Fetzer Sauvignon Blanc, and A by Acacia

Fetzer Sauvignon Blanc, and A by Acacia

In these days of high unemployment and global financial crisis, it’s nice to relax with a bottle of wine that doesn’t break your pocketbook. I’m here to sort out the memorable from the truly awful, and each bottle is under $10.

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First up is Fetzer. Here’s what I know about Fetzer – it was one of the first wineries I personally visited, and therefore is close to my heart. I haven’t tried many of their expensive wines, and haven’t been there in 20 years, but still. So here goes.

Fetzer California Sauvignon Blanc, 2009 The Earth-Friendly Winery, Mendocino County  At Vons – normally $5.99, on sale for $3.99

On the Label: “In 2009, Fetzer converted all bottles to lightweight glass, reducing the bottles’ weight an average of 17%. This also reduced the carbon emissions of our bottles – the equivalent of 70,000 trees growing for ten years. While reducing the impact on the environment, we still deliver quality wine.

Pure varietal flavors of lemon, green apple, and a hint of mint are captured in this refreshing, food-friendly Sauvignon Blanc.”

At first taste: The smell is fresh, light and citrusy. The taste is also fresh and light. Still, Sauvignon Blancs are mostly a food wine. When I paired it with pasta pesto and a big garden salad, this wine really came into it’s own. The freshness of the wine deepened my appreciation of the food, and the food really pointed up the beauty of the wine.

Fetzer is a workhorse – they’ve been consistently putting out drinkable and affordable wines forever, which make them even more dear to my heart.

My Rating: ~ Drinkable – Very ~ especially due to the price! Stock up now while summer is still going strong, and for those hot days in autumn.

A By Acacia Red Blend, 2007 Sonoma, California Visit their website here. Alcohol 13.5% by volume $9.37 on sale at Vons.

On the Label: “At Acacia, we’ve been making wine since 1979. With decades of experience, we remain committed to producing the finest wines from California’s most ideal growing regions. Our A by Acacia Red Blend is made from a delightful combination of grae varietals, blended to create a truly delicious and enjoyable wine. Rich and well-balanced, the wine showcases flavors of plum, raspberry, blackberry and vanilla. If you like Pinot Noir, you’ll like our Red Blend!”

My take: Okay, full disclosure here. I love Acacia wines, and have ever since I was introduced to their 1997 Pinot Noir. Acacia wines have, sadly, gone out of my price range. (A quick check of their website shows one bottle for $24, one for $25, a whole bunch for over $30, and a few over $70. Gulp.) So imagine my pleasure when I found this one for under $10! It is definitely one of my new go-to wines.

At my first taste, I fell in love. The wine is rich and has depth, and would be terrific to sip while having a relaxing conversation about existentialism next to a fire simmering in the fireplace. Instead, for dinner I paired it with a baked eggplant parmesan, garden salad and garlic bread, and it complemented the meal beautifully.

I just recently bought another bottle of A by Acacia, and it was below $9 on special at Vons. Just in case you wanted to know.

My Rating: ~ Stay away! This is MY wine, you slut! ~ No, seriously. Get your own.

Remember, the above is my opinion based upon my taste buds, which can act up depending upon how much sleep I’ve gotten, how many times I’ve typed “water level” or “groundwater” that day, and whether or not the novel is close to being finished. Your taste buds will vary.

~ Until the next time, cheers – and remember to drink responsibly! ~

Demon Soul is available for the Kindle and the Nook! Have you read it yet?