Wine with an interesting story to be told is always a great conversation just waiting to happen.

While walking through Wal-Mart, I spotted Toasted Head Chardonnay for $11.97 and I had a feeling there was a good story behind this name !

This Chardonnay comes from the Dunnigan Hill AVA in Yolo County, a little west of Napa in California. It’s warm climate provides for a nice even ripening, and resulted in aromas of toasted vanilla, peach and pineapple. The palate is very acidic and a bit creamy with hints of butterscotch, lemon and vanilla. This would be a perfect compliment to creamy pasta dishes, roasted chicken and white fish.

The name also comes with a great little story. As they state on their site, “Toasted Head is named for the age-old practice of toasting barrel heads …that imparts a mellow, toasted flavor to barrel-aged wines.”

And that fire breathing bear on the label? Its inspiration derives from artist Robert Shetterly which he drew for a poem called “Speaking Fire at Stones.”

Good wine and an interesting story is what I am all about

I have to admit, I’ve had better wines at even under ten bucks than this Chardonnay, but try this out for yourself and let me know what you think!

Cheers,

JustJess

Do you know how to properly pronounce Clos Du Bois? If you’re like me, not fluent in French, and butchered the name, take a look at their site.

Not only do they have a rockstar website with their food pairings & “how-to” section for wine, but there is a button you can click to listen to the proper pronunciation for Clos Du Bois.

At first glance, this Wal-Mart wine for about $13.97 seemed like I was going to be going home with a French wine. Then I took a closer glance and noticed it’s actually from Sonoma’s County’s Alexander and Dry Creek Valley in CA. I wonder how many people shopping at WAL-MART actually take the time to look at the small print on this wine and are not deceived ?!

Either way, this California fruit bomb wine proved to be a winner. It’s deep plum, chocolate and raspberry notes, complimented the toasted vanilla on the palate making this a wonderful, smooth pairing with your next filet mignon or even lasagna dinner.

Take a look at WCTV in action to see is this Merlot will make your night as well!

Cheers,

JustJess

Summer is coming which means one thing to me- it is getting HOT ! And the only thing better than a nice dip in the ocean is a glass of refreshing crisp Riesling.

So when I was at my local Wal-Mart I decided to pick up a bottle of Schmitt Sohne Riesling Qualitatswein to quench my thirst for only $8.97.

This wine was delightful and not too sweet; the bright apple, pear notes with it’s crisp acidity makes this a perfect pairing for that spicy thai dish or fresh salad with grilled chicken. This is not one of the best Riesling’s I’ve had, but for under ten bucks it hit the spot for a glass or two.

As well, make sure to check out their website; their marketing with this Little German man that guides you through the site is a riot !

Take a look at WCTV’s JustJess in action to see if this Riesling will make your day brighter!

Cheers,

JustJess

When I think of Chianti in Italy, I typically picture it in one of those legendary “fiasco” squat bottles enclosed in a straw basket. Days of living in Firenze come back to me when I see those!

Those days are almost gone, but not forgotten. Wal-Mart has taken on with the new and their Da Vinci Chianti caught my eye.

The Da Vinci Chianti from Wal-Mart has a unique story behind it claiming to be made in the town that Leonardo da Vinci was from. I’m not sure if that’s just a PR tactic or not, but it worked!

This Chianti DOCG wine was very fruit-forward having nice aromas of ripe cherries and raspberry, with a soft not too tannic finish. For $13.97 , this wine definitely classifies as one of my hidden gems from Wal-Mart and would be a great accompaniment to that pasta marinara dinner of yours

Check out Wine Channel TV in action to see if this Wal-Mart wine will make your next pasta dish even better!

Cheers,

JustJess

Can you think of the last WINE commercial you’ve seen? Yellow Tail wine is the only wine commercial that comes to my mind.

They have done a wonderful job spreading the word about their wine from commercials to billboards, so I figured it was about time to try it out when I saw it in my local Wal-Mart for only $5.97.

I went with their 2008 Shiraz-Cabernet blend, and this Australian wine is a mouthful. The acidity really hits you right off the bat, with notes of ripe raspberry and plum. The deep berry flavors and lingering finish makes this a great pairing with strong blue or Gruyere cheese, hearty beef stews, and even spaghetti & meatballs, as they say on their site.

Their site is very informational and has their recent commercials listed & fun facts, such as how they got their name while looking up the word kangaroo and saw in parentheses next to wallaby the word yellow tail.  They also list the nutritional value for one glass of their wine. I think that’s big. How many times do you see a new beer commercial claiming to be lower in calories than some other beer? Alot !

Now, why don’t we see that with wine ?! I think the wine world has some stepping up to do. Yellow Tail is definitely carving the right path.

Watch Wine Channel TV in action to see if this blend matches up to the great marketing Yellow Tail has to offer!

Cheers,

JustJess

Are you looking for a wine to test out with The Wine Clip that I reviewed the other day ? Look no further than Gnarly Head Old Vine Zinfandel.

The eye-catching label of this Wal-Mart Zinfandel caught my eye, and at only $8.97 I thought I’d give it a try.

The robust licorice and plum aromas were complimented by spicy berry, vanilla, oak and chocolate flavors with a lingering finish.

The Gnarly Head site mentions this would be a great pairing with chili, bbq or pizza, and I agree! This is not a wine for that special steak or anniversary night…this is what you would expect for $8.97.

Take a look to see exactly what JustJess thought of this wine !

Cheers,

JustJess

Steak night and the perfect under $10 dollar bottle of wine can all be made possible at … your local Wal-Mart. Yes, Wal-Mart ! I wonder if Mr. Trump shops for his wine there yet ?

I have seen Red Diamond Merlot on many wine lists in restaurants, that probably Mr. Trump dines at, and had never tried it. So I was excited to crack this Washington state wine open.

For right under 10 bucks, this wine is an earthy-spice bomb. Hints of vanilla and cherry aromas are followed by juicy plum, red berry and oaky flavors that would make this a perfect compliment with your char-grilled steak or a wood-oven fired pizza .

Take a peak at Wine Channel TV in action to see if this “cheap” wine would make your dinner special!

PS – Mr. Trump, if you read this, how about you and I go on Letterman to prove him wrong on his “Top 10 Reasons why Wal-Mart wine sucks” ?!

Cheers,

JustJess

Wal-Mart and Passover are a perfect pairing. Especially when it comes to Kosher wine.

I was on the hunt for wine for Passover and one name comes to mind when I think of Kosher products- Manischewitz. They’re notorious for their Kosher food, such as my favorite Matzo crackers and Matzo ball soup.

So I had to grab a bottle of their #1 rated Kosher wine. How much do you think a #1 rated Kosher wine would cost? Less than FOUR dollars . I should have gotten two

All of their wines are bottled under “the strict Rabbinical supervision of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America.” as they state on their site, along with a myriad of other interesting information.

The Concord Grape flavor I had was basically a sweet dessert wine, with distinctive sweet concord grape notes. I think this would be great on its own or with your bowl of Matzo Ball soup…

Check out WCTV with this Kosher wine to see what makes it #1 !

Cheers,

JustJess

Wal-Mart wines under 10 bucks are obviously nothing to frown upon if you know which are the winners.. and that’s what I’m here for!

When the Obviously New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc caught my eye, I figured I should try this classic NZ varietal.

The 2008 Obviously Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand has what I call typical SB New Zealand characteristics- very grassy, bright and with a hint of citrus flavors on the palate. This wine was in fact, nothing spectacular, nothing terrible…I’ve had better.

I searched to find it online, their site is even listed on the bottle but I could not seem to find anything..? The first search item that popped up when I typed it was only a review on Snooth.com.

Let me know if you find any online info!

Check out WCTV in action to see if this is “Obviously” a winner or a down the drainer!

Cheers,

JustJess

After a long day at work, there’s one thing I am looking to do : Relax !

I was at my local Wal-Mart and was in that state of mind, so when the shiny blue RELAX Riesling label popped out at me I figured I’d give it a shot.

The Relax Riesling from Wal-Mart was $9.97 and I had seen it many times before in boutique hotels, so I was excited to try it.

It’s slightly drier than your typical sweet Riesling, with citrus, apple and peach notes. It’s very well balanced, with a nice crisp acidity that would make this a great pairing with seafood, blue cheese or just on its own. For a $10 Riesling, this was worth every penny and I would definitely buy this again.

And the fact that it’s a screw cap , made my night a whole lot more relaxing

Check out JustJess unwinding with this Wal-Mart wine !

Cheers,

JustJess