Editor

I am helping a few friends on some of wine projects, and they will be launching some very exciting stuff soon. This is a short piece they asked me to write on tips for reading a French wine label, and I figured I’d share it with everyone here as well. Enjoy.
– Andrew, Editor

Reading a French wine label is a little different than reading one from the US. The labels are a bit more complex, but with a little practice and geographic research, you’ll soon be listing your favorite appellations in no time.

There are four key aspects to a French wine label that you will want to note: the vintage, the appellation, the classification and the chateau (or winemaker).

The vintage is pretty easy to decipher but it is vitally important. It tells you the year the grapes were harvested in, and depending on the weather for each year, this can cause prices to swell or cave in. Don’t be surprised if bottles from stellar years are much more expensive than bottles from years with bad conditions.

The appellation is a huge factor on the label because it ultimately tells you what grapes were used in producing the wine. France (and many other European countries) segment their wines by appellation rather than saying simply Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon.

This is because of long standing rules in those countries about which grapes can grow where. To understand what you are buying requires a bit of geographic knowledge on behalf of the purchaser. For instance, a Bordeaux from St Emilion (right bank) is going to be a Merlot based red blend, compared to a Margaux (left bank) that is going to be Cabernet Sauvignon based. The more you experiment and research these different appellations within France, the more you will know about the wine inside.

The classification of the wine means a few different things throughout France. In some areas, such as Burgundy, you will have Grand Cru wines which typically mean the wine is from the “highest” quality single vineyard, while Premier Cru means a “high” quality single vineyard, and then “Village” wines which may come from multiple vineyards. In Bordeaux you have the Classifications of 1855 that separate vineyards out into “growths.” The “First Growth” wines are some of the most prized in the world.

The Chateau (or winemaker) is another important aspect. As you embark on your wine journey, you will begin to encounter and recognize winemakers who make excellent wines, or (perhaps more importantly) wines that you enjoy. Often times a second bottle (or second label, meaning the lesser wine) from a top winemaker is a better quality than a grand cru from a lesser known winemaker.

Note: If you enjoyed these quick tips, take a look at my French wine book, Decoding French Wine: A Beginner’s Guide to Enjoying the Fruits of the French Terroir. It’s available in Kindle and paperback formats. Just click on the cover below.

Neyers is a super dependable winery. I can’t think of a bottle I’ve had from them that disappointed so I was excited to see the Chardonnay at my Costco; especially during the summertime when I’m looking for good white wines. Price was $24.99, so my expectations were high (plus I love Carneros wines), and this wine delivered.

It is signature Carneros from the start. The nose is a good mix of floral aromas surrounded by a little citrus and oak that carry through to the palate. In the mouth, this is rich and layered, starting with a touch of citrus flavor and moving to a buttery (but not too much) and creamy finish with subtle oak notes. I get turned off by Chardonnays that overdo any one of these elements, but this bottle hits them all just perfect. A real treat, and a solid addition to our Bronze Rated list..

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 91 Points
*Bronze Rated*

Costco item number: 681700

I’ve been working diligently on the latest version of my French Wine Book, “Decoding French Wine: A Beginner’s Guide to Enjoying the Fruits of the French Terroir,” and I’m happy to say that this new second edition is live today on Amazon.com.

The Kindle version is only $3.99 and it includes information on major French wine regions including Bordeaux, Loire, Burgundy, Alsace, Rhone, Languedoc-Roussillon and Champagne. This book is short and conscise, written to help the beginner wine drinker become more familiar with French wines that may seem overly complicated and complex.

I wanted to really make this simple to digest, and to help turn more people on to these amazing wines. If you’ve followed this site for a while, you know I have a tendency to review many of the French wines, particularly the 2010 Bordeaux because they are an amazing vintage. But I also look at many other French wines and regions, because the value is typically so great, especially at Costco. So here’s a chance to boost your knowledge and ultimately, your enjoyment, of these awesome wines.

Download a free sample chapter here.

Thanks for supporting this site.

Andrew, Editor

By Redneck Wine Guy

I’ll let you in on a little secret – wine is not my career. Rather, I’m a sales guy who travels the globe selling my wares hoping that the next commission check will be enough to buy a case-or-two of the good stuff to collect, store, and share with family and friends.

Today was an incredibly long day. I am in Florida, and in one day traveled over 350 miles. Upon arriving back to my hotel, the last thing I felt like doing was getting myself put together to end up sitting alone at a restaurant bar to eat most likely subpar food while drinking well-level booze and mindlessly surfing on my iPhone. The brilliant idea of grabbing some snack foods and a bottle of wine to sit comfortably in my room was much more appealing. Tonight I was looking for easy drinking – not cheap, just easy.

I was drawn to the Oyster Bay Pinot Noir for several reasons – it was reasonably priced at $12, it had a screw top so I did not have to buy a wine opener/borrow a wine opener from the hotel, and there are some “hella good” (that is a Southern colloquial phrase shorting the expression “Hell of a Good”) wines coming out of New Zealand. It was worth a shot.

In color, this wine is light….like, a tad bit darker than a Rosé. The legs are quick – if it was a woman, she would run a lot faster than a courting man could chase her. The nose is very floral, and hints of ripe berries, vanilla, and a tad bit of spice. This wine drinks young, and only opens slightly over time. Upon first taste, this wine needs a bit of time to hang out. This wine is 13.5% alcohol and rather unfortunately I think the taste of alcohol is too pronounced and slightly acidic. The resounding profile I kept going back to time-and-time again was strawberry. Abita Brewing Company out of Abita Springs, Louisiana makes a phenomenal seasonal lager called “Abita Strawberry Harvest Lager.” There are a lot of parallels in my opinion to this wine and that beer. The finish is moderate – you will not forget it after first sip, but it will not linger long into the night. Absolutely a good buy at the price point.

Redneck Wine Guy Rating: 88 Points

Winery: Oyster Bay Vineyards

Varietal(s): 100% Pinot Noir

Vintage: 2011

Region: Marlborough, New Zealand

(This is a guest post from Adam L from Southern CA. He sent me a note about this wine and I thought everyone would benefit from reading his notes. I have yet to see this bottle at my Costcos but I am keeping an eye out)

The wine was impressive from opening. Dark fruit aromas immediately greet you almost daring you to let it breathe more. I tasted flavored of dark berries and spicy cherries. The finish was smooth, supple and spicy finish. Tannins were minimal as was the acidity (which were coincidentally the drawbacks in my opinion).

I wondered why the wine was priced the way it was ($18.99) considering the varietal, winery and country of origin, but after tasting, it was well worth what I paid for it.

Normally I’m a fan of big California cabs and spicy Spanish Tempranillo’s. For those who want a dark fruit and full bodied wine, without firm tannins and acidity, (along with a good amount of fruity and peppery spicy, this one should be considered.

Young, bright and fruity and for $6.99 it’s not all that bad. Very one dimensional though from beginning to end. A very simple drink, that early stage Pinot fans may enjoy a bit more than others. There’s really nothing to not like. It’s just so basic.

The wine gives you little bursts of red fruit, almost reminding me of a cherry Laffy Taffy; tastes sweet and sugary on the finish, with maybe a little tobacco and smoke.

You’ll be hard pressed to find many CA Pinots that even exist in this price range, so I have to give them props for that. If you’re looking for a decent mid-week drinker, here you go. If you’re looking for much more, you will want to keep looking.

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 85 Points

Costco item number: 955147

I wasn’t expecting much from a California Sauvignon Blanc priced under $8 but this bottle was a pleasant surprise. It’s a good wine for the money, and a nice summer one to have on hand.

Not a lot going on with the nose, a little floral, citrus perhaps. But once the wine gets in your mouth you immediately sense its combination of both freshness and dryness, with a good dose of lemon and lime, with some grapefruit flavors.

It’s clean and rather simple, which might be its saving grace at this price point. It’s not trying too hard; just enough to be above expectations at this low price point. And that’s not a bad thing.

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 87 Points

Costco item number: 162023

Reviewed by Redneck Wine Guy

Here’s the setting – the last night of vacation on the South Carolina coast. My family decided for a night-in watching a movie, and I decided to do the farthest from it. Why sit inside on a perfect beautiful night at the beach when you can enjoy the last moments of mindless existence before returning to the real world of endless e-mails and voicemails. I popped the bottle of aforementioned vino, and after doing the sniff, pour, swirl, swish, taste regime I proceeded to pour a big glass and head out for the shore. As you may have guessed, I was engaged in some self-questioning and doubt….should I really have proceeded with this plan, on a hot and muggy night, with a glass of Zinfandel? The other imbibers on the beach were toting beers, frozen cocktails of various incantations, and a few bottles of far-too-chilled whites. I was the lone guy on the beach with not only a red, but a zinfandel with the hue of octopus ink.

Upon first steps I thought I should have done the same – a cool Cuba Libré with a lime wheel would have been a spectacular choice. But nay, instead, a glass of full-bodied red. Well, I can attest that the evening decision was an amazing experience – solitude in nature with a glass of wine that improved and proved itself as I meandered along the sandy beach, collecting shells, and taking some pictures so I could share with my family what they were missing.

A word of caution – the boutique and tasting notes of this wine are very much closed upon first opening. While no wine should be solely judged upon first corking, this one especially falls into that category. Give it some time – wine, along with life, should be enjoyed slowly and given time to expose all it has to offer.

After some walking, swirling, and sipping what was first a mediocre bottle I began to see why this family has been in the wine business since 1895. Zinfandels usually fall into one of two categories – good/great or really bad. Drinkable vs. non-drinkable. This is a perfectly drinkable wine – the nose and taste of black cherry are well pronounced, a hint of ripe blackberry in the middle, with a spicy yet rounded finish of toned-down peppercorn. I’d also throw in that there is a subtle taste of fresh chewing tobacco, but only a certain segment of the reading population would appreciate that side note! The mouth feel is jammy and coats your tongue, but not enough so to turn away the average wine drinker.

Overall, a good value Zin that you can be proud to serve to your family and friends. Scouring the internet I found pricing between $17 – $26. Personally, I think anything over $20 is a little steep for this one, but give it a while in the cellar and a breathing period once opened and I imagine you’ll get your value for the price. After my evening experience, no matter the price it’s a hell of a better value than a cheap can of beer would have been!

-Redneck Wine Guy rating – 90
Costco item number: 57059
Price at Costco: $18.99

I’m drinking this one on a really hot day in Atlanta, and it’s probably the best setting for Pinot Grigio, which are typically not on my shopping list. But in the interest of catering to readers who might enjoy Pinot Grigio, I wanted to give it a shot. At $7.99, I can say it’s enjoyable on a hot summer day and this bottle offers just what it promises to be.

I just don’t typically pick up much flavor in Pinot Grigio, and this one isn’t much different. This wine might be a bit more on the creamy and vanilla side of things, which to me tastes a bit odd with the citrus fruit flavor that’s peaking through. But it’s drinkable, especially cold out of the fridge.

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 84 Points

I just came back from a high end Napa tasting at my local wine shop where I had some excellent Mountain and Rutherford Cabs. I opened this to have one more glass and was surprised at how well it stood up since my palate was dialed into more new world wines that cost much more than this one did ($12.99 at Costco).

The nose projects nice dark cherry aromas, a little chocolate and some earth. Palate and mid-palate this wine really holds up well. Rich flavors, more cherry, red fruit, licorice that is smooth and fruity. Finishes subtlety at first with a nice fruit kick that’s dry and lasting.

This one tastes a few years older than it really is; a nice elegance at a favorable price. A good buy for sure.

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 89 Points

Costco item number: 786005

It’s Saturday, which means a lot of you are probably heading to your local Costco, and for $12.69, this is a label you’ll want to keep an eye out for.

This is Monastrell from the Alicante region of Spain, and it’s some of the best Monastrell I’ve tried for this price. Nose is spicy, with hints of tobacco and on the palate the wine is luscious with dark fruit, blackberry, plum, a little earth and leather. The finish is why I like Monstrell; it’s spicy and complete.

The all around balance and execution of this wine is top notch and you’d be hard pressed to find many bottles of this caliber in this price range. For that reason, I’m naming it to the Bronze Rated and Value Pick lists. This is a real winner (and it scored 93 points from Wine Advocate if you’re a points person).

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 90 Points
*Value Pick*
*Bronze Rated*

Costco item number: 750941

A delicious Chardonnay at a great price at Costco ($17.99) for a bottle of this caliber, especially considering it’s all over the Internet for $25+. Citrus fruit hits vanilla and a touch of oak and stone on the finish to deliver a great summer white.

Nose was a little closed but opened up with some good swirling. Tropical fruit, pineapple, apricot and grapefruit flavors with fresh acidity, bright and thirst quenching (I drank it in 89 degree heat while grilling). Finish brings a little earthy stone element rounded by a hint of oak, nothing overbearing.

All around a solid buy at this price. I’m surprised to see ’09s floating around of a wine like this. See if your Costco carries it and scoop up at least one.

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 90 Points

Costco item number: 333780

It’s a real treat every year when these Kirkland Chateauneufs hit the shelves. You just can’t get into this region for the price that Costco offers ($20) and the wine this year is superb as always.

This is a Rhone blend consisting of 58% Grenache, 23% Syrah, 13% Counoise-Vaccarese, 4% Cinsault and 2% Muscardin-Mourvedre. Don’t let a few of the less familiar grapes deter you. This is a solid Rhone red at an unbeatable price. Here’s my review of the 2010 (which was a great year), and this year stacks up about the same. An easy Silver Rated wine for the site.

Perfect dark fruit and berry flavor, spice that hits your nose as you take each drink, young juicy mouthfeel that would only get better with a little more age, and a finish that’s near perfection. This one could run for a while in the bottle and it might be kind of a fun experiment to drink it again in 2-3 years. If it’s still around I might try to snag some for the cellar.

Great wine. A red wine lover’s dream at this price. Must buy.

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 92 Points (a point up from last year)
*Silver Rated*

Costco item number: 777662

This is a decent value Sauvignon Blanc for only $7.99. It’s a little bland on the finish, but the bright fruit and citrus flavor packs a pretty good punch early on for a super inexpensive summer white like this.

Floral nose, citrusy too; the flavor is fresh and vibrant with apricot, peach, lime and grapefruit flavors. It’s a wine that starts better than it finishes (drops off quick), but for something in this price range, it can easily be looked past.

As is usually the case with Chilean wines, this one offers a good bang for the buck. A fun summer wine at a great Costco price.

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 86 Points

Costco item number: 753880

This Rioja is just perfect all around and a joy to drink. The timing couldn’t be better as the tannins have really softened and the wine just cushions in the mouth.

Great balance of every component. The nose is fresh, floral and a little spicy. Big cherry and rich red fruit flavors on the palate surrounded by those soft tannins. Drink after drink you want to go in for more. This leads into a stunning finish with hints of oak and spice that lingers for a long time.

I misplaced my purchase notes on this wine so I don’t have a Costco item number or the price I paid. I believe it was around $15-$20 which makes this an incredible buy. Definitely grab this one if you see it, especially if you like big, juicy and finely executed worldly reds. A Silver Rated wine for me.

CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 92 Points
*Silver Rated*

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