Cardbeaudeaux Pinot Noir

2 favorites in one: Pinot Noir and Cardbourdeaux!! This is a nice Pinot and well matched with Friday night pizza. I've had the Naked Grape in bottles, so I was very happy to see they have a boxed option! The box is the equivalent on 4 bottles, so at $20 for the box, this is a great deal.

I know a lot of wine "experts" frown at wine in boxes, but I have a hard time blanketly saying no to wine without trying it. Regardless of packaging, good wine is good wine & bad wine is bad wine.

Black Box Sauvignon Blanc

This is a really nice Sauvignon Blanc. Crisp, a little peachy, clean & dry. It was fermented in steel, which is evident in the crispness.

I'm liking the Black Box Wines. Definitely affordable, considering you get the equivalent of 4 bottles in one. These wines are readily available in the grocery store -- and as there's not much selection in this small town, I do believe I'll just try them all!! 

Layer Cake Malbec

I love Mendoza wines & I love Malbec so this was a great choice for me. Black berries, cocoa, & truffles add layers to this fun wine. Layer Cake winery is found in Napa Valley.

I enjoyed this with my meatloaf cupcakes & added a great dimension to the meal. I found this at the local liquor store for under $20. It's a little over my threshold, but as it seems I need to extend that and this wine is fairly easy to find, I'm not calling this a splurge. This is one of those that's hard to stop at just one glass!  "Never pass up a good layer cake." Excellent Advice!

Black Box Shiraz

A few weeks ago, on a night out, I had a wine conversation with our waiter about how box wine has improved. It's no longer just the cheap wine; it's complex, intense, layered, & better for the environment. And of course it IS cheaper. You get the equivalent of 4 bottles in one box.


Rocky & I had a rare kid-free night last weekend and he picked up a box of Black Box Shiraz for me. Black cherries, currants, hints of vanilla and oak, I live that I've been able to enjoy this all week long without worrying about how long I should wait to finish the bottle. At $21.00/box this is definitely affordable and I really want to try the other varieties!

Red Guitar, Old Vine Tempranillo Garnacha

I can't be the only person who selects wine based on the label alone, right? It was a few days before Valentine's Day and I was actually looking for an old vine Zin. Unable to find one, this caught my eye. Fun, colorful label. And typically I do enjoy Tempranilo and Spanish wines so I figured it was a win.

I have to say this is much better the 2nd day. A lite more O2 and the fruitiness really shines through. A bit dry, smooth finish. Fruity. Made in what the label calls "New World Style," but it works for these grapes. 

I'd probably pick this up again. They also make a sangria, which would be great this summer!

Conde de Valdemar Crianza

Another wine my dad brought me at Christmas. It's a bit past its prime, but a little oxygen & the second day helped refresh it. A beautiful red wine blend, mostly Tempranillo, from the Rioja region. Tastes of plum & cherry, oaky with a short finish.

Not sure how long this sat at Dad's, but a quick Google search showed this would have been best around 2009. Yesterday, I was a bit worried as the bottle had a slight vinegar smell upon first opening. It's not fabulous at this point, but not bad enough to throw out. If I were to come across this label again, I may pick up a bottle. The same google search had the price listed between $9.99 & $15.

Le Grand Pinot Noir

This is how I started & ended my weekend!!

I have enjoyed the Le Grand Noirs in the past. I picked up the Pinot help fill up my new wine fridge (post will be coming) and I had set the temp for reds. This Pinot is spicy, a little mix of cherry & raspberries. It was a great match for my Lindt sea salt chocolate the other night & the mix of popcorn chicken, broccoli and Hawaiian style pizza!

I believe this was around $12 at Hy-Vee, so slightly above my threshold, though I think I need to change my thought process on a "splurge." Finding wines under $10 here without doing a lot of duplication is tricky. The selection in Brookings is somewhat limited and I'd rather not turn this into a blog about just Flip Flop and Barefoot wines (as much as I enjoy them, that would get a tad old).

I would definitely purchase this one again. The Le Grand Noirs are easy, enjoyable & affordable.