GoodWines

Oak Leaf Vineyards does not really exist as a vineyard;it also has No Vintage!. It is simply one of the labels produced in The Wine Group’s, Ripon, Calif. wine production facility. Oak Leaf wine is a private label non-vintage wine sold by The Wine Group (the same folks who make box wine) exclusively to Wal-Mart stores. The Wine Group’s other labels include such well known brands as Corbett Canyon, Inglenook, Mogen David, Franzia, Almaden and Glen Ellen wines. The firm recently relocated their operations center from San Francisco to Livermore, California.

Oak Leaf Chardonnay is an ultra-inexpensive wine designed to take on Two Buck Chuck and anyone else. Surprisingly, it is very drinkable, even if could be better— I doubt it could be at its price point! The nose is mild, with pineapple, green apples and a touch of oak; a nice light gold color.  Medium to light bodied with a nice crispness (especially if it is consumed at the right temperature). On the palate, there’s more oak than fruit, with weak pineapple, citrus, pear and apple notes. This Chardonnay has a spicy finish with an acidic bite. The finish is pleasant and lingering.

I think everyone would be surprised to find the Oak Leaf wines as cheap as $3. For its price, Oak Leaf Chardonnay is a truly extraordinary value. It may not be what you take to impress your friends, but it is certainly an unpainful drink!

This is a very nice wine, it has good body and pleasant blue & purple berry aromas. The flavors are primariliy raspberry and plum flavors, echoing gently on the polished finish of tobacco, earth tones and dark cherry flavors. The finish ends on a distinct up-note, bright and clean. Drink it now- it just tastes so good.

WineSpectator reviewed the wine at an 87… I have to agree. This is an amazing - almost unbelievable - value.

This spotlight wine is actually 2 wines… a 2006 and 2007.  This vintner (Bodegas Borsao) has proven, to me at least, remarkable consistency and excellence in a bargain wine.

The 2007 just like the 2006 that preceded it are a blend of 75% Garnacha (Grenache) and 25% Tempranillo.  Both offer nice aromas of leather and blackberry. There are interesting tastes of dark sweet cherries, currants, and raisins with a slight hint of strawberry, clove and a touch of oakiness.  It is a true fruity wine, just how I like them!  The body is nice and the wine is smooth.

This wine offers wonderful flavors and value!

Lastly, it is worth noting that both wines over-night well, if they are vacuum sealed.  I truly recommend those little seal pumps!

We are pleased to announce that we have provided links to a number of the world’s finest Enology & Viticulture websites.  Hopefully you will find them informative.

Should you wish to see additional enology & viticulture sites linked here, please let us know and we’ll do our best to provide the links. 

If you drink wine and the bottles are sealed with cork consider the following:

TerraCycle is saving millions of corks from going into landfills. We are recruiting wine enthusiasts, restaurants, bars, tasting rooms and wineries to keep used corks out of the waste stream. As an eco-friendly innovator, TerraCycle upcycles used corks - both natural and synthetic - into cool products are available nationally at major retailers.
[...]
Sending in corks for the Cork Brigade is easy:
You can send your corks to TerraCycle in a variety of ways: Make sure you write “Cork Brigade” on the container in big letters to help us sort the packages!

I have had the wonderful opportunity to try another Columbia Crest Wine.  This one  was a 2003 Shiraz Grand Estates.  Although this wine is a bit scarce, due to its age;  it is magnificent.

This elegant Shiraz provides a rich perfume of black raspberry, honeysuckle and rose petals. The complex, fresh, and voluptuously textured palate leads to a supple, silky finish. It compares favorably with many wines over $25/bottle. There are lots delicious black raspberry flavors and cherry “forward”, with a wonderfully smooth, almost creamy, finish that lingers on the palate.

Wow!  Buy it if you can find it! (btw. I paid less than $10 per bottle… on a good sale.)

…mark

In a slight change in our site usage, I have decided to “spotlight” value wines with a regular BLOG posting rather than simply and entry in our review database.

The first wine to go under our Spotlight is the Columbia Crest Two Vines- Merlot 2004.  This wine is simply exceptional for the price.  On a good sale it can be had for under $7 a bottle.  The wine not only tastes good the first night; but if you are like me and it takes you two evenings to drink a full bottle (750ml), it is still good on the second evening (assuming you vacuum sealed the bottle on evening one).

The vintner has a rather accurate and complete write-up of this wine as well. You may even buy a bottle (case?) from their site.

About the only things I can add to their review are:

• the wine holds up well, if vacuum sealed over-night
• the body is medium… perhaps just a tad light for my preferences
• the berry notes on the palate and in the finish are very nice are the earthy ‘coffee-like’ flavors.

This wine is a real winner; especially given its flavors and its price point.

We have changed the layout of our site.  There are numerous new features including our article excerpts function. Hopefully the new format will be a bit easier to use and more fluid in terms of flow. Please use our contact form should you encounter any difficulties or wish to make any suggestions.

To quote TerraCycle:

If you normally put corks in the trash, this program gives you a planet friendlier option! Click here for the Cork Brigade FAQ.

Self-mail a few corks

Up to 10 corks use 2 stamps; up to 30 corks use 4 stamps. If you want to be super green, reuse a clean food package or mailer or even a shopping bag to send us the corks.

Address your mailing bag or envelope to:

TerraCycle Cork Brigade
121 New York Ave.
Trenton, NJ 08638