesthetic, whereas one serves the latter for the simple enjoyment of it. One of the joys of wine is the worlds that open up in the glass and upon the palate, and neither the conveyance of the glass nor the destination of the palate distinguish a wine's quality until the tasting happens. Some look down upon table wines as the guzzle with which you wash down weeknight dinner, but the most important characteristic of wine, whatever its provenance or its purpose, are the qualities that reveal themselves in the pour. As true as it is that we should respect wine, even admire it in its highest expressions, it is also true that all wine started as table wine, and there is no room, at least in my cellar or at my bar, for snobbery. But the corollary must also be respected: if a wine is undrinkable, then it is undrinkable.
For this column, supermarket wines are identified as widely available, comparatively inexpensive, and stocked in commonly accessible purveyors to accompany home cooking or to provide a tasty buzz for partygoers. I set a per-bottle cap of $25 as determined by the Southern California market, but many of these wines fall below that price point. While box- and other mass-market wines such as four-packs were not disqualified, none of those that were tasted were of sufficient quality to be included in this column.
Supermarket Wines
As with all lists and guides at Urban Home Blog, all of these are recommendations based on my skills and experience as a homekeeper and lifestyle writer and none is a compensated endorsement. Where applicable, vintage is noted for these wines, but among the considerations for supermarket wines is consistency of quality across vintage, and that is reflected in these recommendations.
Bridlewood maintains a showstopping tasting room in Santa Ynez, where everything from car commercials to tv movies has been filmed. But that doesn’t overshadow the wines, which in the tasting room are perfectly serviceable with one blend – the 175 Blend – being notable. Bridlewood's star bottling is their supermarket-staple Bridlewood Chardonnay. This commendable Cali Chard is balanced and easygoing, lush but not overly oakey, buttery but not slippery. The fruit is bright and fresh, with mingled flavors of green apples, lemon and orange and a nose-tickle of honeysuckle. This is the Golden State Chardonnay that we should all expect.
Oranges, figs and fern are not a mix of flavors we typically associate with Chardonnay, but this is not the only mashup that Mark West Winery is guilty of. A honeyed quality emerges from Mark West Chardonnay that evokes the sleek French treatment of this workhorse grape; all the more dexterous because Mark West is a signature California winery, a milieu in which Chardonnay not only rules but typically evidences distinct Californian qualities. Mark West Pinot Noir is arguably the official house red of the Golden State, a stalwart of dinner tables and by-the-glass menus. This very drinkable, fruit-forward red plumps up nicely in the glass with cherry, pomegranate and black pepper flavors leading to a woodsy if thin finish that does not deter from being a pleasing glass, or two, of wine.
The simple script of the Josh Cellars label is familiar to California wine drinkers. This winery produces table- and reserve wines that embrace the heritage of NorCal wine country. Josh Chardonnay is a pinto pony of apples, peaches and oak, playful and slightly rebellious, with a nuzzling finish of straw and sweet spices. Josh's noteworthy Cabernet Sauvignon is elegant, pure, and evocative, with lots of plum and cassis cradled in a soft-bodied mouthfeel. The Cab is the go-to, but don't overlook Josh Pinot Noir. This deft expression of the heartbreak grape is aromatic and powerful, with a burst of berries amid currants and a dash of licorice presenting through a bouquet of smoke and tea.
Chasers after Cali Cult Cabs may think that Robert Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles 2012 is unworthy of the game, but this is a notable wine on any table. A buttery blackberry center settles into the glass like the jam on a scone, before revealing a summery note of cherry tomato and green pepper with a smoky finish of cedar and ash. This wine would be a showstopper at any price point, and would be the pour the sommelier reveals near the end of a tasting in a wine room. Among supermarket wines, this one is worth short cellaring.
Some Chilean Cabernet Sauvignons approach Californian mastery. Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 is earthy and full, landing with chewy black cherry and plum flavors before wandering into the playground of Monterey Veggies. There the wine displays green pepper and tomato notes and culminates with hints of tobacco and green olives. This is the wine that hair-chested generals quaff in the game room before moving on to cigars and brandy. While it won't usurp the loftiest efforts, this Cabernet Sauvignon is a reasonably priced, widely available, and very drinkable accompaniment to a roast beef dinner or weekend barbeque.
I've written before about Line 39 Petite Sirah, which I still enjoy and serve, as suggested, with steak. It figures that Line 39 Cabernet Sauvignon would fall into place as the Sirah's strong-armed sibling. Line 39 expresses this definitive California grape with opening notes of smoky tea leading to a vegetal tangle of celery, red pepper and green vines. Decant for 30 minutes to allow the slight alcohol sourness to settle and the country lane flavors to bloom.
Cambria Pinot Noir 2012 Julia's Vineyard would likely be a success based on vintage and locale alone, but this deftly handled wine is notable beyond vintage. It is spritely for a Pinot Noir, with vivid notes of figs and resin and earthy bloom upon the nose. This wine plays a funky, plummy game upon ocean-cooled Santa Maria hillsides, and in the playing, the profound nature of the grape reveals some of its charm and grace.
In our reverence for Pinot Noir, we may have forgotten its festive nature. The Crusher Pinot Noir 2013 is as mischievous as the claret poured from a crystal ewer at Agatha Christie's dinner party. Slight acidity suspends a strong fruit-forward profile with the playfulness of an Italian red. After breathing, the wine opens unto a juicy, bright expression of Pinot Noir that is as lively as a grape stomp, as flirtatious as the emergent rose and chocolate notes, and as rewarding as offering your glass for a second pour.
Bogle Petite Sirah slides into the glass as the inky pour this wine is supposed to be. The ruby plasma of the wine hints at the jewel-like prism of its flavors: charcoal, moss, anise, plum, cherries, and orange zest. This courtly Sirah verges on an old-world evocation of a well-rounded Shiraz whose acreage was planted to supplement revenue for a coffee plantation. Accordingly, pair this Sirah as you would a Syrah: with grilled beef, lamb or game, or spicy pork.
I can’t write a column about supermarket wines without addressing the phenomenon of Two-Buck Chuck. Two-Buck Chuck is Charles Shaw, the house wine of Trader Joe's, which averages $2.99/bottle in the Los Angeles market. I am a fan of and customer at Trader Joe’s, but I approach Two Buck Chuck cautiously. Overall, it is not far beyond the vinegary high alcohol tipple of the local wino, often with a detectable sugar content and almost a gas station level of alcohol burn. That said, both the Chardonnay and the Merlot are perfectly agreeable, with the former displaying a fine if workaday body of apples and pears and the latter providing a chocolaty intensity that is really quite notable for this workhorse grape. To vet my opinion, I checked with a wine writer and friend who agreed that the Chardonnay is good and with a sommelier and friend who christened the Shiraz as the best budget bottle of that grape. And in case you need to know this, they both reported that the Cabernet Sauvignon, which has a noticeable amount of sugar and bite, is a solid base wine for sangria.
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