"The only real stumbling block is the fear of failure. In cooking, you have got to have a what-the-hell attitude." ~ Julia Child

BHC Swill: Cocobon

by Julie on November 29, 2011

in BHC Swill

Cocobon from Trader Joe's

koo-koo for Cocobon

Let us now sing the praises of Cocobon.

How do we love it? Let us count the ways:

1. It’s tasty

2. It’s cheap

3. It’s got an appealing, Euro-sounding name that makes me think of chocolate

Do you really need any more reason? The biggest problem I have with Cocobon is that I can’t seem to keep it in stock long enough to write a description of how it tastes. Which should tell you something right there.

Just recently someone asked me if I thought Cocobon would get better with age. I couldn’t say. An unopened bottle has a 24-hour lifespan at my house.

Some wine snob-sounding descriptors: Lots of cherries. Some tartness but not a lot of the cheap-wine tannins that make you grimace. Somewhere in there a hint of cocoa. It’s sweet, but not dessert wine sweet. In fact, I’ll go out on a limb and say that it’s really not that sweet at all. Just a hint. Like a kiss on the cheek.

At $7, it’s a more expensive cheap wine, but for whatever reason, that never gives me the same pause deciding to buy the $7 Israeli feta does. It’s a line-item in my grocery budget that is not up for question.

Next time you’re at TJ’s, ask for it. If it’s not on the shelf they probably have a case of it stashed in the back. They know the good stuff when they taste it.

To Cocobon, my love!

 

Photo from the lovely olivewineandfood blog

{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }

Michelle J.F. December 1, 2011 at 1:54 pm

Mmm, this sounds lovely. I may have to run to Trader Joes this weekend to try some!

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Julie December 1, 2011 at 2:23 pm

Michelle – You’ll thank me! But I’m warning you – it goes down easy…probably a little too easy, if you know what I mean…;-) Try it and lemme know what you think.

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haylo December 2, 2011 at 1:17 pm

We don’t have Trader Joe’s in Austin yet. Noise is made almost yearly about how they are coming here but it never happens. Booooooo.

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Julie December 2, 2011 at 1:23 pm

No TJ’s in Austin? That’s an obvious oversight….

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Haylo December 2, 2011 at 6:51 pm

Tell me about it….

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haylo December 2, 2011 at 6:54 pm

Well, maybe the market is saturated with Central Market (affectionately known as Central Markup), Sprouts (they have little else), and Whole Foods (whole dollars more than you’ll ever have to spend). Actually, TJ’s would do awesome here!

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Peter B. December 2, 2011 at 2:18 pm

Yup. Mindy got a bottle of this a month or so ago, on the recommendation of the staff at TJ’s.. If I remember correctly, it was the wine that immediately brought the words “FRUIT BOMB!” screaming into my mind. Definitely worth the extra $5 compared to 2 buck chuck. However, I am still mourning the loss of the Falcon Ridge Zin, and looking for its replacement as our house red. I haven’t seen the Cocobon on the shelf at the TJ’s in San Diego lately…

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Julie December 2, 2011 at 2:26 pm

Yeah, Trader’s is notorious for hookin’ you on a product and then disappearing it…Is that where you got the Falcon Ridge Zin? (which I’ll have to try). The Cocobon comes in and out at my TJ’s — it’s popular — but even when I don’t see it out all I have to do is press the right crew members and I can usually find me a bottle.

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Peter B. December 2, 2011 at 10:43 pm

Yeah. The Falcon Ridge was at TJ’s. From what we hear it is no more. But the Red Flyer made by Hahn Estates disappeared from TJ’s for a long time, and then they apparently found a cache in their warehouses and brought it back for a while (at which point I bought a case).

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Dorothy at Shockinglydelicious.com December 19, 2011 at 3:28 pm

I had this wine at Cal Fresco, the new restaurant in Malibu, on Friday night, and it was fabulous! If you haven’t been to Cal Fresco yet, put it on your list. Here’s a bit about it http://www.thegodmother.com/About_Us_HVL0.html

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regan May 4, 2012 at 11:02 pm

I’m a firm believer in Cocobon. And I agree its more expensive cheap-wIne factor never gives me pause. Blends are the hot new thing–easier to regulate taste! But my real concern is that the $7 feta is no longer in stock!!!! Eden, please return to me!!!!!

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Julie May 5, 2012 at 8:25 am

no more $7 feta???? OMG I hadn’t noticed (I’m making my last block last as long as possible…) Now THAT can not stand….

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