(This is a follow-up to another post about the 2000 Guenoc Cab. Synopsis: It Rocks!)

I went back to Trader Joes to get some more bottles of my favorite $9 wine, but was sad to see that the 2000 vintage is all gone, at least from my local store. I checked with an employee and he confirmed that they’re now selling only the 2002 vintage. Hoping, but suspecting that it couldn’t be as good as the 2000, I bought a few bottles.

It turns out the 2002 is still a very good $9 wine. It has a lot of the same complexity and fruit of the earlier vintage: obviously the winemaker is going for consistency and has done a good job. The 2002 has more of an earthy tang than the 2000 - I wanted to say that it tasted like bramble, but then I realized I don’t know what bramble tastes like. It’s also more tannic and I was wishing I had let it breathe for an hour before dinner.

Anyway, if you happen by a Trader Joe’s, do give the 2002 Guenoc California Cabernet a shot. It’s still an incredible value.