Whole Foods 365 - Trackers Crossing South Eastern Australia 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

Whole Foods 365 Everyday Value
Trackers Crossing South Eastern Australia 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon
Price:  $6.99

Generally, I like it.  Good red table wine.  Not terribly complex, but pleasant and highly versatile. I might not take this with me to a dinner party, but I think it is a definite for cooking and a solid contender for an everyday table wine.  I would purchase it again for sure.

Flavor: A good mix of spicy and fruity/berry flavors.  Definitely great paired with Italian dishes, BBQ, steaks and cheeses (from my experience at least).

Aroma:  A little stout, but not too strong.

Complexity:  What it lacks in complexity, it makes up in versatility.

Affordability:  At $6.99, you can't beat the price.

Enjoyability:  Nice. 


I feel affirmed.  I found this review on the Slash Food blog.

Trackers Crossing 365 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, South Eastern Australia ($8)

Unlike some of the other wines we tasted, Trackers Crossing is clearly marked as a Whole Foods wine (each bottle depicts the 365 Everyday Value logo). This Cabernet Sauvignon is fruit-forward with a bouquet of spices and black cherries that evolves into a jammy palate before finishing with soft, silky tannins. Cranberry enters mid-palate, too, for a nice touch that also allows this wine to pair well with most any type of food, particularly roasted or barbecue meats. For a lighter alternative, Gouda or any smoked cheese is a good bet.

The beginning of The Austin Wine Beagle

I live in Austin, TX with my fiancé and my 2 beagles, and I like wine.  You could go as far as to say I love wine.  Now I have taken a few wine classes throughout the years, but I wouldn't say I have a terribly distinguished pallet.  I just like wine and learning wine.  I appreciate the expensive, complex vinos in addition to their more simplistic, less pricey cousins.

That is where this project begins.  As we are planning our wedding for October of this year, I am on a quest to find some great tasting, reasonably priced wines to serve at the reception.  Inspired by something I learned from a sales guy at Spec's about wine prices often being inflated simply due to the popularity of the brand, I am confident I will discover some delicious wines for $10 or less of some less well-known brands readily available in Austin.

Secondary benefit, I am just generally interested in tracking the wines I try so I don't mistakenly repeat a loser and also so that I have some easy go-to wines when I am in a pinch and haven't planned ahead.

So cute!  And you can purchase by clicking here.

Here's the plan....all wines priced around $10 are up for consideration.  I will not discriminate against screw tops, box wines, value brands, silly names or purchase location. 

I will discuss the following for each wine:

Price
Aroma
Complexity
Flavor
Enjoyability

And that's it.  Just a simple discussion of wines under $10 available in Austin, hoping to discover a few unkwown jewels out there.