DdV hits the supermarket for great value Sonoma wines

This edition of Supermarket Finds covers some terrific Sonoma sourced wines. From the breezy vineyards of Carneros to the cool crisp Sonoma Coast there are a myriad of terrific wines at prices far less than the valley on the other side of the Mayacamas.

Dry Creek 2011 Fume Blanc
DdV: 88
WS: n/a
WE: 86
Price: $12 – $14
Blend: 100 % Sauvignon Blanc
Source: Dry Creek (Sonoma), California

A nice effort here but a touch more on the sweet side than I normally like. There is a nice crispness on the palate with some lemon, lime, and hints of orange with a finish of lemon grass and sweet green apple. We’ve had this wine for a number of years and it is a consistent favorite. It would seem the cool 2011 summer made this wine a bit sweeter than other vintages but is still very nice.

Dry Creek 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon
DdV: 91
WS: n/a
WA: 91
Price: $22 – $25
Blend:
79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 4% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot,
2% Cabernet Franc
Source: Dry Creek (Sonoma), California

One of the best bargains for a truly well crafted Cab. which is why we include it here even though the price point is beyond our norm. This has all of what we love in an elegant very food friendly wine. The folks at Dry Creek kept this one under wraps most likely due to the big tannins to let them mellow and refine a bit. Wonderful lush hits of dark cherry, cocoa, and black raspberry on the nose lead you to more dark cherry and bold fruit on the mid. Finishes nicely with subtle oak and some chocolate. Great balance, structure, and mouth feel. This is perfect to drink now but will do nicely in the cellar for quite a while. Decant to really make it sing.

Buena Vista 2007 Pinot Noir Carneros
DdV: 89
WS: 89
WE: 86
Price: $15 – $20
Blend: 100 % Pinot Noir
Source: Carneros (Sonoma), California

Picked this up on sale for $15 and was very pleased. Typical Carneros Pinot with lots of bright cherry and strawberry on the nose. More strawberry, plum, and herbs await on the mid with a nice long smooth finish. Great for grilled pork. We paired it with some grilled cornish game hens and loved it!

Simi 2010 Sauvignon Blanc
DdV: 89
WS: 84
WE: 86
Price: $12 – $14
Blend: 100 % Sauvignon Blanc
Source: Sonoma, California

If you couldn’t tell, we liked this more than the critics. A very nice refined Sauv. Blanc. If you like your SBs really big, this may come up short but we found it quite refreshing and food friendly. Subtle hits of citrus, lemon grass, and flowers on the nose giving way to some crisp apple, citrus, and tangerine on the mid. Finish is a touch short but the overall balance and mouth feel is very nice. Great for grilled fish.

Guenoc 2010 Victorian Claret
DdV: 89
WS: n/a
WE: n/a
Price: $10 – $15
Blend: 59% Merlot, 18% Syrah, 11% Cabernet,
10% Petite Syrah, 2% Cabernet Franc
Source: North Coast (Sonoma), California

A very nice wine for the price. Dark berry and cherry with hints of vanilla and spice on the nose move you to more dark berry, plum, and cherry on the mid. Finish is smooth and balanced. A great wine for steak or roast beef.

Gundlach-Bundschu 2008 Merlot
DdV: 91
WS: n/a
WE: n/a
Price: $25 – $30
Blend: 88% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Malbec

Another over the normal SMF limit but this is a truly great bargain. Wonderful wine for grill and roasts. A very refined balanced Merlot. Bright black cherry, hints of cedar and spicy plum on the nose leads to plenty of rich dark berry, plum, and mocha on the mid. Finish is creamy smooth and quite balanced. Will do nicely in the cellar for 8-10 years easy. Decant to really bring out all of the nuances of this wine.

You can find all of our supermarket finds HERE