I’m in sunny California this week and of course had to check out Trader Jo’s to see what the wine situation is out here. California Merlot for $1.99 – nope that isn’t a typo – one dollar and ninety-nine cents. Of course I purchased a bottle and
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While on business in Chicago last week I encountered the much talked about “Three Buck Chuck”. Living in a highly controlled and highly taxed part of the world where wine is concerned you can imagine I almost fainted at the site of wine at $2.99. After my colleague convinced me that I wouldn’t be able to carry the 70 cases I was protecting like a rabid dog on a bone, snarling and growling at passers by I picked up just one bottle.

The wine was a Cabernet Sauvignon from California produced under the brand Charles Shaw. As this wine isn’t available in Ontario I had to try a bottle and report back to nosnob.com readers.

I didn’t get my hopes up thinking I discovered Chateau Petrus for $3.00. But I was surprised that it wasn’t just alcoholic purple water. It had many Cab Sauv characteristics, smelled okay and tasted okay. While nothing really stood out about this wine, it was a novelty at $2.99. If you’re having a big party, making Sangria or boiling pasta in wine this will do in a pinch.

In Demystifying Vintages Part I we introduced you to the Vintages concept and what to find there. In Part II we look at the people who work at Vintages and some tips to make your visit quick and painless.

It’s ok to walk in to Vintages without any forethought. You could browse around for hours, get lost in the countries and fancy labels. In case you have a job, kids, friends or other silly things taking up your time there is some free help Read the rest of this entry »

This three part special feature will take you on a journey inside the LCBO’s Vintages section. We will look at what exactly is in Vintages, who works there and how to navigate it easily. The Vintages section is probably one of the most exciting and literally to some, terrifying, aspects of the LCBO experience. We will prove that Vintages is a great area of the store to shop for bottles under $20.00 which will impress the heck out of your friends. We will explain what to look for and some secrets to making Vintages work for you.

While this feature is tailored to our Ontario audience, anyone will enjoy the experience and might learn a tip or trick for their own store wherever you might be.

Demystifying Vintages – Part I

So austere, so formal, so mysterious.

The automatic doors slide open as you approach the store with a sturdy mechanical whoosh. You press on confidently marching towards old faithful. That bottle of wine with a playful name you can never remember, something about a penguin or duck, always pleases but never wows. Always in stock, and at least fifty bottles are lined up neatly on the shelf waiting for you. You were probably first introduced to it one night your friends were over for dinner and someone proudly burst in to the kitchen announcing “the wine has arrived” with bottle in tow. Since then you’ve memorized the location of that bottle at Read the rest of this entry »