A Week of Wine: Savoring & Saving

This week felt like a perfect chance to test out a mix of Trader Joe’s everyday bottles and a couple of splurge-worthy picks for summer, especially with the SealVax’s VinCap making it easier to stretch things over a few nights. 

-------------------------------

I started with the Vignobles Lacheteau Touraine Sauvignon Blanc (France 2023), a $7 find! It’s vibrant, citrusy, and refreshing and feels like summer in a glass. I opened it one afternoon on the porch, and it was still just as refreshing the next day thanks to the VinCap — no guilt about not finishing the bottle. 

For golden hour one evening, I brought out the La Ferme Julien Rosé (France, 2023). Dry, bright, and full of strawberry and citrus, it felt like bottled sunshine. I sipped it slowly over a couple of nights, and the VinCap kept it tasting just as fresh each time. It paired perfectly with a simple charcuterie board and made even a random Tuesday feel like a picnic. 

-------------------------------

On a cozier night, I tried the Honey Moon Viognier (California, 2022). This one leans a little sweet, with peach and apricot flavors that almost taste like dessert. I had it with Thai takeout and then saved a glass for the next night’s movie — still lush and juicy. 

Midweek, I opened the Maison Barboulot Cabernet-Syrah (France, 2022). It’s smooth, with cherry and vanilla notes, and easy to drink without feeling too heavy. I had it with pasta one night and then sat by the fire pit with another glass the next — proof that the VinCap keeps even the more delicate reds fresh and flavorful. 

-------------------------------

-------------------------------

Toward the weekend, I decided to step things up. The Grand Reserve Pinot Noir Carneros Lot 23 (California) at around $13 was a treat — silky, with ripe cherry and a touch of spice. It felt like an upgrade without being over the top, especially with roast chicken. Then came the real splurges: the Trading Post Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley, ~$25) and the Diamond Reserve Napa Cabernet (~$30–$35). Both felt like opening something from a tasting room. The Trading Post had bold black cherry and spice that worked beautifully with steak, while the Diamond Reserve was darker, with oak and chocolate that lingered. Normally I’d hesitate to open a nicer bottle unless I knew I’d finish it, but the VinCap made it stress-free — one glass for the occasion, another a few nights later, with nothing lost in flavor. 

-------------------------------

All in all, the week showed me that between $5 everyday wines and $35 splurges, the VinCap makes it possible to enjoy each bottle at my own pace. I even felt ok having multiple bottles open throughout the week, rather than having to finish one before opening another. Whether it was a porch-sipper, a picnic rosé, or a big Napa red, nothing went to waste — just more time to enjoy the moment.