James Alfred's Wine Blog

This is one of the best wines we have had! Slightly buttery with complex taste that had me rolling my tongue around my mouth. We bought this at the Waring Road Grocery Outlet in San Diego. I bought it because it was a cheap white, I believe it cost $3.99 per bottle. While I was there the wine buyer of this Grocery Outlet recommended this wine to a lady for an event she was having. Good choice. This wine had a Vivino rating of 4.0 and their price is $29.39 per bottle. Produced and bottled Eden Rift Vineyards, Hollister, California. Alcohol 13.9%.

An easy drinking Pinot Grigio from Bronco Wine Company via way of Grocery Outlet. https://www.broncowine.com/brand/pino-cellars. We saw this at Grocery Outlet for $2.99 per bottle, so we  bought some home. I would buy this again, especially for this price.  This is a funny wine. On Vivino and the web, the Pino Cellars 2022 is a Pinot Gris is from Oregon, while this is is labeled as a Pinot Grigio from California. Even the Bronco web site fails to list this wine, again only showing the Oregon Pinot Gris. But, they do have a tech sheet for the California Pinot Grigio https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/5f7b5574577b9a0c7e04b2da/641cc0ca6a063c49e28da84c_BWC_Pino_PNG_HotSheet_Mar23.pdf Cellared and Bottled by Pinot Cellars, Napa, California. Alcohol 13.5%.

G A very nice Pinot Gris (Grigio). Slightly yellow color, and quite drinkable. Nice taste and finish. Would buy again. Established in 1930, Oregon Route 99 West carves it's way through the heart of Willamette Valley's wine country. Connecting vineyards to wineries and wines to you. The best of Oregon in a bottle. Produced and Bottled by Cultavin Cellars, Dundee, Oregon. Alcohol 13.4% From Google:  Cultavin Cellars is a wine distributor based in Dundee, Oregon, specializing in bringing high-quality, crafted Oregon wines to consumers and trade members.  They are known for their "Cultavin Distribution" approach, which differs from traditional distribution models by fostering closer relationships with both consumers and other wine industry professionals.   Key aspects of Cultavin Cellars: Focus on hand-crafted Oregon wines: They represent a selection of smaller, cult-status Oregon wineries. Unique distribution model: Cultavin aims to be closer to the consumer and the trad...

This red Blend is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon - 21% Merlot - 14% Cabernet Franc & 5% Petit Verdot. It was a very good, easy drinking red. Vinted and bottled by Long Path, Napa, California.  Long Path Napa is a brand owned by Napa Wine Company ,  https://www.napawineco.com/ which is part of the Pelissa family's holdings.  The company is actively managed by three generations of the Pelissa family, including Marilyn and Rennick Harris, Dawne Dickenson, David Hoxsey, and Jennifer Harris Jackoby, according to their website. The Napa Wine Company is a custom crush operation. Alcohol 13.9%. This was one of the heaviest empty wine bottles that I have found recently. Good, sturdy dark wine bottle.

The day after we arrived in San Diego we went to Grocery Outlet on Waring Road and they were having a two day 20% off wine sale. We came away with 18 bottles of wine and this was one of them. It was a nice, light, fruity and, spritzy summer wine which we enjoyed with friends. Most unique part of this wine was its blue bottle. Bottled and shipped by Enoport - Producao de Bebidas, LDA, 2040-243 Rio Major, Portugal. Imported by Evaki,Inc., San Luis Obispo, CA 93401. https://enoport.pt/pt/quem-somos   Alcohol 9%.

A very nice, mildly lemony colored, mild Verdejo. Would buy again to just sit around and drink. Vinted and bottled by Naked Wines, Lodi, California. https://www.nakedwines.com/. So, the wine was made to be sold by mail by Splash Wines and Naked Wines, and somehow ended up at Grocery Outlet. However, it ended up there it is a very good wine and very easy to drink. Splash Wines had this to say about the wine, which they listed for $18 per bottle:  "From the heart of Spain comes this Verdejo, a sensory journey to its lively streets and bustling markets. Meet Antonio Díez Martín, a passionate artisan winemaker from Ribera del Duero, Spain, whose century-old family vineyards have earned numerous accolades. Antonio harvests this crisp white from a single vineyard in Rueda, picking the fruit at night to preserve its lemony-lime flavors. Explore the aromas and delight in a playful mix of citrusy zing and ripe tropical fruits. On the palate, savor a burst of citrus delights—lemons, limes, ...

Another Grocery Outlet wine. This one was on sale for $3.99 with a second bottle for one cent. So, $2.00 per bottle of wine. This was a very good red wine at this price so we bought a bunch of it. Nice, easy drinking red, which I would buy again, if it ever goes on sale. Worth way more than $2.00 per bottle. Nice taste of plums, and a better taste than the Pinot Noir which was fifty cents more a bottle. Cellared and bottled by California Press, Napa, California. California Press is part of the Precision Wine Co, which is part of the Navigator Wine Collection. https://www.navigatorwineco.com/  This is another label that does not appear on the winery's website. Alcohol 14.5%.

Another Grocery Outlet wine. This one was on sale for $4.99 with a second bottle for one cent. So, $2.50 per bottle of wine. This was a very good red wine at this price so we bought a bunch of it. Nice, easy drinking red, which I would buy again, if it ever goes on sale. Worth way more than $2.50 per bottle. Nice taste of plums. Cellared and bottled by California Press, Napa, California. California Press is part of the Precision Wine Co, which is part of the Navigator Wine Collection. https://www.navigatorwineco.com/ Alcohol 14.5%.

From drinkhacker,com:  Bomfim   is part of Portugal’s Dow group — known for its Port wines — which in turn is part of the sprawling Symington family. Unlike its better-known brands, Vale do Bomfim focuses exclusively on table wines — and affordable ones at that...   2022 Dow Vale do Bomfim Douro White DOC  – 30% Viosinho, 30% Rabigato, 20% Gouveio, and 20% Arinto. Clean, fresh, and loaded with minerals, this pretty blend balances a bright and lemony salinity with notes of honeydew melon and quince. While clean and refreshing, it avoids any overt fruitiness thanks to ample acidity — with just a drop of rice vinegar that keeps things bright. Light almond notes give the finish a bolder, more immersive body. Outstanding value.  A- / $15 https://www.drinkhacker.com/2024/08/15/review-vale-do-bomfim-2022-white-and-2020-red/?srsltid=AfmBOooU4-Pc_DXtWLBB0zbdmTcW2aql6r38haTfx8B1cYJNA7nP2CEs Bottled by Symington Family Estates Vinhos, S.A. V.N Ghia, Portugal https://w...

We went to the Summerlin, Las Vegas, Nevada, Trader Joe's for a bottle of their Rear Admiral Joseph's Original Dry London Gin, which they did not have in stock. So, I remembered in some article I read that this was one of Trader Joe's top wines under $15, and the cheapest on the list.  https://www.foodandwine.com/best-trader-joes-wines-under-15-11787907   Here is another review of the wine: https://cheapwinefinder.buzzsprout.com/1762049/episodes/16854783-mbali-chenin-blanc-trader-joe-s-5-99-hidden-gem. This was a very good choice as the wine was delicious and well worth the $5.99 price. It was smooth and easy drinking on one of the two hottest days of the year in Las Vegas. The wine is a blend of Chenin Blanc (79%) and Viognier (21%), and the bottle was filled at 10:15 on 03/19/2025. So, less than five months after being placed in the bottle, it was removed from the bottle by us. Produced and bottled by Zidela Wines. 30 Techno Street, Stellenbosch, 7600, South Africa. Zidel...

We bought this wine at the new Grocery Outlet on Craig Road in Las Vegas. Most of the wine in stock was red with a limited selection of Rose and White. Anyway, the $3.99 price for this Rose was within my "being cheap" budget. This wine was Cellared and Bottled by Precision Wine Company, Napa, California. https://www.navigatorwineco.com/ The Gabrielle Ashley label is listed as one of the key brands on the company's website so it is not an orphan label. We thought the wine was quite good, but much prefer a French Rose. But, this did not stop us from easily finishing the bottle in one sitting. Would probably buy again at this price point. Alcohol 12.5%.