Did some bottom feeding at TraderJoe’s on Sat & tried:
Florian GrunerVeltliner Pannon/Hungary (12.0%; LattitudeWines/Danville) Weinkellerei Hechtsheim/Mainz 2019: Med.light yellow color; light citric/lemony light GV/peppery/bit floral somewhat earthy/bit coarse nose; soft off-dry (says “dry” on the label; 0.5%-0.7% r.s.) light citric/lemony bit earthy very quiet GV/floral slight metallic/tangy pleasant if simple flavor; med.short off-dry bit soft light weight floral/GV/earthy rather simple finish; a pleasant bit simple white that speaks of GV w/ a whisper. $7.00 (TJ)
Weights & Measures Syrah EdnaVlly/Calif (15.4%; “hand selected barrel from one of EdnaVlly’s most highly regarded producers”) MorganHill 2018: Rather dark color; strong blackberry/Syrah/boysenberry/ripe/spicy some c-c/black pepper/bit cinammon light toasty/oak quite attractive lovely ripe Syrah nose; lightly tart bit hard/angular fairly rich/lush/tangy some ripe blackberry/Syrah/boysenberry/spicy light toasty/oak light c-c/peppery quite attractive flavor w/ light ripe/smooth tannins; very long spicy/blackberry/Syrah/ripe/bit boysenberry slight c-c/peppery slight Rhonish/meaty light toasty/oak finish w/ light ripe tannins; a bit rough/angular on the palate but a lovely classic c-c Syrah at a great price. $10.00 (TJ)
A wee BloodyPulpit:
It’s much easier to bottom-feed at TotalWines. When you see a label/producer you don’t recognize, if it says “WineryDirect” on the shelf-talker and T.SarantyImports on the back label, you’re pretty much assured to get a dull-as-dishwater wine. But at TJ’s, you have to be a bit more discerning. If the bottling location is AmericanCanyon or Modest, you can be pretty sure it’s a FredFranzia wine. May be pretty bland & characterless, maybe a small step above that. But on this unknown label, I noted it specified EdnaVlly AVA, but no identifiable producer. So I suspected it might have a fighting chance to be something decent. It was more than that.
It was probably a Syrah bulked out by an EdnaVlly wnry that didn’t meet their standards and bttld under this made-up label.
In MorganHill, was probably btld at Guglielmo Wnry. Guessing on the producer, I would guess EdnaVllyVnyds or BaileyanaWnry, maybe WolffVnyds. Adding to the mystery, there is a Bozzano Wnry in PasoRobles that specializes in custom-label bulk wines, which includes the W&M label. So they probably bought the wine in bulk and bttld this up for TJ’s, but don’t know why in MorganHill rather than PasoRobles. I suspect it’s a TJ’s exclusive.
But whoever made it, this is a pretty danged good Syrah at an outstanding price. Worth checking out.
Tom
Only a recommendation from Tom could send me on a mission to two geographically disparate Trader Joe’s (unfortunately, without success).
I do recall seeing this on the shelf a while back, but of course I didn’t buy it because, you know, Trader Joe’s. Will keep an eye out and hope to spot it.
Well, Nate… this was the first time I’ve seen it at our TJ’s. Whenever I see a new label, I usually check it out. I think that bulk wine company has a Paso PS under that same label.
Tom
“Bozzano & Co. is a Central California wine business that has developed close relationships with the best producers, affording our clients unique, early access to bulk wine, grapes, and custom brands.”
Under “Custom Brands”:
"Weights & Measures was designed to capture limited-production luxury-quality wine opportunities and deliver them to the consumer.
“Celebrating Bozzano & Co.'s roots in brokering wine by the gallon and grapes by the ton, Weights & Measures allows us to showcase the finest wines that we are offered.”
Yeah, Drew… I saw that Site. Got an e-mail in to the owner, Anthony. So they are the one behind the wine. But I assume they bought the wine in bulk.
But I would love to know what wnry originally made the wine. And if it’s a TJ’s exclusive.
Tom
Thanks for the recs. I will check out our Dayton TJs.
I have to put in a plug for Lazy Bones cab franc (from Paso) $9.49 in Ohio. Tastes as good as cab franc costing 3x or more and puts on more weight with some air.
Another simple, easy drinker is their Honeymoon Viognier ($7.99). Part of their “-Moon” series. No idea where it comes from, but it hits the spot on a hot Summer afternoon. It also pairs with spicy Asian food.
If I had to guess, I’d say it’s bulked-out Bailyana “Firepeak/Paragon/whatever Vineyard” Syrah.
I remember really enjoying Baileyana “Firepeak Vyd” Syrah years ago, and it was stylistically similar to your notes, although I certainly don’t remember it being so high in alcohol (Baileyana '16 Syrah is +15% abv)!
Got & response from Anthony Bozzano. He’s delighted it’s well received. The wine was indeed bttls at Gugliemo,
but the NDA does not allow him to say who actually made the wine.
But he said that in a few months, they will have another W&M wine out from the SantaYnezVlly that he thinks very
highly of. So keep your eyes peeled for it.
Tom
Found a lone bottle of this at the Olympia, WA TJs. Impressive indeed at the $10 price point. The 15.4% abv was worrisome but it wears it quite well - it’s not at all hot. Textbook Syrah aromatics and the palate is juicy but not heavy or over extracted. This would be an ideal summer BBQ wine for when we can again gather in groups and you want to have a crowd pleasing bottle in case quantities. Hope the next Syrah from W&M is as good.
+1 on the Florian Gruner. It is available in Ohio for $10. A good value. No W & M Syrah in Dayton. I asked and they had no idea what I was talking about.
