DnA Vineyards Benefactor Cellars Mendocino County Red Wine – Solid

Last Updated on May 14, 2026

IMG_3651

Cool label, great story, but how’s the wine?

Only $4.99 at Trader Joe’s. 50% Zinfandel, 40% Syrah, 10% Carignane.

From the bottle:

Oh erstwhile unstoppable wine market! There are those who have mourned your passing with many a tear, many a boo hoo. But we celebrate the generosity of your death. Those wines which once taunted us from beyond our price range now pour happily–affordably, deliciously, attainably–into our glasses, thanks to you. A toast to failed predictions! To bloated, insupportable markets! Here’s to the Benefactor! Benefactor Cellars 2009 Red Wine Mendocino County.

Would You Like To Save This?

Subscribe and we'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!

We won't send you spam, unsubscribe at any time.

14.9% alcohol

So after seeing the the label and hearing the story, how IS the wine? Not too bad. Not too bad at all.

I found this wine to be fairly smooth but with a tad too much heat on the finish from the high (14.9%) alcohol level. The wine opens up a bit after a couple hours. It’s got a bit of a peppery spice to it (from the Syrah probably), which is a little bit reminiscent of the Boom Boom Syrah. Overall, very nice for only $4.99. I’d like to give this one a higher rating, but there’s just too much heat at the finish for me. Otherwise it really is quite nice. If you like your wine with a little extra heat, this may be a bulk buy for you.

See a listing of local retailers selling this wine here.


Taste Rating: 7              Cost Rating: 10
Overall Rating: 7.8
Jon Thorsen

ABOUT JON THORSEN

Author and independent wine consumer helping millions of people find great wines without breaking the bank since 2011. Sign up for my FREE GUIDE to learn how! Read more about me...

FREE 5-DAY GUIDE

How To Drink Great Wine...Without Breaking The Bank

Ready to start drinking the best wine of your life, and save money doing it? Follow the path to savings and sign up for our 5 Day Free Guide!