Why you should be in love with wines from Trader Joe’s
When you find a Trader Joe’s with wine near where you are!
I have sequels to this post, so to speak. If you want to read more of my posts about Trader Joe’s Wines:
Click here for Two More insanely good value Trader Joe’s Wines and who recommended them.
Click here for Three More insanely good value Trader Joe’s Wines: Red Blend Edition
I’ll remind you again, at the end of this post. Just in case.
Spoiler alert: you can click on the category Trader Joe’s Wines in the heading and at the foot of the this post. It will bring you to all the Trader Joe’s Wine’s mentions. How cool is that?
Now to the original:
Let’s talk about why wines at Trader Joe’s are worthy of your love, or at least a long-standing relationship. You can easily buy delicious wine for under $10 a bottle. I am not talking about Two-Buck Chuck.
Just recently, we bought 4 cases. For under $350. For those of you who don’t want to do the division, that is 48 bottles at about $7.30 each. None of these wines were labeled Trader Joe’s, by the way. I have never even tried Two-Buck Chuck, which is over $4 now, anyway. They are quite popular, though.
The sweet spot for me are wines that are exclusive to them, but not labeled Trader Joe’s.
A little essential info: Trader Joe’s that sell wines are not everywhere .
I used to have a Trader Joe’s wine shop near me. My favorite wine drinking buddy (AKA my husband) and I would go fairly often to stock up. Cruel world (well, wine world) that it is, the shop closed suddenly. We were not happy about it. At all.
When we had to travel out of state for business, I tried to find the nearest Trader Joe’s wines to where we were going. Boy, was that a challenge! There are state laws and regional rules. If you Google Trader Joe’s wine, it will not distinguish between stores with and without wine.
When I talk about wines that punch above their price point, Trader Joe’s wines are totally in the mix. Spoiler alert: it isn’t every wine in the Trader Joe’s Wine Stores. Regardless, you’ve got a good shot at finding a winning wine for an incredibly reasonable price.
Want even more great wine suggestions? Click below and get a free wine guide.
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Want even more great wine suggestions? Click below and get a free wine guide. ------
Especially if you follow my suggestions.
Many of the wines we bought were those we had had before. We greeted them like long-lost friends!
I will tell you more about the above wines, working left to right. They are all red in this go round. A future blog post will cover the best whites, and the wines we haven’t sampled yet. Shout out to the very well informed staff at the wine store who made suggestions.
I will not do wine “notes” for each for a number of reasons. As I’ve mentioned in other posts, some of the word choices are ridiculous and mean little to most people. I will make some helpful comments, but at this price point, you are better off trying them for yourself and deciding. They really are all fun wines! I will list the price I paid and the alcohol content.
Rough and Ready Wine Productions: Cab Franc vs. Cab Sauv. $8.99
This was actually new to me, but since I love both Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, I tried this as soon as we bought it. It is listed as a Red Wine Blend from Lodi, California and its alcohol is 14.8% by volume. Not a wimpy wine at all.
Rough and Ready Wine Productions: Petite Sirah vs. Petit Verdot $7.99
This was definitely an old friend! I would buy this whenever I see it. It is also a Red Wine Blend from Lodi, California. As in the title it is a Petite Sirah and Petite Verdot. At 13.5% alcohol by volume it is slightly lower than the Cab one listed above, but still not a wimpy wine. Fun is to be had here.
Barbera d’Asti 2020 Rosa dell Olino $5.99
This, too, was an old friend. It is an Italian wine made from the Barbera grape. It is produced in the Asti province. What you should know is that it is delicious and totally worth a try. As with almost all Italian wines, they are best with food. We drink red wine with almost everything, so just have fun with what you pair it with. It is not rocket science. In case you care, the ABV is 13%. In general, but not always, European wine is lower in alcohol than wines in California. Although they seem to be catching up.
Cabernet-Syrah Maison Barboulot 2021 $6.49
Hello France! Hello old friend. I was so happy to find this one again. This wine is a delicious 50-50 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah from southern France. This area of the country will often offer reasonably priced delicious wines. Most times they will not be as inexpensive as this one was at Trader Joe’s. The ABV (alcohol by volume) is13%.
Back to Italy:
Gaetano D’Aquino Chianti Riserva 2019 $5.99
AND
Fior di Vino Chianti Classico Riserva 2018 $7.99
I grouped these together to discuss. Chianti is an area in Italy. Because they have chosen to call themselves Chianti and Chianti Classico, they must follow the rules that are required to do so. Chianti must have at least 70% Sangiovese, and the Classico at least 80%. To be called Classico the wine must come from the smaller historical area of Chianti. It also must have a black rooster on the label. Italy takes its wine history seriously. They are both Riserva which means they have been aged for 2 years. They are 13% and 13.5% ABV respectively.
The best way to learn what you like is to drink and compare. Drink and compare these two. Open up both at the same time and see if you can tell any differences. Since both are very reasonably priced, you won’t break the bank. You can always put a cork in and refrigerate the rest.
Does the $2 price difference matter with taste or quality? Do you prefer one? As with most Italian wines, having food with it is a good idea. A natural pairing with these is tomato, but try it with anything. Have fun with it!
Epicurio Aglianico Puglia $5.99
We are now in a different area in Italy. Aglianico is a grape variety found mostly in the south of Italy. We have been a long time fan of this wine. When we used to buy it near to where we live, we had to compete with restaurant owners that would buy up all the cases as soon as it came in. This is such a fun and delicious wine that we bought a case this time. It is 13% ABV.
La Sonriente Garnacha 2020 $6.99
We are now in Spain. Garnacha is a grape type that may be called Grenache in other countries. Because it is often underappreciated, it can be a great bargain. Trader Joe’s used to carry a wide range of Garnacha wines, but they haven’t been available lately. If you see any of them there, grab it. This wine is great fun. Buy it and enjoy. The ABV is 14%. Not a wimpy wine by a long shot.
The goal is to have fun with delicious wines. Don’t over think and it and don’t over spend.
So now go out, buy some of these wines, and fall in love. Or at least consider a long term relationship.
With prices and taste like this, how can you not?
If you want to read more of my posts about Trader Joe’s Wines:
Click here for Two More insanely good value Trader Joe’s Wines and who recommended them.
Click here for Three More insanely good value Trader Joe’s Wines: Red Blend Edition
