• Reasonable Wine from Trader Joe's?
• Wine Info for Husband's Xmas Gift?

Reasonable Wine from Trader Joe's?

I would like to provide reasonable wine for my guests when we have dinner party . Since I don't know much about wine, I would appreciate if you shared some info on good wines from Trader Joe's. I need the exact labels on the wine. Thank you so much. party host

Laurel Glen Reds California 2000 
fusie Syrah California 2000 
Delicato Merlot California 2001 
Shale Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Monterey 2001 
Shale Ridge Merlot Monterey 2001 
Camelot Zinfandel California 2000 
Camelot Pinot Noir California 2001 
Rabbit Ridge Syrah California Barrel Cuvee 1999 
Carmenet Cabernet Sauvignon California Cellar Selection 2000 

I can particularly recommend the Delicato, which was running at ~5.99 a bottle at 
Bev & Mo recently

Whites:
Bogle Chardonnay California 2001 
Smoking Loon Viognier California 2001 
Montevina Sauvignon Blanc California 2001 
Stone Cellars Chardonnay California 2001 
Pepperwood Grove Chardonnay California 2001 
Parducci Sauvignon Blanc Lake County Vintner Select 2002 
Fetzer Sauvignon Blanc California Echo Ridge 2002 
R.H. Phillips Sauvignon Blanc Dunnigan Hills 2002 
Cline Oakley Vin Blanc California 2002 

Drinking Wines - Medium body (how it fills your mouth) & Fruity

Zinfandel (Red) - I am partial to Dry Creek Valley and Segehesio (old vine). Ravenswood is famous for their Zin but they usually make them bigger (more slam. You also have to be careful about what vineyards the Ravemswood wine is made from since they use grapes from all over, and have a number of different Zinfandel bottles.

Syrah or Syraz (excellent for drinking) - usually smooth, with very fruity smell, and kick to boot. Almost all of them are good. Australian wines (Penfold, Opal Creek) are famous for it and quite a good deal for the $.

A lot of people like Merlot but they vary widely in quality and depend heavily on the weather faced that year. So unless you explore the years Merlot grape crops were good, I would shy away from them.

REd wines for Food

As for bigger (meal) wines, I am partial to Italian Barolos. TJ's usually has a few good ones for a decent price.

As for Cabs - well, I've been exploring other stuff - but at TJ's range, J-Lohr usually puts out consistent wines. I prefer the Meritage, a blend of mostly CAbernet, Some Merlot, and usually some other wine grapes. If you have the money, Camus Cabernets are a unique experience - a beauty.

Let me know if you have any more questions.

Wine Info for Husband's Xmas Gift?

My husband is interested in learning about wine. With three small children it's unlikely we'll be going wine tasting anytime soon, and I can't see him doing anything too organized (like an ongoing class). I'm wondering what's available locally and how I can turn this interest into a good Christmas gift. I've heard of wine stores in other cities that put together monthly cases with newsletters discussing the featured bottles. Is there anything like that in the Berkeley area? Do people have favorite wine stores? Thanks for any ideas! Gayle

Getting a subscription to Wine Spectator is a good idea and there are alot of wine books out there. For a beginner, I'd select one that focuses on the various wine regions around the world, describes the various wine grapes in each region and gives some basic tips on the types of flavors you may expect to find in each grape type. Karen H.