It Starts With A Grape

All of the promo codes for wine.com can now be found in the side bar to the right so you can find them easily all month long.

We will also be adding “but it here” links to a website called DrinkUpForLess.com for some of the wines we review, the wines on this site are great values, and they also offer great promos which we will fill you in on. The only down side we found to this site is availability, as they rotate their stock frequently they seem to run out quicker, we will do our best to keep our reviews as current as possible but try and cut us some slack if they run out ; )

frugally yours,

It Starts With a Grape

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Just in case anyone is wondering about the whole ‘old vine’ thing, it implies that the wine was made from grapes produced literally from old vines. There is no rule in place that says the wine really has to be from old vines, but reputable producers don’t use the term loosely. Just like you can taste when wine came from ‘young’ vines, you can also tell when it comes from old vines (generally). But enough with the tech talk, on to the good stuff…

This red beauty has a rich bouquet of raisins, blackberry jam, and molasses, with hints of eucalyptus and strong brewed chai tea. It has a ridiculously smooth and silky mouth feel, delivering huge deep fruit flavors to your taste buds.  Super soft, but structured tannins are the perfect vehicle for its jammy fruit flavors, reminiscent of a spiced fig tart. Clove and toasted oak linger on its lengthy finish. Enjoy it with chipotle-BBQ chicken, or super sharp cheese.

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My first reaction to this blend out of Spain was simply wow. It has an ultra fragrant nose, filled with spicy aromas of freshly cracked black pepper and clove, dried figs, warm oak, and just a hint of black olives. Add to that its beefy legs, and deep magenta hue, I couldn’t get the glass to my mouth fast enough. And oh what a mouthful…dried cherries, cassis, and oak dominate the palate.  Its got a pleasant bite to it, and notes of cinnamon and dark cocoa that sweep you away to its bone dry charred oak finish. Pair it with a creamy swiss for a mid day snack, or grilled spicy sausage and peppers for someting a little more substantial.

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Every time i hear its name i chuckle, its a play on the French wines Cotes du Rhone. Maybe not as funny to some, but i cant help but appreciate when someone pokes a little fun at the French. Moving on… Goats do Roam Red is a blend of Shriaz, Pinotage, Cinsault, Carignan, Mourvedre, and Gamay Noir. Its nose has an interesting floral and herb aspect to it, with plenty of cassis, warm oak, plumb, and rhubarb. This lush red has a super velvety mouth feel, and is fairly heavy in body. Its soft tannins make for an easy drinking wine, but certainly not one lacking in flavor. There’s plenty of jammy fruit to go around, complimented by just enough toasty oak, making for an extremely well balanced wine. It is an exceptional value out of South Africa, and would go great with a good and hearty Chili.

99 cent shipping at wine.com starts today! Get your reviews here, buy it there, its a win win for your wallet! Happy sipping everyone!

frugally yours,

It Starts With a Grape

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This dry, yet refreshing Rose is a blend of Cinsault, Grenache, and Syrah. Its nose is filled with fresh strawberries, and orange blossoms, with hints of honey, and a delicate flutter of white tea. For being a fairly dry Rose, its rather juicy, displaying great upfront fruit, with slightly tart tendencies. Its light-medium in body, and has pleasant mineralistic undertones, wrapped up in a tangy finish of cranberries and tangerines. It pairs beautifully with grilled (or broiled) salmon in a light bourbon glaze, accompanied by a side of sauteed asparagus, delicately seasoned with black pepper and garlic. If your just looking for cheese, go with a soft, spreadable goat cheese.

We’ve added a list of words commonly used to describe wine, along with their definitions. You can find them in the ‘Pages’ section under Wine Words 101, and as always, if there is anything you would like to see added to this list let us know! We would be more than delighted to pump you full of knowledge!

Yours Truly,

It Starts With a Grape

But it here

It can be hard for Merlot drinkers to step outside their ‘comfort merlot’ because of the wide range of flavors and styles they come in. When I think of Merlot, this one in particular hits the mark. Its nose is filled with jammy blackberry, ripe plumb, black cherries, smooth oak and caramel. Though its on the lighter side of being heavy bodied, its certainly not lacking in flavor, and it has a fantastic velvety mouth feel. Plenty of cherry and blackberry carries over to the palate, initially accompanied by cracked black pepper. As it opens up dark cocoa emerges leading into a super smokey finish. Its a picture perfect Merlot, big on fruit, but balanced out with all that toasty caramelized oak. It would lend itself very well to char-grilled ribs, with a side of green beans and corn bread.

99 cent shipping on all orders of $99 or more at wine.com starts May 11th and ends May 15th. Pair that with the always low price recommendations on our site and what do you have? A great deal! Oh, and while were at it heres some promo codes you can use when you check out:

MAY5: 5% off any order (exp May 31)

MAY150: $10 off any order of $150 or more (exp May 31)

No need to thank us, this is what we live for.

Frugally Yours,

It Starts With a Grape