Cameron Hughes Lot 321 2010 California Field Blend is a really, really nice wine for a mere ten bucks. It's a blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Syrah and Carignane. Its aroma includes berries and licorice. The Zin is the predominant grape, and on the palate the first impression is lots of fruit - blueberries and raspberries. But then, the flavor expands into a rich complexity, with chocolate and chewy tannins. If you like complex Zins that exhibit good fruit without being simple and too sweet, you'll like Lot 321.

I found this one at Sam's Club. Like all of Cameron Hughes numbered lots, when this wine is gone, it's gone. They claim to offer ultra-premium wine at real world prices, and Lot 321 is a good example. Apparently, for at least part of their supply, they buy excess juice from top wineries and turn them into affordable wines. Their site: Cameron Hughes Winery.

Cameron Hughes Lot 321 2010 California Field Blend is a great buy. I'll be heading back to Sam's to pick up at least half a case. It's a couple of bucks more than Cameron Hughes Lot 250 Meritage 2009, also an excellent and inexpensive red blend, but I actually prefer this wine for sipping on its own.

Cameron Hughes Lot 321 2010 California Field Blend posted at Box Wines

As we've discussed here in the past, a patchwork of laws in the 50 states has made online sales more difficult for wine than other products. If anyone can sort out the logistics of state law compliance and delivering a perishable product, though, it's Amazon. It will be interesting to see how effectively Amazon can compete with the variety of local merchants, ranging from outlets like Sam's Club and Costco to supermarkets (some with major wine sections) and specialized wine shops.

Amazon & Online Wine Sales posted at Box Wines

Stacked describes their container, dubbed Vinoware:

STACKED's exclusive Vinoware container was designed by engineers to offer the look and feel of a wine glass. Vinoware is made with a high-quality plastic that is shatterproof and lightweight, while also protecting wine from oxidation and spoilage. With STACKED's Vinoware, every glass is sure to be fresh!

This seems like a great idea, if the wine is drinkable. There are lots of single-pour bottles available, usually inexpensive wines sold in four-packs, but one still has to have a wine glass. That's fine for home, but not so convenient for picnics or the beach.

Somewhat similar products have been created before, though in a different form factor. Five years ago we wrote about "instant wine glasses" in the UK.

Stacked describes their wines in glowing terms... The Merlot, they say, has "just enough complexity," " tasty fruit flavors like red plum, red raspberry and cherry," "a soft cedar and tobacco note," and "a mellow tannic structure." Not bad for a plastic cup of wine. We haven't found this product in stores yet, and Texas is one of the few states their online distributor doesn't serve. If anyone tries this, please post a comment and let us know how it is!

Stackable, Prefilled Wine Glasses posted at Box Wines

Vendi Pinot Grigio 2009 Delle Venezie isn't typical of the varietal. It's pale straw color doesn't lead you to expect an overwhelmingly fruity taste. Its flavors are pear and tropical fruit, and this wine is far less dry than most Pinot Grigios. Light acidity clears the palate, preventing it from being overly cloying.

This is a great wine for those who prefer a fruity, not very dry wine, but who don't want a truly sweet wine. It could be a good compromise white wine for a gathering of wine newbies and those with more demanding tastes.

I wasn't able to track down anything about the winery, though it is labeled as a Venetian wine imported by Joseph Victori Wines. Nobody has blogged about the wine, either.

Although not your typical Pinot Grigio, this wine is pleasant enough. If you can find Vendi Pinot Grigio 2009, consider it a very inexpensive brunch wine or accompaniment to fruit.

Vendi Pinot Grigio 2009 posted at Box Wines

It's been five years since we looked at Barefoot Zinfandel (non-vintage), and it's good to know that not much has changed with this very inexpensive wine. In fact, although it's nominally a $10 wine, we scored this bottle for a mere $5. (The Barefoot Wine website lists it at $6.99.) This incarnation of the Barefoot Zin offered sweet vanilla aromas. It was smooth and soft, with chocolate cherry and blueberry flavors and a spicy finish. This isn't a big, bold, complex Zin, but it's definitely a drinkable red that will please fruit-oriented red drinkers.

Wine bloggers still enjoy this Zin. Cheap Red Wine says, "...good grape juice for wine lovers. That may not sound exciting to everyone, but very few producers seem able to deliver a fresh, tasty, defect-free red in this price range." The Wine Tribune commented, "It’s outstanding for the money. Tasted blind, you’d never guess it costs less than a tenner."

As I noted in my original review of Barefoot Zinfandel, it's not easy to find a quaffable Zin for way under $10 - that field is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Merlot varietals. While not an outstanding example of the varietal, Barefoot Zinfandel is an excellent buy.

Barefoot Zinfandel (Update) posted at Box Wines

Of course, Sam's has no expert staff to advise you or suggest a wine for a particular purpose. Finding a human of any kind is tough enough. They have always compensated for this by displaying each wine in its own bin with an information card next to it. This card, in addition to the basic identification and price info, often contained a brief note about the wine and, in particular, point scores awarded by well-known sources, like Wine Enthusiast or Robert Parker. I've found a few good buys that way - highly rated wines at bargain prices. Occasionally, one might see a "buyer's choice" designation, which I interpreted to mean that the Sam's wine buyer had liked the wine in question (usually quite obscure) enough to buy a quantity.

Of late, though, this reliable information system seems to be deteriorating. I've seen greater use of ad cards (provided by the winery) which take the place of the old rating notes. Even more annoying is that the tasting notes don't seem to be updated - the ratings are a couple of years older than the vintage that's in stock. In one case, the only rating for a 2009 wine dated to 2001 - of what possible use is that?

On my last trip, I found just a small percent of the reds that had applicable rating notes. I suppose with a smartphone it wouldn't be difficult to search for a given wine on the Web, or even scan its barcode, but that's not the most convenient way to check out more than a couple of wines.

Is this a local phenomenon, or are you seeing this too? My feeling is that if you are going to be completely self-service, which Sam's Club certainly is, you must give consumers the information they need to choose products with reasonable confidence. They person coming in to buy a 60" flat screen TV will likely have done extensive homework and brand comparisons, but the typical wine buyer is more likely to come in looking for something no more specific than "a nice Cab that doesn't cost more than $15." Opinions?

Buying Wine at Sam’s Club posted at Box Wines

Wine Decanters.

Jeremy Parzen of the Houston Chronicle suggests a wine decanter as a useful and thoughtful gift.

Crystal vessels by Riedel are the benchmark for fine wine decanters these days. They're not cheap, but they're worth every penny for their high-concept design and the technical precision... Here's a little tip: Look for crystal decanters at consignment and thrift stores in high-end neighborhoods. As long as they're not chipped, they will polish up like brand-new. And remember: Decanters don't need to be made of crystal. Glass decanters work just as well, are more sturdy, and go a lot easier on the pocketbook. [Top 5 Gifts for Wine Lovers.]

One thing that's really practical about decanters is that they can improve the taste of wine by letting it breathe better than in an uncorked bottle. Reading the wine reviews here, you'll often see comments about an inexpensive red that improved with breathing.

Wine Aerators

Decanting is great, but if you want to give wine some really quick breathing, try an aerator. The general concept is that you pour wine through the aerator (some actually attach to the bottle) and it is swirled with air as it pours into the glass. Some aerators use a "venturi" effect to suck air into the liquid and produce intense contact.

Cork Kits

One dilemma shared by every wine enthusiast is what to do with the corks that remain after the wine is consumed. Sure, you could throw them in the trash, but why not preserve the environment and at the same time create a useful, or at least decorative, item that shows off the owner's wine hobby? These make a great gift, whether the recipient completes the project or the giver presents the finished display. There's a great selection of cork kits at Wine Enthusiast.

How about a Wine Cave?

The ultimate gift for a wine lover is a great storage system. Most of us can't excavate a wine cellar, or get access to a real cave, but a climate controlled storage unit is a lot more practical. Better units will offer plenty of storage, along with temperature zones for storing different types of wine. One of the better lines of storage is Eurocave, which usually ships for free. Check out EuroCave Performance Wine Cellars.

Electronic Cork Screws

I always thought these were kind of gimmicky until I received one as a gift. Now, I use it every time I uncork a bottle. They are fast and easy, and will never tear a cork up or fail to open the bottle. I've only had one instance of a cork failure with my opener, and that was a crumbling cork issue rather than any fault of the opener. Best of all, family members and guests can easily pull corks, too. People who might struggle with a sommelier tool and end up breaking a cork or shaking the wine can extract corks with intuitive ease. Try one, and you won't go back to the old-fashioned way of opening wine bottles.

Best Wine Gift Suggestion?

What are YOUR favorite gift ideas for wine lovers? Leave a comment and let us all know!

Wine Gift Ideas posted at Box Wines

Perhaps the strongest appeal of Tilia Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 is the ripe berry and licorice nose. On the palate, it combines cherry, red berry, and woody notes with an reasonably long finish. It's on the light side for a Cab, though I didn't really see the sweetness that a few reviewers noticed. This Cab definitely improves with some air. Despite aerating and a little breathing, the first sips were a bit harsh and not all that flavorful. An hour or two later, the wine was more pleasant and pleasantly drinkable. At first taste, I was thinking a sub-8.0 rating on my personal scale of 10, but after the wine sat for a while I found it more to my liking.

Wine & Spirits rated this wine an amazing 91. Not all wine bloggers agree. Jason's Wine Blog said, "I’m not sure how Wine & Spirits got to 91 points on this one. Perhaps they were having a rough day in the tasting room. That said this is a perfectly drinkable everyday wine at a nice price point." K&L Wines called it, "a cheap and cheerful reminder that cab from Argentina, when well made, presents good value." Wine75 was less enthused, calling it "very harsh and tart."

Like Jason, I'm a bit skeptical of the 91 point rating from Wine & Spirits. (Maybe it was a very GOOD day in the tasting room!) But, if you give it a while to breathe, Tilia Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 will serve as a pleasant table wine or for other light-duty quaffing.

Tilia Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 posted at Box Wines

Most box wine makers use about a year for their "sell by" date. If they bottle it, or, more accurately, bag it, in October, they allow it to be sold by the following October. They do, however, assume that the wine will be consumed shortly after that. An interesting article in the Austin Chronicle quotes one bag-in-box supplier:

"Our Quality Con­trol department has run extensive tests on the 3L package (i.e. box wine) which show that the wine stays fresh for 14 months," said Holly Evans, director of public rela­tions. "However, we feel it best to be conservative and go with 12 months."

Not everyone is that generous. Devon Broglie, a master som­mel­ier who works for Austin-based Whole Foods, said that after Whole Foods conducted an extensive test of boxed wines, preferred six months as the sell-by date.

What does this mean for the box wine consumer? If the box is within its sell-by date, it's probably fine. If it's many months from that date, so much the better. The important thing is to not pick up a few boxes on sale and let them sit for a year. Boxed wine isn't like fine wine in bottles - it's not meant to be aged, and it won't get better. In fact, the nature of the packaging means that a box that's a couple of years old or more has probably deteriorated to some degree.

So, when you shop, check the dates, and don't stock up on more boxes than you will consume in a month or two.

How Long is Boxed Wine Good? posted at Box Wines

Cameron Hughes Lot 250 Meritage 2009 is a big, tasty red wine! It is fruity up front, with cherry and blueberry flavors, but maintains some complexity as it eases into a long, peppery finish with chewy tannins. If there's a flaw, it's that the nose is surprisingly minimal. It's a Meritage, which means it's a red blend that must adhere to a set of specifications.

There's a backstory to this wine. According to the Cameron Hughes website, "Lot 250 comes to us from one of Napa’s premiere Cabernet producers with prices in the $50 to $200/bottle range. Like Lot 150, Lot 250 is born of an oversupply. For 150 it was mostly 2005 and 2006 barrel aged reds but for Lot 250 it’s all Napa County components from one one of Napa’s most revered wineries and the bountiful 2009 Harvest."

I'm normally a little skeptical of such claims, but Lot 250 makes them believable. With its fruit-forward character and higher than usual alcohol content, it seems rather like a big Zinfandel. The winery doesn't actually say what grapes went into this Meritage, though no Zin grapes were used. Meritage, by definition, must be a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot and/or Carmenère. My rating is no doubt biased by my preference for this style of wine. If you aren't a Zin person, you probably won't like this Meritage as well as I did.

For eight bucks at Sam's Club, though, this is a great deal. I'm planning on heading back to the store to pick up a few more bottles. These are one-shot wines. From what I can tell, they won't be offered again, so if you find one you enjoy, stock up immediately. For me, at least, Cameron Hughes Lot 250 Meritage 2009 is a very affordable winner.

Cameron Hughes Lot 250 Meritage 2009 posted at Box Wines