Wine Sales in the Twin Cities
Rankings from Wineglas on Hennepin Lake
1# Daily Pricing Throughout the Year
1# Individual Salesperson (Taylor Stein)
1# US Wines
1# Champange & Sparkling Wines
1# Big Tastings (June event for $25 is a steal)
2# In-store Free Tastings
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My picks:
I am not offering as many picks for the general public. More picks are available for club members
2005 Whitehall Lane Merlot $25
2006 Dierberg Pinot Noir $39
2006 St. Innocent Seven Springs Pinot Noir $39
2007 Cliff Lede Sauvignon Blanc $20
2007 Joel Gott Sauvignon Blanc
All Columbia Crest Wines
Europe
2007 Fevre Champs Royaux $21
2007 Jadot Pouilly-Fuisse $20
2007 Dr. Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spatlese Riesling $27
2004 Greysac Bordeaux Blend $15
2007 Delas Freres $10
Australia/ New Zealand
2008 Nobilo Icon Sauvignon Blanc $17.50
2007 Cloudy Bay Chardonnay $20
2006 Yangarra Grenache $16
2006 Marquis Philips S9 Shiraz $28
Might not be in stock!
2005 Yangarra "Old Vines" McClaren Vale Grenache $$$
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Blackberry, floral, black pepper
Taste: Great acidity, black pepper, floral, blueberries, blackberries
Finish: Long and Intense with mild tannins
Evaluation: This wine is smoking! One of the top wines under $20 this year 93 points
2005 Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon $13.95
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Forest floor, cherry, plum, spice, oak
Taste: Wow! Forest floor, cherry, plum, spice, oak, not too tannic
Finish: Intense and powerful
Evaluation: Best wine ever for under $10 to date. 92 points
WINE OF THE YEAR SO FAR FOR THE PRICE AND QUALITY
2007 Dr. Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spatlese Riesling $27
Color: Medium gold
Nose: Peach, pear, slate, honey
Taste: Good balance with peach, honey, slate, and tropical fruits
Finish: Medium and concentrated
Evaluation: The 07 is one of my favorite German Vintages in the last 10 years 92 points
2007 Fontanafredda Briccotondo Barbara $13.95
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Plum, blackberries, smoke, earth
Taste: Solid with concentrated fruits, smoke, and mineral
Finish: Medium and complex wine with nice acidity
Evaluation: One of Italy's best wines for under $15 91 points
2006 Tommasi "Rafael" Valpolicella $13.95
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Spice, violets, plum
Taste: Spice, violets, plum, cinnamon
Finish: Medium and quite balanced
Evaluation: Try this Valpolicella today! 90 points
2006 Conquista Reserve Mendoza Malbec $15.99
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Cherry, mineral, spice, plum
Taste: Really balanced and smooth wine with amazing complexity
Finish: Medium
Evaluation: This is the best Malbec producer at this price point 90 points
2008 Dr. Loosen "Dr. L" Mosel Riesling $$
Color: Light gold
Nose: Apple, pear, mineral
Taste: Apple, pear, slate, honey
Finish: Great acidity with peach, pear, slate, honey
Evaluation: Wonderful wine! 90 points
2007 Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Gris $13.95
Color: Light gold
Nose: Floral, lemon, orange peal
Taste: A lot there with floral, lemon, orange peal, crisp acidity
Finish: Medium and tons of flavors
Evaluation: Serve as an appetizer wine for Thanksgiving 89 points
2006 Chappellet Mountain Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon Blend $20.95
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Plum, spice
Taste: Plum, spice, floral, mineral
Finish: Medium and balanced
Evaluation: Solid effort. One of the better at this price points 89 points
2007 Tommasi Vermantino $$
Color: Medium gold
Nose: Peach, honey, floral
Taste: Peach, floral, mineral, honey, pineapple
Finish: Medium and balanced
Evaluation: Excellent Italian white! 89 points
2005 Castello di Monsanto Chianti Classico Riserva $20.95
Color: Light purple
Nose: Smoke, floral, earth
Taste: Oak, smoke, floral, vanilla
Finish: Medium and good acidity
Evaluation: Nice Chianti 88 points
2006 Dog Point Marlborough Pinot Noir $32.95
Color: Light purple
Nose: Strawberry, spice
Taste: Strawberry, cherry, floral, some oak
Finish: Overall balanced wine with a medium finish
Evaluation: Solid 88 points
2007 A to Z Oregon Pinot Noir $15.99
Color: Light purple
Nose: Spice, floral, ink
Taste: Spice, floral and ink
Finish: Medium and soft
Evaluation: Great Value 87 points
2006 Las Vascos Colchagua Valley $16.95
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Cinnamon, spice, plum
Taste: Spices, plum and earth
Finish: Medium with a different style then the US cabs
Evaluation: A fun Chilean wine 87 points
2006 Bernardus Monterey County Chardonnay $17.95
Color: Medium gold
Nose: Lemons, green apples, mineral
Taste: Sour apple, lemons, no oak, tropical fruit
Finish: Nice fruit forward wine with a short finish
Evaluation: 87 points
2006 Thorn Clarke Terra Barossa Cuvee $10.95
Blend of Shiraz, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc
Color: Medium Purple
Nose: Blackberry, coffee
Taste: Blackberry, coffee, earth
Finish: Medium
Evaluation: Good everyday wine 87 points
2006 Pride Mountain Vineyards Chardonnay Vintner's Select Cuvée Mountain Top Vineyard $52.95
Color: Medium yellow
Nose: Lemon, mineral, floral
Taste: same
Finish: Medium
Evaluation: Try the 2006 Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells for less 87 points
2005 Hess Collection Mount Veeder Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $20.95
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Smoke, vanilla, cherry
Taste: Smoke, vanilla, cherry
Finish: Medium but a bit tannic
Evaluation: The best Hess in years 87 points
2007 Sauvion Vouvray (Chenin Blanc) $11.79
Color: Light gold
Nose: Lemon, mineral
Taste: Light and pleasant
Finish: Medium
Evaluation: Solid effort 86 points
St. Hallett Barossa Valley Shiraz $16.95
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Plum, mineral
Taste: Off a bit with plum, mineral, and spices
Finish: Not intense like Marquis Philips for the same price
Evaluation: 86 points
2007 Chateau Bonnet Entre-Deux Mers White Bordeaux Blend $12.59
Color: Light gold
Nose: Tropical fruits
Taste: Lemon and crisp acidity
Finish: Medium
Evaluation: Good dry White Bordeaux wine 86 points
NV Nino Franco Rustico Prosecco $13.95
Color: Light gold
Nose: Not a lot there
Taste: Lemon, chalk soil, orange peal, tart and a little bitter
Finish: Little bitter
Evaluation: This is one of the better Prosecco producers so I would buy US and Champagne over Prosecco 86 points
2005 Ruffino Chardonnay Toscana $
Color: Light gold
Nose: Floral, lemon, tropical fruit
Taste: Tropical fruit, floral and mineral, no oak on this one
Finish: Shorter with nice fruit
Evaluation: Not bad for under $10 86 points
2007 King Estate Oregon Pinot Noir $22.95
Color: Light purple
Nose: Floral, mineral
Taste: Floral, mineral, very light wine
Finish: Short with floral and mineral
Evaluation: Average Pinot Noir for under $30 85 points
2005 Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $10.95
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Forest floor, plum
Taste: Little sweet with plum, cherry, spice
Finish: Medium
Evaluation: Every day quality 85 points
2005 Cantele Primitivo Salento Puglia Region $
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Tobacco, plum, cherry
Taste: Earth, tobacco, plum
Finish: Medium
Evaluation: Simple sipping wine 84 points
2001 Elderton Command Barossa Valley Shiraz $65.95
Color: Dark purple
Nose: Wood, spice
Taste: Wood, herbal notes, strong alcohol, out of balance
Finish: Medium and strong but lacks fruit
Evaluation: Not recommended 84 points
2006 Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz/Cabernet South Australia $7.99
Color: Light purple
Nose: Big floral, mineral, blackberries
Taste: Sharp acid little too much with spice, blackberries and a little watered down
Finish: Short
Evaluation: Not the 91 points from Jay Miller of Parker but decant wine for the money 83 points
2001 Laurel Glen Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $46
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Wood, funk, spice
Taste: Bitter and too tannic with wood, spice and funk
Finish: Medium
Evaluation: Not damaged wine just not well structured 82 points
2005 Bodegas Luzon Altos de Luzon Jumilla, Spain $15.95
Color: Medium purple
Nose: Spice, wood
Taste: Wood, spice
Finish: Wood, spice
Evaluation: Terrible wine! 80 points
Highly Recommended (Make sure you get the right Vintage) SOME MIGHT BE SOLD OUT!
US
2005 Patz & Hall Napa Valley Chardonnay $33.95
2005 Cliff Lede Claret $27.95
2004 Etude Napa Valley Cabernet $69.95
2005 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Merlot $7.99
2005 Whitehall Lane Napa Valley Merlot $23.99
2005 Fess Parker Pinot Noir $21.95
2006 Cliff Lede Sauvignon Blanc $19.95
NV Gloria Ferrer Brut Sparkling Wine $14.95
2003 Argyle Brut Sparkling Wine $19.95
2007 Hogue Riesling $6.99
2005 Dierberg Santa Maria Pinot Noir $34.95
World
NV Piper Heidsieck Brut Champagne $23.99
NV Nicolas Feuillatte Rose Brut $37.95
2004 Schramsberg Blanc de Blanc $25.95
NV Gloria Ferrer Brut $13.95 (Best Value)
2006 Inama Soave $14.99
2006 Felluga Pinot Grigio $13.95
2005 Cecchi Chianti Classico $12.59
2003 Damilano Barolo $34.95
2006 Can Blau Monsant $13.95
2006 Conquista Reserve Malbec $15.99
2006 Catena Malbec $16.95
2006 Marquis Philips Shiraz $13.95
2007 Dr. Loosen "Dr. L" Riesling $10.99
2007 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc $12.95
2006 Marquis Philips Shiraz 9 $30.95

