Dave Van de Walle

Oct 22 2014

San Zenone 2013 Montepulciano D’Abruzzo

Another wine from Aldi?

Yes. We went there, again, with a wine from Aldi that, again, is worth every penny. In this case, the San Zenone 2013 Montepulciano D’Abruzzo – that’s a mouthful and we even neglected to identify whose Montepulciano it was in the video below – is worth all 499 pennies.

Here’s a shot of the bottle – which we altered because we like playing around with the photo settings, and also because it’s really tough to see the words “San Zenone” on the top of the bottle.

As is the case with this burgeoning video review industry of ours, you can either read up on what we thought below, or just watch the video. Hardcore fans – the ones following us on Twitter – should do both.

San Zenone Montepulciano D’Abruzzo Review

First up, it’s Italian – this scores points with us. Secondly, it has the “DOC” recognition (though not the cute little sticker, for some reason). Third, it’s from Aldi – so, since we trust the wine buyers there, it’s worth a shot. Right?

Taste

This smells, swishes, and eventually tastes like Italian wine. Big and bold. I’m thinking pasta already. I want to go to Italy right now, people.

But I can’t, so I’ll settle for the fruit and spice in this bad boy Montepulciano.

Profile

12.5% ABV. Imported from Italy. DOC designation.

Value

$4.99 and I’m thinking that Aldi is carving out a tremendous little niche for itself as the value wine people near me. There’s a reason they advertised this last week, getting us ready for the Wednesday arrival; as a result, it was almost gone when I made a return trip. Good thing I bought two.

Metasip Grade: A-

We are a broken record – but it’s tough to beat the Aldi scores when they’re like this one.

Oct 20 2014

Oak Leaf Merlot

Prepare to be shocked.

I must admit that, when I picked up the Oak Leaf Merlot, I didn’t immediately make a plan for it.

When I grab other wines, there’s almost always a plan. I’ll get a bottle of Cabernet to go with a pasta meal, or a Malbec if I’m having something spicy (underrated combo: Malbec with flank steak). Or, I’ll pick up something with the idea of a glass at night by itself – sometimes in the late fall, a Sauvignon Blanc will actually do the trick for this. (Try it.) With this Oak Leaf Merlot, though, I had no plan.

Spoiler Alert: We’ll tell you where it’s from below. You might be shocked. (If you watch the video, you’ll hear us about 2 minutes in tell you where this wine is from.)

We picked this up in a pair – there was a Cabernet, too, and the price was right – at least for an experiment.

Anyway, let’s get to the review…

Oak Leaf Merlot Review

We warned you that there was a little shock value here – because the wine was from Walmart. And, as you’ll see in the video, it knocked us off our feet.

Taste

Really, this has all the Merlot qualities you’re looking for. Dry, not fruit-forward but there’s some fruit, nose was strong – in that we could sense the alcohol. Mellow is another good word.

Profile

Non-vintage. 12.5% ABV. “American.” So could be somewhere out west, likely California, probably not Arkansas.

Value

Where it’s a real score – this wine was $2.97. If you’re like me, and you like a glass now and then, can’t really have more than a glass on the nights you do drink, this is right up your alley. $3 for a glass, or two, of wine – and it’s better than average? Nice job, Walmart. Nice job.

Metasip Grade: A-

We have to give this a good score, right? Mostly because of the shock value, I think. Unexpected. Go get some.

Oct 17 2014

Jacob Einig 2011 Auslese Review

Our first-ever video review! Watch below, or just read…

Yes, we FINALLY did it – we got the camera set up and we decided to review a wine live. Or, “look live,” as they’d say in TV vernacular. In any event, we’re pretty stoked – not just because we reviewed this wine – and a few more – via video, but because this particular wine is out-flipping-standing. Jacob Einig 2011 Auslese, available at Aldi, is one of those occasions where we have to give something our highest rating.

To the review…

Jacob Einig 2011 Auslese Review

I first fell in love with dessert wines in the mid 1990s. (Yes, I’m that old.) What was cool about these, to me, was that they opened completely different doors than ones I had opened before. Golden, sweet, and not for every kind of food (one reason they’re called “dessert wines,” natch), it was not an everyday-occasion wine. And that’s okay.

But, in all candor, I hadn’t touched one in years.

So when I was at Aldi, where I’m in love with their inexpensive wines, I had to pick this up. Especially for a sub-$10 price.

Taste

Peach, apricot, stone fruit. Sweet as heck. But oh so satisfying – really, this is the type of dessert wine that hooked us long ago. And this is the type of dessert wine that will send us back for more. Just truly an outstanding wine.

Profile

If you don’t want to watch the video, that’s okay. Golden color. 11% ABV.

Value

Under $10 – we don’t quite remember the price, though, because we bought it earlier this summer, they don’t have it in our local Aldi anymore, and, well, we didn’t keep copious notes. Sorry. We just know it was under $10.

Metasip Grade: A

We can’t NOT give this our highest mark. It has everything we’re looking for – taste, profile, and value – and these sorts of triple-threat wines don’t come around all the time. Get some if you can find it.

Aug 31 2014

Rocabela Vinho Verde Rose

I should have been scared. By two things.

In the case of this wine, the Rocabela Vinho Verde Rose, I should have known that something that is “Vinho Verde” and “Rose” might suffer from an identity crisis. Plus, “Delightfully Refreshing,” as it says on the bottle, is code. Usually, code for “something I won’t like.” I still want to talk my way into Portugal someday to figure out what the story is here…but, til then, let’s get to the review.

Rocabela Vinho Verde Rose Review

First of all, we’re using the PC and can’t find the right key to add the accent mark. So sorry about that. Plus, the whole SEO thing might mean that we need to keep the accent mark out of this post. Anyhow…

Taste

Tasted like it wanted to be a champagne, but an average one at that. Tiny amount of bubbles – why does it pale in comparison to that other rose? No clue. (“That other rose” is the one from Trader Joe’s that we reviewed here.)

We expected – with the weather and the barbecued chicken – to find this to be the perfect thing yesterday. IT WASN’T. So disappointing.

Profile

As opposed to the Vinho Rose from TJ’s, this is “Vinho Verde Rose,” which refers to the region of Portugal where it’s grown. Learn more here and, Wines of Portugal folks, consider this our audition – we would love to come visit.

10.5% ABV.

Value

Only $4.99 at Aldi. Not a…well, not a BAD buy. But we’ve had much better from Aldi.

Metasip Grade: B-

We can’t pull the trigger on a higher grade. We are anxious to try more Portuguese wine – again, there’s really good stuff made there, and not just Port and Vinho Verde (the wine, not the region).

Aug 11 2014

Flirty Bird 2012 Syrah

Aldi: You don’t disappoint. You’re like the Triple Crown of Alcohol.

Let me explain what I mean there, and why Aldi’s Flirty Bird 2012 Syrah has a “Triple Crown of Alcohol” thing going for it.

See, you don’t want to spend too much, do ya? It’s okay to splurge, it’s okay to go buy a $50 bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon if that’s your thing. But it’s not our thing – and we don’t think this site would have gotten the traction it has gotten so far if we focused on the $50 bottles.

But you also want something that DRINKS more expensively than it actually is.

This is why we focus on the three pillars to make up our Triple Crown: Taste, Profile, and Value.

It’s got to Taste good, that’s a given. But Profile is often overlooked – and that actually gets woven into the overall Metasip Grade. If the “profile” of the wine is “White Zinfandel,” then you have a certain level of expectation, right? (Cheap, watered down, flavorless, too sweet, etc.) And you would expect to pay…what…$6 for an enormous jug of the stuff?

Value, then, has a little something to do with Profile and Taste, too.

It would be easy to get an A grade here at Metasip if you had a dynamite White Zinfandel that tasted outstanding and only cost $1 for a bottle. But the odds of that happening are slim.

However, as you’ll learn in this review…the odds of Flirty Bird 2012 Syrah getting an A? Pretty good.

Flirty Bird 2012 Syrah Review

Taste

I was actually very impressed with this bold, dry, earthy Syrah. It took a few minutes – it needed to breathe – but once it did, it served as a great complement to steak. It was what you would expect from a big, bold Australian Shiraz, were you to pick one up from any of the Aussie providers. Read here for a review from the…unfortunately named…Terroirist website.

Sidebar: really, I know you’re trying to be cute over there, but it looks too much like a word that would get you on the NSA watch lists.

And, before we get back to the review, one other note. We can’t explain the difference between Syrah and Shiraz very easily, so let’s let someone from Popsugar do it. Here’s a link. Popsugar on Syrah vs Shiraz.

Anyway, this wine, IMHO, has a very Australian character to it…which segues nicely into the “Profile” section of the review…

Profile

IT’S FROM SPAIN????!!!!

Those extra exclamation points are warranted because – SHAME ON ME! – I didn’t actually read all of the label. I just saw “Syrah,” thought “Shiraz,” and said “cool! Australia!”

It’s from SPAIN.

This is totally unexpected. And a bonus, in my book, since I’m drinking something that has the profile you’d expect from Australia, but it’s not even from a country you’d expect to get THIS wine from.

Value

$4.99. A jaw-dropping price.

Metasip Grade: A

Yes, that Triple Crown. Tastes great, an expensive profile, and a VERY affordable price. I’m buying more.