CheapWineFinder Podcast

Send us Fan Mail Trader Joe's Petit Reserve Santa Barbara County Chardonnay 2020-Real Good For 8 Bucks Santa Barbara is just north of Los Angeles, which should be very warm during the summer months but due to a geological anomaly is one of California's coolest grape-growing regions. We talk about Jess Parker, TV's Davey Crocket, and Daniel Boone starting an excellent winery om Santa...

Send us Fan Mail Wonderwall Edna Valley Pinot Noir 2019-Drink Like The Cool Kids This is a wine with a story to tell. It is an excellent Pinot Noir that costs less than it should. I could retell the story here or you can check out: www.cheapwinefinder.com and listen to the PODCAST for all the details!!! Check us out at www.cheapwinefinder.com or email us at podcast@cheapwinefinder.com

Send us Fan Mail Ava Grace California Sauvignon Blanc 2020- A Value Priced lifestyle Sauv Blanc The Ava Grace is a brand from The Wine Group the 2nd largest wine company in the US and 3rd in the world in terms of volume. They know value-priced wine. This is a lifestyle wine, the marketing is all people having fun while drinking wine and no technical information. For more of the story check out www...

Send us Fan Mail La Ferme Julien 2020-TJ"s Good-Cheap-French Rosé Ok, I could write six paragraphs but it would all come down to Good-Cheap-French Rosé. If you want an excellent Rosé wine and you want to spend $5.99, this is your wine! Check out www.cheapwinefinder.com and listen to the world's best wine podcast for all the details. Check us out at www.cheapwinefinder.com or email us at...

Send us Fan Mail Plungerhead Old Vine Lodi Zinfandel 2018-New Label-Same Great Taste The label no longer has a man with a toilet plunger on his head. Now it is a scantily clad woman diving into a roiling sea. Still tastes real good. For more information check out www.cheapwinefinder.com and listen to the podcast! Check us out at www.cheapwinefinder.com or email us at podcast@cheapwinefinder.com

Send us Fan Mail Tilia Malbec 2020-Under $10 and a 90 Point Wine This is one of those wines that is just good. It is a wine that is made with intentionality. It is the first Argentinian wine that is certified sustainably farmed. And it tastes great. A top quality affordable Malbec. For all the details check out www.cheapwinefinder.com and listen to the podcast! Check us out at www.cheapwinefinder....

Send us Fan Mail Don't Mind If I Do Rosé 2021- No Sugar-85 Calories-9% Alcohol Diet wine has to suck. right? Glad you asked. As it turns out, you can have your cake and eat it too. I never knew what that actually meant until now. This is a Rosé wine with low calories, low sugar, and low alcohol and you won't know it by tasting it. Check out www.cheapwinefinder.com and listen to the PODCA...

Send us Fan Mail Apothic Cabernet Sauvignon 2019-The Wine Equivalent to a Warm Hug The Apothic line of wines is from E & J Gallo, the largest family-owned wine producer in America. They are masters of affordable wine. I think the Apothic line of wines is recipe wines. That ain't a bad thing at this price point ! Check out www.cheapwinefinder.com and listen to the best wine podcast for all...

Send us Fan Mail Lindeman's Bin 65 Chardonnay 2021-The Best Wine Value? Cheapwinefinder has reviewed every vintage of the  Lindeman's Bin 65 Chardonnay since the 2015 vintage except for the 2020 vintage (not sure how we missed this one). This is a Chardonnay that I buy for $3.99 and it beats Chardonnays that sell for three times as much! This wine from South Eastern Australia has been ar...

Send us Fan Mail Trader Joe's Reserve Oak Knoll Napa Merlot 2020-Another TJ's Reserve Bargain The Trader Joe's Reserve wines, there is the grand Reserve up to the Diamond Reserve have been some of the best bargain wines of the last ten years. I have not been too excited by Merlot recently, but this is a delicious wine. Covid has presented opportunities to find real bargains! Trader...

Send us Fan Mail Stormchaser Charging Chardonnay 2020-A Cheap, But Good Everyday Chardonnay From Aldi Aldi's wine department has not had many new wines for about 10 months, so it was good to see this Chardonnay pop up. It is a wine from Columbia Valley in Washington and it is unexpectedly nuanced and subtle. $6.69 wines are seldom nuanced and subtle. For more information check out www.cheapwi...

Send us Fan Mail Westmount Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2020-Affordable Luxury I love Pinot Noir. I love Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. When I can find one that delivers for under twenty bucks, then that is a good day. I found the Westmount Willamette Valley Pinot Noir for $16 on sale. This is a wine that delivers above its price point, For more details check out www.cheapwinefinder.com and listen...

Send us Fan Mail Kung Fu Girl Riesling 2020-I Know Kung Fu This is one of CWF's staple wine recommendations, Evodia Grenache, Lindeman's Bin 65 Chardonnay, and Kung Fu Girl, major bang for the buck wines! The 2020 vintage may be the best vintage of this wine that I have tasted and I am a long-time fan (since 2016). I can type a bunch of stuff or you can check out the review on www.cheapw...

Send us Fan Mail La Granja 360 Cava- Trader Joe's Tasty, Cheap, Organic Sparkling Wine It is the season for Sparkling wine cocktails. Don't but Moet or Dom and pour in some orange juice, the wine gods will not look kindly on you. This is a $6.99 tasty Cava that is perfect for adding a splash of orange juice, peach puree, or if you are feeling extra fancy Chambord. Check out www.cheapwine...

Send us Fan Mail Trader Joe's Petit Reserve Barossa Shiraz 2020-Costs $8...Tastes Like $15 Covid has wrecked the supply chain and wine sales. Trader Joe's Reserve wines were always negociant wines. They purchased over-flow wine from major winemakers. Since Covid, the supply of excess has exploded, restaurants and wine bars closed for 2 years and did not buy new vintages. Those wines are...

Send us Fan Mail Rodney Strong Russian River Pinot Noir 2018-Classic Value-Priced Estate Pinot Ok, this is an estate Pinot Noir most of the grapes came from one of the first Pinot Noir vineyards in the Russian River Valley AVA. Rodney Strong came to  Sonoma in 1959 and is one of the modern Pioneers of California wine. Check out www.cheapwinefinder.com and listen to the companion PODCAST for the de...

Send us Fan Mail Reserve des Chastelles Tavel 2020-TJ's Rosé That Is A Little Different From The Rest This is an $8.99 Trader Joe's Rosé. What is different about it? Well. Tavel is not your usual Rosé. More tannins, more alcohol, more body. Check out www.cheapwinefinder.com and listen to the podcast to find out why!!! Check us out at www.cheapwinefinder.com or email us at podcast@cheapwi...

Send us Fan Mail Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Villages 2020-Thinking About Easter Wine Pairings I found this wine at Trader Joe's, but I think I could have got it cheaper at a wine shop. Louis Jadot was founded in 1859 as a negiciant and today also has its own vineyards and winery. This has a Beaujolais-Villages designation but it has grapes from all 10 Cru villages. So this is a value-priced Frenc...

Send us Fan Mail Hook or Crook Cellars Lodi Chardonnay 2020- A Costco Bargain Chardonnay This is a classic California Chardonnay in the style of the great Napa Chardonnay's, but sleek and modern. If you are a no oak Chardonnay person maybe this is not your style. But if you are a great-tasting Chardonnay person then you are right at home. Check out www.cheapwinefinder.com and listen to the po...

Send us Fan Mail Starborough Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2021-A New Zealand Spring Day In A Bottle A young Sauvignon  Blanc is easy to like. A young Sauvignon Blanc wine from New Zealand is a Cheapwiefinder pick to click. The Starborough Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2021 is delicious. For all the details check out www.cheapwinefinder.com and do not forget to listen to the PODCAST!! Check us out at...

Send us Fan Mail Lazy Bones Paso Robles Cabernet Franc 2020- A TJ's Wine Named After Me This is a & buck Trader Joe's exclusive wine that has been available for years, it is a perennial favorite. Cabernet Franc is a Bordeaux blending grape and not often seen as a single varietal wine, especially for value-priced wine. This is exactly what is wonderful about this Red wine, it is a sol...

Send us Fan Mail The Originals Syrah 2019-Trader Joe's Wine Bargain Alert There is not much new information on this Syrah wine. Back in 2007, it was a $22 single vineyard wine. In 2017 it was a $15 to $20 wine sourced from high-end vineyards in the Columbia Valley AVA. Today, it is $5.99 for Trader Joe's wine, yet it tastes like an expensive Syrah. Check out www.cheapwinefinder.com and l...

Send us Fan Mail Exquisite Collection Cotes de Provence Rosé 2020 This is a cult wine, it would wine all kinds of awards in Europe and when it was finally released in the US by Aldi back in 2018 it sold out in a matter of hours. That was at the height of the Rosé craze and today it is available at Aldi, you do not have to rush out to get it. It is not my favorite style of Rosé, but I can see it is...

Send us Fan Mail Hook Or Crook Cellars Field Blend 2018-A Costco Bang For The Buck Red Blend There is a story behind this wine that is too complicated to go into here. Check out www.cheapwinefinder.com and listen to the PODCAST for all the details!! Check us out at www.cheapwinefinder.com or email us at podcast@cheapwinefinder.com

Send us Fan Mail Michael David Freakshow Zinfandel 2019-Freaking Good There is an effort in California to elevate Zinfandel wines to be equal to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot Noir. I always loved Zinfandel, I never thought they weren't equal. But elegant, sophisticated is the new normal. I have nothing against elegant and sophisticated, but I always loved rustic Zins. The Michael Davi...