Row 503 2012 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley
BevMo! wine critic Wilfred Wong rated this sleeper 92 points. I was further convinced to buy it when store manager Eric Tucker recommended it. It was an excellent surprise from the five-cent sale. This delicious pinot is ripe with wild berries, plums, and a long spicy finish, but very nicely balanced and quite drinkable on its own. It’s also a great choice for the table with everything from grilled beef to rare ahi. What a bargain at the sale price of $25.95 and only five cents for a second bottle (you can mix it with any other sale bottle in this category) at BevMo! in SLO.
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Refresh by Turning Leaf Pink Moscato
It surprised me to learn this bargain-priced wine was made from cabernet sauvignon. It tasted like strawberry and raspberry syrup, way too sweet for my taste, but it had some decent acidity. My neighbor on the other hand loved those sweet berry flavors; sweet wines like this hit the spot for her. That’s why I’m recommending it for anyone who drinks white zinfandel. Widely available, it’s usually $7.99 but can be found on sale at CVS, Rite-Aid, California Fresh, Cookie Crock, and Von’s.
This article appears in Sep 26 – Oct 3, 2013.