Vicious Zin by Sobon - Red Zinfandel @@@@@ (5 corks!)

Retails: $8.99 (Total Wine)

"Hey, don't let looks or price fool you! There's a lot of heart and flavor in this little scrapper..."

These are the opening words to the commentary on the back of this red zin's bottle and I couldn't agree more! Truly, it had me at first glance. The bottle sports a comic book inspired rendering of a pit bull that immediately caught my eye. As my dog, Roxy, is demonstrating, this is one hell of a buy!

Vicious Zin disappeared faster than I could even realize. My fiance had just poured me another glass and I was shocked to see that the bottle was empty! It's a truly fantastic red zinfandel--full of flavor, not too much bite or dry aftertaste. If you like a full-bodied red, you'll be happily surprised.

Final Words: this might become a regular in my rotation :)

Sobon Estate - California Hillside Zinfandel (2008) @@@@ (4 corks!)

Retails: $10 (Total Wine)

While browsing the shelves at Total Wine in pursuit of the next round of blog entries, I came across this little number, displaying a stick-on sign announcing that this bottle had been "recently featured on Oprah." Hey, if it's good enough for Oprah, it's certainly good enough for me.

This is probably the first time in the history of Wine on a Dime that I've ever reviewed a bottle that was priced at $10 (really over ten if you count taxes) and boy, was it worth every drop.

I would compare the experience of drinking this wine as to that of consuming dark chocolate: smooth but harboring a powerful array of flavors that fills your palette. It's a full-on sensory experience. Dark cherries and chocolate are present from start to finish with the tart, pucker-y tannins delivering a final blow to your tongue. It's fabulous alone (or with chocolate!) but if you're planning on pairing it with a meal, I would stick with steaks and other super-savory meals.

For those who do not shy away from powerful, flavorful reds, this is a must-try!

Anakena - Sauvignon Blanc 2008 @@@ (3 corks)

Retails: $7.99 (Total Wine)

This perky little number is a surprising find. In general, everyone should take my cork-ratings for white wines with a grain of salt--most of you out there know I'm pretty keen on reds and a little critical of whites. I think most white wine drinkers would enjoy Anakena's Sauvignon Blanc.

This bottle comes to us from Valle Central in Chile. A luminescent champagne color fills your glass, it's a truly beautiful wine to behold and looks equally stunning in a simple white wine glass. As far as wine vessels are concerned, I'm a purist and prefer simple wine glasses with clean lines, as opposed to crystal or something extravagant. I have a friend who bought me a set from Target (another weakness of mine) that I adore--they don't need to be expensive. Especially in my household where my live-in boyfriend has a tendency to break at least one dish per month. For those of you unfamiliar with the "proper" glass for each wine, the general rules are: the fat, rounder glasses are for reds, this allows them to be slightly warmed by your hand. The taller, narrower glasses are for whites which need to maintain a cool temperature, away from your hand. I believe, so long as the wine looks appetizing and elegant, rules can be broken :)

Upon first taste, you'll notice a slight effervescence furthering the champagne-like qualities. The flavor is very subtle but sweet--apples, apricots and honey are the defining notes. This wine is easily overpowered by other flavors so be careful with what you pair it with. I'm slowly discovering what I like in white wines and this one can definitely be appreciated for its delicate bouquet.