Louise d' Estrée Brut - $8

Next in our series, this sparkling white French number. It's got teeny tiny bubbles that become kind of frothy in your mouth. Tastes of melon and citrus, with just the right hint of sweetness.

thumbs up - 86

M. Chevallier Brut Cava - $6

The holidays always seem to be jam packed with family asking for recommendations on sparkling wines and this year I thought to prepare myself with answers. Now, I know what you're thinking. Reviewing a slew of sparkling wines after New Years isn't much help to you. But, since most sparkling wines are of the non-vintage variety, consider this advice timeless.

First up, this Spanish sparkling is nearly transparent in color. On the nose its got some stone and mineral notes. In the mouth, it's tight bubbles and tart apple city - like a liquid Granny Smith. This Cava is light, crisp and easy to drink. A great choice for mixing with fruit juices or purees for your favorite mimosa-esque/belini-ish drink.

thumbs up - 88

2006 Riscal Tempranillo - $6

A feint nose of wild grass and a light, peppery taste (not to mention the screw cap) make this an easy drinking wine. This wasn't near as good on the second day, so drink it up before you go to bed.

thumbs up - 84

2009 Spiral Wines Cabernet Sauvignon - $5

Actual quote from my hawaiian-clad Trader Joe's cashier last night:

"This is the best wine under five bucks that we sell... not that I've tried all of them."

I'm inclined to agree. Right now, this is exactly the kind of wine you expect from Trader Joe's. Drinks great right after opening. Very approachable with tastes of cola and berry. I'm buying a case.

thumbs up - 91

2008 Overlake Merlot - $6

A perfumey nose, tart yet juicy flavor and a nice finish that hangs around longer than expected. All in all, a tasty and satisfying Merlot.

thumbs up - 85

2007 Picket Fence Chardonnay - $9

This smallish production (9400 cases) golden Chardonnay hails from the Russian River Valley. It's light golden, nearly transparent in color with a thick, fruity nose. Then, the bad news comes on the taste - all oak with a dab of buttery pear and another giant scoop of oak. There's a hint of redemption with a dabble of acid, but it's simply not enough to balance out the oak bomb.

Bottle bonus: there's a pull tab on the label so you can remember what wine it was you had if you ordered this in a restaurant.

thumbs down - 74

2008 Jacques Bourguignon Chablis - $8

Light and pale in color. No nose what so ever. Flavor is pretty light too - a bit citrusey, some hints of pear and apple, not a ton of finish... nothing offensive, just not a ton to get excited about

thumbs down - 70

2008 Chook Shed Shiraz - $8

The cooky (chooky?) rooster & shed label on this bottle drew me in, and I'm glad it did. This wine has a thick body that just clings to the side of the glass. The nose is present, and pleasant, but a bit sneaky too. Flavor-wise, it's hard to narrow down, other than to call it rich and grapey. Drinking note: I'd give this one some extra breathing time - more than your typical Syrah/Shiraz would need.

thumbs up - 86

2009 Trader Joe's Petit Reserve Pinot Noir - $7

This private label Pinot has juicy berry flavor and a luscious mouthfeel. The fruit is big right off the bat, but the wine is best on day two. Give this bargain wine some breathing room and impress your friends.

thumbs up - 90

2007 Il Tarocco Chianti Classico - $9.99

I'm not normally a fan of Italian wines, so when I find one I enjoy, I tend to want to spread the word.

To start, this Chianti has a rich red color (which I realize you can't tell from this picture). The nose is, sadly, a bit slow to open up... but does given some decanting time. The flavor is a bit fruitier than your typical earthy Chianti, but only just enough. Cherry and plum flavors dominate with a background hint of Italian terroir.

thumbs up - 88

2008 VINTJS Chardonnay - $6.99

This Russian River Valley Chardonnay has a great golden straw color but a real stingy nose. Flavor wise, however, it packs a big punch of tart Granny Smith apple. Strangely, on the finish, we're back to almost nothing. In all, too many ups and downs for me.

thumbs down - 78

NV Castillo De Fuendeyalon Oak Aged Red Wine - $15.99

I've been seeing a large variety of boxed wine at Trader Joe's lately and this blended Spanish red caught my eye. The price works out to be $4 per bottle, and with the extended shelf life a boxed wine provides, I had little to lose.

For an oak aged red, this wine was particularly light. Light nose, light taste, light finish... just light all around. It drank well day one and was still drinking well after 10 days. There was certainly nothing extraordinary about this wine, but the mellow drinkability and long life swayed me.

I particularly appreciated the details provided on the box:

75% Grenache, 25% Tempranillo

Harvest: Second week of September

Wine Making: Traditional method, maceration with its skins during six days at 24 C. after a deposit-maturing period the wine is aged in american oak casks for three months.

thumbs up - 80

2008 Zafrika Pinotage - $4.99

Deep cranberry color. Tight nose with just a hint of smoke. Tart raspberry and some surprising green apple flavors make this an interesting wine, well worth trying at $5.

thumbs up - 83

2008 Panilonco Merlot/Malbec - $3.99

It could just be the tumbler glass out of which I'm drinking, but this wine is deceptively thick in color. On the nose, heaps of blackberry jump right out. In the mouth though, the cheapness comes through. It's sloppy, disjointed and completely unexciting.

60% Merlot, 40% Malbec.

thumbs down - 70

2009 Fuerza Malbec - $4.99

This wine looks, smells and tastes big, dark and clunky. Worst of all, the flavor seems disjointed - though I can't quite put my finger on why.

thumbs down - 70

2005 Fife Max Cuvee - $6.99

Despite being completely dead on the nose, I still enjoy this... which is not the norm for aromatically challenged wines. That said, this has a nice earthy, tannic flavor profile with some light berry components. Another great daily drinker.

It's worth noting that despite the label noting the aging in French oak, there's no oak monster here.

thumbs up - 85

2007 Coppola Rosso - $7.99

Tight on the nose. Mellow and lightly jammy on the tongue with a hint of leather. A great every day drinker that's ready as soon as the cork comes out.

thumbs up - 86

2006 Nerelo Del Bastardo - $7.99

My second bottle of this is gone and I have nothing to report. The first bottle got taken down by some friends for tacos & game night while I was out of town... their consensus: delicious. I snuck a taste of the second bottle before it disappeared, but didn't take careful note... my consensus: forgettable. Sounds like wine roulette to me. Suggestion: buy as gift, sneak a taste, buy another if you like it.

thumbs down

2007 San Greal Red Supper Wine - $6.99

Big berry flavor with a good tannic bite.

thumbs up - 77

2009 La Finca Malbec - $3.99

Swirl as I might, I get absolutely nothing on the nose. Mellow, slightly tannic taste of beets and plum. Could probably use more decanting than the two hours I gave it. Serviceable, especially for a $4 wine, but you can do better.

thumbs down - 73