I’ve enjoyed other Lindemans wines, and I looked forward to the Lindemans Reserve Coonawara Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 with considerable anticipation, even though I had found the bottle on the clearance shelf for a fraction of its normal price. After a few sips, though, I found out why it might have ended up in the sale bin. The aroma was fruity, with slightly musty berry notes. The flavor, though, was all oak and sharp-elbowed tannins. Things improved slightly after letting the wine sit overnight - some spice emerged in the nose, and the flavor finally showed some blackberry fruit.

I find it hard to recommend this wine, even though it’s inexpensive for any wine flagged as a “reserve.” For my taste, at least, one of Lindemans’ lesser wines, like their Bin 45 Cabernet Sauvignon, might actually be a better choice.

Joe Blow Red is a non-vintage blend of five different grapes: Syrah, Merlot, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon. It has an informal label that implies a casual, fun wine. And, that’s pretty much what one finds in the bottle. The nose has clove and licorice notes, with a slight hint of flowers. On the palate, this blend opens a bit weak with cherry and plum notes, but finishes strong and long with oak, black pepper. In between, there’s a little chocolate.

We couldn’t learn much about the wine from the Joe Blow website, although there is an amusing story that says the concept of the blend started when winemakers inadvertently pumped Napa Valley Merlot into a tank of Monterey Syrah. A few bloggers have commented… WanderingAmylessly planned to serve it on Election night in a sort of homage to Joe the Plumber. The Wine Guy termed it an “awesome low acid and fruity wine,” awarding Joe Blow Red six and a half stars out of ten. Chuck Newton thought it had “way too much in the way of tannins.” Bruce Campbell of the Wenatchee Valley Enological Society likes Joe Blow’s marketing and gives it and similar labels credit for bringing new wine drinkers into the market. Just A Grape scores it a four our of five. The Whinery kind of liked it, but suggests it might be a good base for making sangria.

If you favor big Zins, Temptation Zinfandel 2005 might punch your ticket. It has a moderately strong berry aroma, and a warm, fruity flavor with black cherry and chocolate notes. This Zin builds in intensity as it approaches the finish, which is long and slightly acidic. This wine isn’t overly complex or subtle, but is definitely nice to drink. I opened it to accompany outdoor-grilled strip steaks, a pairing which worked out just fine. I’d also pair this wine with fun food, like Chicago deep-dish pizza.

Temptation Zin has already achieved recognition:

• Gold Medal - 2008 Houston Rodeo Intl Wine Competition
• “Highly Recommended” - 88 Points - 2007 World Value Wine Challenge
• Silver Medal - 2007 Hilton Head Wine Fest

According to the Alexander Valley website, Temptation Zin is a blend of 46% Dry Creek, 33% Alexander Valley grapes, and 21% Solano County grapes. It’s a winning combination.

Relax Cool Red 2005 stands out because of its packaging - it comes in a sturdy aluminum bottle that holds 375ml and is closed with a screw cap. Unlike, say, an aluminum soft drink can, the bottle is a much heavier gauge and, even empty, can’t readily be crushed by hand. I was prepared to dislike the wine itself - it’s a mere 12% alcohol, rather light for a red, and the labeling suggests serving it slightly chilled. Neither seemed like a good sign.

Thankfully, our expectations weren’t realized. The nose of Relax Cool Red, suprisingly, was quite robust, with licorice, clove, and vanilla dominating weak berry notes. The wine itself is soft and slightly sweet, with strawberry and cherry leading the fruit charge. Its salvation from insipid sweetness is a slightly acidic finish with a hint of pepper.

While the wine may not please serious wine lovers, it might be good party fare. It’s wine-like enough to be drinkable, but even non-wine drinkers may find it accessible. It comes in a regular glass 750ml bottle, too. The Relax line is also apparently packaged in boxes, too, though we’ve never seen one.

Oak Leaf Chardonnay is another ultra-inexpensive wine designed to take on Two Buck Chuck. Surprisingly, perhaps, it’s quite drinkable, even if undistinguished. The nose is mild, with sliced green apples and oak. On the palate, there’s more oak than fruit, with weak pear and apple notes. This Chardonnay is saved from failure by having a spicy finish with an acidic bite. The finish is pleasantly long.

This wine is sold through Wal-Mart. I’ve had comments from visitors who have see Oak Leaf wines as cheap as $2. For the price, Oak Leaf Chardonnay is an exceptional value. It may not be what you take to your boss’s house party, but if you need to throw a dozen bottles of white wine in a tub of ice at your family picnic, you could do a lot worse than Oak Leaf Chardonnay.

Folie à Deux Ménage à Trois Red 2006 is a blend of Zinfandel, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon that most heavily favors the Zin side of its heritage. It has a nice aroma of spicy berries. It’s flavor is jammy, with strawberries, raspberries, and chocolate notes, and the finish is slightly peppery. This red wine leans toward the sweet side a bit.

We found a few other wine bloggers who have tried Menage a Trois Red. Budget Vino said, “This wine is overly sweet- so much so that I questioned whether I would be able to finish the glass I poured and salvage my $10 investment.” The Wine Cask Blog liked it a bit more, saying, “It delivers easy drinkability and simple, fruity tastes and smells. Structurally it is unsophisticated but not poor. A good every-day value wine.” Yoav thought it “went down nicely.” And, G&D’s mother-in-law recommended she try Menage a Trois, much to G&D’s delight.

The last vintage of this wine we tried was Folie à Deux Ménage à Trois Red 2003.

Italy’s Agriculture Ministry said that some fine Italian wines that receive government quality guarantees will be allowed to be sold in boxes.

I find this encouraging, if a bit odd. When I was last in Italy, there seemed to be no regulation against some wine shops dispensing directly from a large stainless steel tank into a recycled 1.5 liter water bottle (or, presumably, any other container provided by the customer). That’s hardly ideal storage and preservation technology. Why the Italian government would worry about the well-proven performance of today’s boxed wine packaging isn’t clear.

In any case, this is one more indicator that box wines are moving upscale and becoming better accepted.

Cavit Merlot Trentino 2005 starts with a mild berry and licorice nose. Its flavor is very juicy, with strawberry and cherry notes. The finish is a bit astringent.

According to the Cavit Collection website,

In Trentino, this variety has found a particularly favorable environment and has become one of the region’s more abundantly cultivated red grapes. The cradle of production is represented by the vineyards of Trentino’s Valle Lagarina (Lagarina Valley) with other locales including Avio, Ala, Serravalle, Mori, Villalagarina, and Pomaroloe Nomi and only 100% merlot grapes are used.

Overall, we found Cavit Merlot Trentino 2005 quite drinkable, particularly if you like fruitier and jucier reds. It’s fine for every day drinking or party fare.

It’s taken us quite a while to get around to tasting Blue Nun Riesling, a non-vintage German wine that has been marketed in the U.S. for decades. This was in part because I tend to lean toward red wines, and in part because I’ve avoided man of the ever-present supermarket boxed wine. This Riesling has pear and pineapple flavors, with a hint of citrus in the finish. It’s relatively sweet and simple, and lacks the crisp, acidic finish that might tone down the sweetness.

This wine will appeal quite readily to those who aren’t regular wine drinkers - its fruity sweetness won’t offend at all. In fact, “inoffensive” is a good way to characterize Blue Nun Riesling. As such, it might be a good choice for a picnic white or similar uses.