Trader Joe’s Wines
Trader Joe’s has a long history of putting out their own labeled wines. And we also have a long history of tasting all of them. And from time to time we run into something amazing that must be purchased in small to large quantities. As an example, a few years back they put out a Pinot Noir from Aroyo Grande. It was spectacular. I think we hit all the TJ’s in the area and bought every case.
The following wines are currently available at Trader Joe’s. And as they appear we will diligently taste them and report back here . . . stay tuned.
Description: Platinum Reserve, Carneros
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Rating: 94 | $14.99 | Tasted: 11/7/2024
Notes: The nose has cherry cola, strawberry and wet tree bark. Really lovely. Med+ concentration on the nose.
The palate has full concentration, full body, long finish, high acid and great intensity. Tannins are light, but present and coat the teeth with sweet berry flavors.
And I will say, having tried dozens of Carneros Pinots this year on our many tasting trips, this one bucks the Carneros trend of light, strawberry, mineral wines. This tastes more like something out of Santa Lucia Highlands in Monterey. A very powerful, balanced pinot that needs to be noticed!!
Description: Reserve, Santa Barbara County Lot# 241
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Rating: 94+ | $9.99 | Tasted: 11/7/2024
Notes: The nose is redolent of rhubarb/strawberry jam. It has red cherry, raspberry and sweet baking spice. A hint of mushroom as well.
But the mouthfeel and the concentration are pretty amazing. It has the concentration of a much more expensive pinot. The acid is med+, the body full, the finish long. There is little tannin to speak of — in other words it is really smooth wine with great flavor intensity.
This wine knocks it out of the park. We need to be telling the pinot lovers about it!!
Description: Grand Reserve, Carneros Lot# 20
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Chardonnay
Rating: 91 | $12.99 | Tasted: 11/7/2024
Notes: Great effort by Trader Joes. This Chardonnay is buttery with a hint of oak, a cinnamon note, peach and lemon.
But it is on the palate that it really shines. It has a lovely richness, good acid levels, full body and long finish.
Great wine for sea food, bread, olive oil or just sipping while making dinner. It can easily stand alone. The only thing it lacks is minerality, but that aside, it is really well balanced between the rich fruit and the acidity.
Description: Grand Reserve, Carneros Lot# 20
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Chardonnay
Rating: 89 | $9.99 | Tasted: 11/7/2024
Notes: Great effort by Trader Joes. This Chardonnay is buttery with a hint of oak
Description: Grand Reserve, Russian River Valley Lot# 138
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Rating: 89 | $12.99 | Tasted: 10/17/2024
Notes: What we have here is a nice Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley with gentle, light fruit. We got strawberry/rhubarb, red cherry, a hint of forest floor (but this guy is really young), a touch of raspberry and light toast.
The palate shows a long finish with good concentration of flavors. The body is medium, as are the tannins. The acid is med+.
Yet another good offering from Tjs. It has a long enough, pleasant finish that this would be great for a wine to take to a party. But its concentration on the nose is a tad light. But if that’s your thing, go for it. It reminded us of a delicate strawberry/rhubarb jam.
Description: N.D.P., Pays d’Oc, France
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Viognier
Rating: 92 | $4.99 | Tasted: 9/26/2024
Notes: The wine has medium concentration on the nose with aromas of green melon, lemon drop, spiced apple, pear, stone fruit, cream, baking spice and fig.
The wine has medium alcohol, med+ body, high acid, concentrated flavors, med+ finish.
A very approachable viognier with a bit of baking spice, sweet citrus and lovely, warm, green fruits. The concentration in this wine is on the palate rather than the nose. The light nose concentration left us shocked at how much concentration there was on the palate. Great wine to have with appetizers before dinner or just cold on a warm autumn day.
Description: Truffaut, Pays d’Oc, France
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Cabernet Franc
Rating: 91 | $6.99 | Tasted: 9/26/2024
Notes: The wine has an interesting, vegetal nose matched with blackberry, kirsch, black cherry, plum, fig, meat, oyster shell calcium notes and earth.
The palate has a medium body, long finish, medium tannins, high acid, med+ concentration of flavors, medium alcohol.
Needs a little time to breathe. There is an initial bitterness on the palate that fades after 15 minutes. The fruit emerges after this time as well. It started as an 88 point wine and emerged in time as a 91 pointer.
Description: Reserve Paso Robles Lot# 249
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Meritage
Rating: 93 | $9.99 | Tasted: 9/13/2024
Notes: This wine has a pronounced nose with fruit launching itself out of the glass at your nose. You get black cherry, black raspberry, black plums, baker’s cocoa, red currants, sweet Bada-Bing cherry, leather, cream and toast.
The wine has long finish, full body, concentrated flavors, med+ acid, med tannins, and high alcohol.
This is a right bank blend from Paso with 80% Merlot, 16% Cab, 4% Cab Franc. And it surprised the heck out of us when we took our first sniff. This wine is not hiding anything. Nor is it missing anything on the nose or the palate. There are no missing holes or off flavors. This could be the biggest sleeper on the shelves right now.
Description: Platinum Reserve Oakville, Napa Valley, Lot# 113
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Rating: 92 | $17.99 | Tasted: 8/29/2024
Notes: Really impressive nose on this. Pronounced aromas of blackberry, raspberry, black and red cherry, licorice, leather and sweet kirsch. It has coffee, cocoa, dust, brambly herbaceousness.
The palate is full bodied, med+ intensity, med+ finish, med acid, med tannins and pretty nice flavors. It’s dry, but It comes across as off-dry because the fruit is bright and red.
Dang, TJ’s, you did it again. This is as good as some $35 dollar Napa Valley cabs that we’ve had recently. This is pretty. It isn’t as concentrated as some but get over it. It’s nice. This is worth trying. Just do it.
Description: Reserve Knights Valley, Sonoma County Lot# 260
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Cabernet Franc
Rating: 88 | $?.99 | Tasted: 8/29/2024
Notes: We lost the receipt that showed the price on this one, but it was not expensive — around ten bucks.
The wine has a pretty nose with aromas of blackberry, floral, toast, dried flowers, black cherry and spice.
It has lovely tannins that balance nicely the fruit and acid. The finish is long and flavors pronounced.
This is not a classic Cab Franc. It seems a little dilute as well. Nevertheless, don’t discount this one. It’s a great wine to take to a party this summer or sip with fish tacos or grilled chicken. It sort of wants food.
Description: Reserve Knights Valley, Sonoma County Lot# 260
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Cabernet Franc
Rating: 87 | $?.99 | Tasted: 8/29/2024
Notes: We lost the receipt that showed the price on this one, but it was not expensive — around ten bucks.
The wine has a pretty nose with aromas of blackberry, floral, toast, dried flowers, black cherry and spice.
It has lovely tannins that balance nicely the fruit and acid. The finish is long and flavors pronounced.
This is not a classic Cab Franc. It seems a little dilute as well. Nevertheless, don’t discount this one. It’s a great wine to take to a party this summer or sip with fish tacos or grilled chicken. It sort of wants food.
Description: Chateau La Pirouette, Cru Bourgeois, Medoc
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Left Bank Medoc
Rating: 87 | $7.99 | Tasted: 8/29/2024
Notes: Yah, $7.99? The wine has a nice nose with a medium+ intensity. We got raspberry, strawberry, toasted oak, red cherry bramble and light oak.
The mouthfeel is nice. The body was medium+, high acid, medium tannins, good intensity and a nice finish. The flavor is predominantly strawberry, amazingly.
The wine is only 50% Cabernet Sauv, 40% Merlot with a hint of Petite Verdot and Malbec. All that Merlot is providing a nice red fruit palate. For this price, this wine is a great bargain, especially if you’re just getting into left bank Bordeaux.
Description: Rosa dell Olmo
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Nebbiolo
Rating: 86 | $8.99 | Tasted: 8/29/2024
Notes: The Rosa Dell Olmo Nebbiolo from the Lange region is pleasant but simple wine. The Nose is light with aromas of red plum, raspberry and dried flowers. The body is medium, the acid is balanced with the fruit. But the tannins are very light. That means this wine is really approachable as a Nebbiolo, which usually needs time to soften up. A Nebbiolo that is only three years old is rare to have this level of tannins. So, this has no time lag at all. Open the bottle and start enjoying it!
Description: Barerri & Rovati Riserva Barbaresco
Vintage: 2018
Varietal: Nebbiolo
Rating: 87 | $19.99 | Tasted: 8/14/2024
Notes: The wine has a med intensity on the nose and has a typically Nebbiolo pale color. The aromas are dried herbs and flowers, black plum, mild strawberry, toasted oak and black cherry.
The tannins are grippy and unripe. The body and concentration are medium. But acid and tannins are high. The finish is med(-), not too long.
We found that the wine was very young and would benefit from a few years of age to soften the tannins. But breathing for an hour helped it soften up a bit. More of the aroma came out after breathing.
As Nebbiolos go, see the one just below for a better version.
Description: Barerri & Rovati Riserva Barolo
Vintage: 2017
Varietal: Nebbiolo
Rating: 89 | $23.99 | Tasted: 8/06/2024
Notes: This is a really good fine by TJ’s. A fairly pronounced nose of dried herbs and flowers. red fruit, plums, cherries and toasted oak.
The palate shows high acid, full, grippy tannins, med body and good concentration. Lovely, dried flowers on the palate.
We actually opened this last night, but the tannins were too grippy, so we had a glass each and sealed the bottle. And it rewarded us. It has improved overnight. The tannins have softened, and the flavor is more pronounced.
For a 2017, this is young. Most Barolos are aged a minimum of 3 years, 18 months in oak. And they need it to soften the tannins. This guy needs more than that! For the money, we’ve tried Barolos this good in the $50-70 range. So, this is a great one to try if you’re just starting to get your toe in the water with Nebbiolo.
Description: Grand Reserve Sonoma County Lot #133
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Syrah
Rating: 89 | $12.99 | Tasted: 8/01/2024
Notes: The first thing I smelled was caramelized brown sugar followed by blackberry, licorice, leather, vanilla, toasty oak, cream, earthy minerality. But the nose remained elusive for the tasting.
Nice mouthfeel, full body, explosive flavors that fade into a med+ finish. Oh, for a longer finish on this one! The concentration fades pretty fast, but at first, it’s a real firecracker. Acidity is full and the tannins med+.
Ok, good effort on the Syrah. It’s a solid 89+. A little tightening up on the finish, concentration and the nose — and this would be a stellar wine. It’s almost there. Don’t let that stop you from checking it out. For the price, it could be very nice with food, great to take to a party.
Description: Grand Reserve Russian River Valley Sonoma County Lot #135
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Petite Sirah
Rating: 88 | $12.99 | Tasted: 8/01/2024
Notes: A bit elusive on the nose. Let it open up a little. We got great blackberry, some baked spice, black plum, coffee and leather.
The acidity is high, the tannins medium, the body med+ and the finish med+ as well. The concentration on the palate is nearly full.
The wine is balanced well enough. Every sip leaves you with a basic palate of colors, but it needs a little more. It’s a little on the simple side — and the answer for this Petite is food. It would shine at Thanksgiving or with a barbeque of herb grilled chicken or duck. Nothing too heavy, but something that will bring out the flavors and compliment this wine. This wine won’t overpower the food, but work with it. Try it!
Description: Reserve Yountville, Napa Valley Lot #236
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Chardonnay
Rating: 91 | $9.99 | Tasted: 8/01/2024
Notes: Quite a pronounced scent profile that you can smell before you nose hits the glass. It is full of apple, pear, a touch of banana, cheesecake, vanilla and butter.
The palate provides a nice concentration of fruit that coats the teeth — almost sweet. The acidity is full, the body full and fruity concentration full as well.
Yountville is south enough that it gets enough cooling overnight to make this chard thick and very satisfying. Grown in Carneros it might have even more finesse and structure with the cooler nights. But as it stands, this is a really satisfying wine with a lot of concentration and complexity. If you like a little butter and a tropical fruity/apple-pear quality, this is the wine for you. It is definitely worth trying at this price point.
Description: Diamond Reserve Oakville, Napa Valley Lot #5
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Rating: 91 | $19.99 | Tasted: 7/24/2024
Notes: Immediately on nose you get a touch of gentle oak, blackberry, blackberry leaf, black plum, black cherry, cassis, leather and oyster shell minerality.
The tannins are grippy but nearly ripe with berry notes, acid is med+, the body is full, the finish is satisfyingly long, the alcohol is high.
Give it a little time to open up. It’s young but had its legs already. Ready to drink. The nose can be a little elusive, but it has plenty of fruit. Where it shines is the decent concentration and a satisfying complexity on the palate. The acidity, the sweet tannins and the tart fruit balance each other out.
And as it breathes, we got a really pretty phreesia sweet spiciness on the nose and palate that wasn’t there at first. Kicked the rating up to a 91.
Description: Replica — California
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Rating: 87 | $x.99 | Tasted: 6/20/2024
Notes: The wine has a weak nose, but you do get rhubarb, cranberry, cherry, strawberry, mushroom, cabbage leaf and wet stones.
The body is better. The finish is Med+, the tannins Med+ and the acid Med. There is some concentration here.
The leafy cabbage is a good indicator that the grapes were harvested before they were fully ripe. So, it is fairly good wine, though a little thin. The nose is not pronounced but, on the palate, it shows some promise. My wife said it would be a good picnic wine. It did have some life with food, so we’d encourage anyone checking this out to have it with a meal.
Description: Grand Reserve Lot #131
Grand Vin de Bordeaux, Moulis-En-Medoc
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Bordeaux
Rating: 90 | $12.99 | Tasted: 6/6/2024
Notes: The wine needs to breathe. It was tight when opened, so give it some air for a couple hours. It will reward you.
So, we got blackberry, black cherry, bramble, leather, lots of anise, black currant and licorice.
It offers thick, silky tannins, high acid, full body, long finish and a fairly concentrated flavor.
It was night and day after breathing. We had it with spicy Mexican food, and it just blossomed. Go figure! The food brought out the sweetness and licorice in the tannins.
Description: Reserve Paso Robles Lot #249
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Red Wine
Rating: 87 | $9.99 | Tasted: 5/30/2024
Notes: Firm notes of clove, cedar and smoke. There is leather, blackberry, licorice, vanilla, bramble and burnt wood. The nose is overpowered by the smoke. But it fades a bit with time in the glass.
The tannins are high, acidity med+, nearly full body with concentrated flavors.
It is a full-bodied wine, however, the smoke, clove and cedar overpower the rest of the scents and flavors in the wine. It has concentration in flavors, but the flavors and nose are just unbalanced creating a rough tasting wine.
Description: Grand Reserve, Bandol Lot #130
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Rose’
Rating: 90 | $12.99 | Tasted: 5/30/2024
Notes: The first sniff is full of apple, pear, grapefruit, lime peel, green melon and stone fruit.
Great mouthfeel, long finish, crisp acidity and full body. Perfect on ice for over the summer.
Bandol is known for their Mourvedre and their rose’. Mourvedre, Grenache and Cinsault are the usual culprits that make a rose’ blend. There is nothing on the bottle to illuminate what grapes might have gone into this, however. But the firmer mouthfeel suggests Grenache with the acidity of Mourvedre. This is a firm wine with lovely character. For the price, get a bunch and have a stock for the summer.
Description: La Burgondie
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Chardonnay
Rating: 89 | $9.99 | Tasted: 5/30/2024
Notes: The nose has spicy oak, dense minerality, lemon, cream, butter, stone fruit and tropical fruit.
Great acidity balanced with passion fruit on the palate. Full bodied wine with an ample finish.
This would be considered an entry level Chard, but it has more to offer than that. Again, TJs has found another really great wine for the price. The mouthfeel is a bit thin, but the wine shines with all its elements displayed. For 9.99 it is one to try.
Description: Reserve Alexander Valley, Sonoma Coast Lot #225
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Rating: 93 | $9.99 | Tasted: 5/27/2024
Notes: Lovely blackberry, cream cheese, clove, black plum, black cherry, cassis, fine oak, licorice, leather, meat, stone fruit, vineyard dirt, black currant, pickling spices vanilla, phressia.
The finish on this wine is amazing. The concentration and pronounced flavors are astounding for the price. I would expect to pay $50 bucks for this! The tannin and acid structure are high. The Alcohol is high but not burning high.
Wow, this is really good. Take a sniff. You get a plethora of scents. Take a sip, a mouthful. The balance is astounding. There is slight bramble bitterness that doesn’t stand a chance with the amazing fruit. The mouthfeel and long finish are awesome. the flavors are massive and each mouthful is a treat. Seriously, this is really lovely wine.
Description: Platinum Reserve Paso Robles Lot #112
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Rating: 88 | $14.99 | Tasted: 5/27/2024
Notes: Blackberry, black cherry, cream, black plum, weedy, soap.
Firm tannins, long finish, high acidity, concentrated, plentiful flavors that linger a long time.
The wine has a full bodied, long finishing flavor profile with plenty of berry and plum notes. The weediness is slightly bitter and detracts a touch from the enjoyment. The huge fruit does try to balance with the weedy notes. This doesn’t mean the wine is unappealing. Some may like the bramble bitterness. We did not. For the price, try it.
Description: Grand Reserve Santa Barbara County Lot #132
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: GSM
Rating: 90 | $12.99 | Tasted: 5/23/2024
Notes: The nose has strawberry, raspberry, cocoa, leather, licorice, baking spices, spicy peppery earth.
High acid, med(-) tannins, full body, pronounced flavors, concentrated long finish.
At 42% Grenache, 39% Syrah, 19% Mourvedre, this wine has a lot to offer. It starts out giving. Having just tasted a whole bunch of Chateauneuf-du-Papes, we have a good feel for those flavors. This is like an americanized version of a Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Many of the scents and flavors are the same. It has lighter flavors, brighter berries and less density of body that make the difference. The Santa Barbara area has excellent wines and Trader Joes is known for finding some interesting vintners. This one is no exception.
Description: MacRostie, Sonoma Coast
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Rating: 91 | $29.99 | Tasted: 5/17/2024
Notes: Sour cherry, strawberry, raspberry, kirsch, forest floor, oak spice, pungent blackberry leaf.
High alcohol, pronounced flavors, med+ acid, low tannins, pale color.
Hey, at $29.99 at Trader joes, this thing is top level regional wine that has lovely acidity balanced out with the almost sweet kirsch notes on the nose and palate. We compare this to $50 and $60 bucks Sonoma wines we’ve had this year. It’s really a great evening sipping wine or take it to a party and don’t break the bank. People will love it. It tastes far more expensive.
Description: Grand Reserve San Luis Obispo Coast Lot# 112
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Rating: 90 | $12:99 | Tasted: 5/16/2024
Notes: The nose has raspberry, strawberry, sweet cherry, minerals, forest floor, fig jam, vanilla, apricot and a touch of clove.
The wine is pale in color, high acid, long finishing, light tannins and very pronounced in flavor and texture.
This is a bit over-extracted, fermented too warm creating a wine with a jammy nose. But it is not that way on the palate. You get a pretty thick wine with lots of texture and very appreciable flavors that all stand out from each other. So don’t take that comment about being over-extracted too negatively. It has its moments. The nice mouth-feel and pronounced flavors push this wine into the 90 range.
Description: Grand Reserve Paso Robles Lot# 129
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Meritage
Rating: 92 | $12:99 | Tasted: 5/16/2024
Notes: 77% Cab Sauv, 7% Merlot, 7% Cab Franc, 7% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot.
The nose is Med+ pronounced with cinnamon, licorice, baking spice, cocoa, blackberry, black cherry, cassis and kirsch. There is a soft oak texture as well.
It has good body, silky tannins, medium acid, concentrated flavor with lovely, sweet kirsch. But the wine is dry.
No time needed to open up. Just pop the cork and enjoy it. This blend has enough Cab Franc and Petit Verdot to provide some floral perfume. The Merlot provides that silkiness on the palate. But the Cab Sauv gives you stunning, classic cassis and licorice. A good wine to try.
Description: Reserve Paso Robles Lot# 249
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Red Wine
Rating: 90 | $9:99 | Tasted: 5/16/2024
Notes: You do not need to even get within 5 inches of the glass with this one and you get a pronounced array of oak, cedar and clove right away. They overpower the fruit a bit, but let it breathe a little.
You get blackberry, black cherry, raspberry and cooked peach as well as the wood influences noted above. And then forest floor notes and baking spice appear.
The body is full, the acidity and tannins are in the medium range.
The bottle notes day 80% Cab Sauv, 16% Merlot and 4% Cab Franc. Give it a half hour to open up. It really is a pretty wine with silkiness and real depth.
Update: This wine is lovely with food. We had a grilled mozzarella, pesto, tomato and turkey sandwich and the combination with the wine was amazing.
Description: Reserve Sonoma County Lot# 252
Methode Champenoise
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Sparkling Blanc de Blancs
Rating: 91 | $xx:99 | Tasted: 5/16/2024
Notes: The wine has a fairly pronounced nose with aromas of apple, pear, stone fruit, tropical fruit, caramel, honey and toast from the oak.
The acidity is high and makes for a crisp wine with a creamy, textured mouthfeel. Lovely body.
Over the last year, having tried quite a few Sonoma Chardonnays, this takes me right back to those amazing wines. That apple and caramel is a fingerprint for the Sonoma/Russian River Chards that we have experienced recently (Black Kite). And though this wine is dry, it has a nose that might make you think it is going to have a sweet edge. It’s just all that lovely fruit on the nose. A lot of traditional method blanc de blancs are more austere in their almost carefulness in flavor and texture. Not here! You get a classy Chard with lovely bubbles and ample nose and flavors. 91~!! But we don’t recall the price.
Description: Grand Reserve Carneros Lot# 23
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Rating: 90 | $12:99 | Tasted: 4/15/2024
Notes: This wine wasn’t available at all the Trader Joe’s stores. A friend grabbed one from the Napa store and brought it over.
The nose: Strawberry, kirsch, raspberry, Mushroom, forest floor, coconut, vanilla, hint of ester-y banana and soap.
On the palate: Full body, light tannins, full acidity, concentrated flavor and long finish.
It’s a fruity wine, heavy for a Pinot. The wine is a touch sweet. It comes across like a big Beaujolais with the banana and (oddly) coconut. The lack of tannins, the sweetness and full body leave the wine a bit unbalanced and flabby.
Nevertheless, if you like a thick Pinot that defies the usual light bodied, bright strawberry mineral Carneros Pinots, this might be the wine for you. It has plenty of concentrated flavor and its nose is ripe with an array of fascinating scents. Call ahead to see if your store carries it.
Description: Rasteau Reserve, Lot# 254, Cru de la Vallee du Rhone
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Rhone Blend
Rating: 93 | $9:99 | Tasted: 4/11/2024
Notes: Red licorice, raspberry, bramble, cocoa, cranberry, red cherry and other red fruits.
This wine is nicely balanced with high acidity, long finish, full body, ripe tannins and concentrated flavor. We love the balance between the herbs, juicy fruit and the cocoa.
There are 18 Rhone Cru class areas. Rasteau (in the Southern Rhone) is one of those 19 areas and lies just northeast of its famous sibling, Chateauneuf-du-Pape. That wine is much darker in its fruit. This one is brighter but equally as intense. As a Cru wine it has a pedigree, and we generally expect a little more from Crus. In the states we see a few of the Cru areas of the Southern Rhone such as Vacqueyras and Gigondas. Rasteau is much rarer. So, this is a treat.
We are wondering where TJs got their hands on this one. It’s a gem of a wine. We have had Cotes du Rhone Villages wines that are very similar to this one. It has nothing but good concentration, pronounced nose, balanced elements and lovely flavors. $9.99 . . . for sooth! This thing qualifies for a much higher price than that. This is our favorite TJs wine since the astounding Russian River and Santa Lucia Highlands Pinots last year. Get some!
Description: Outlot — Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Rating: 92+ | $19:99 | Tasted: 4/4/2024
Notes: The scents on the nose are pronounced and enticing starting out with spicy, toasty oak, black cherry, red licorice, raspberry and blackberry. That is followed by some cassis, pepper, leather and tobacco. Don’t forget the black currant. Did I mentioned it is really pronounced? All the scents are identifiably fresh, not clumped into one fat scent.
Full bodied, long finishing, full acidity and med +tannins with a concentrated palate. This will improve with age. It has the structure, but not too long.
I kept thinking, 20 bucks, huh? This is a wine right up there with entry level wines by the big Napa producers. So, don’t take this wrong — it’s gonna be a compliment, ok? But this wine just lacks a degree of meaty depth and velvet to project it into the next level of the big hitters. It is simply a little too fresh fruity for that. But with that said, it’s so approachable and sincerely balanced in every way that it’s top of the stack for everyday drinking and does not break the budget. The nuances in this wine and the way it just projects its scents so readily is a joy to rate. But before everyone rushes out to get some, I got dibs on some first.
Description: Cachapoal Valley, Chile, Lot# 110
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Red Blend
Rating: 91 | $14:99 | Tasted: 3/21/2024
Notes: Notes of dried date, red cherry, red plum, toasty oak, cocoa, herbacious, raspberry and blackberry.
The wine has a lovely full body, pronounced flavors, med+ finish, med tannins and med+ acidity.
Red licorice, cocoa and herbs jump out at you the second you smell this wine after a well aerated pour. The nose is really well integrated, light and fruity. None of the scents are overwhelming. The wine is well dry, nothing cloying or sweet. On the palate, the wine is pleasurable right out of the bottle. No need to decant at all. It is ready to drink.
At 73% Cabernet Sauv, 11% Syrah, 9% Carmenere, 4% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc, the Cabernet Sauv does not overwhelm any of the other grapes. The Syrah, actually, is very noticeable. FYI – this went great with paneer tikka masala.
Description: NDP, Pays d’Oc, Product of France
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Red Blend
Rating: 90 | $6.99 | Tasted: 3/14/2024
Notes: Blackberry, black plum, prune, a gentle citrus note of lime, cardamom, nutmeg, oatmeal with baked peaches.
The palate is full body, full acid and med tannins. The flavor is concentrated and the finish long.
We had a fun time trying this. This wine is Pays d’Oc from France and that means the grapes could have come from anywhere in the south of France. It has a warm fruit note to it says the grapes had higher sugar when harvested. It just keeps surprising us. We got notes on the nose that surprised us like the soft lime and baked stone fruit. We had saucy Asian food for dinner and this wine went with it perfectly.
So, this wine is really worth trying for its lovely fruit flavors, full body and interesting melange of scents that you just don’t see in a red wine usually.
Description: Alavida, Tupungato, Mendoza, Argentina, Organic, Kosher
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Malbec
Rating: 89 | $13.99 | Tasted: 3/14/2024
Notes: Blackberry, bramble, cassis, black currant, forest floor, cedar, dandelion stem and sweet biscuit. The nose is pronounced.
The mouth feel on this wine is full body, full acid, full tannin, pronounced and fairly concentrated. The tannins are ropey, the wine dry with a hint of biscuit. It is everything a textbook Malbec should exhibit on the palate.
This wine is a deal for $13.99. There are a few things I would change about this wine that would put it up with Mendoza wines like Luca. It has some tartness on the nose and a bit of astringency on the palate that just make it a little off balance. But with that said, this wine is also very concentrated in its positive flavors of blackberry, cedar and sweet, black cherry. My counterpart here is saying it might benefit from food. It’s just so close to being a stellar Malbec. It is worth a try.
Description: Patroferno Appassimento, Pulia
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Primitivo
Rating: 90 | $12.99 | Tasted: 2/15/2024
Notes: Blackberry, raspberry, pluot, kirsch cherry, almond biscotti, black pepper, cocoa, nori, sushi rice, raisin.
Full acidity, full body, medium tannins, long finish. There is good concentration and pronounced flavor.
Puglia is known for high volume Primitivo for the mass market. But this is a different animal. It is far more lush. The appassimento (dried grape) method yields a thicker must. And when fermented dry you get a lovely, thick wine with concentrated flavors and long finish. The guys at TJ’s warned us this was a good wine and great value.
Description: Conti Di Bregonzo, Amarone della Valpolicella
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Corvina
Rating: 90 | $16.99 | Tasted: 2/15/2024
Notes: Cherry , menthol, eucalyptus, sweet raspberry, short bread, cranberry, vanilla.
The palate shows full acidity, med tannin, long finish, concentrated flavor, full bodied.
We recently rated the previous 2020 release and were really thrilled to try this new one. The old one sold out fast and it was disappointing to see it not show up again on the shelves. They are very different. This one is brighter with very little sweetness. The dried quality from the previous release is not there now. It is much more fresh fruited with tart cranberry on the palate that balances out the sweetness on the nose.
Description: Belhara Estate, Single Vineyard, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Malbec
Rating: 88 | $8.99 | Tasted: 2/15/2024
Notes: Raspberry, red cherry, strawberry, dried cranberry, date, red bell pepper, marjoram, sage.
Medium tannins, med body, med finish, medium- acid. The flavors are slightly muted, but the fruit is nicely bright. This is a lovely digression from the usual Mendoza full, full, full across the board, dark fruited Malbec. It is bright fruited with a nose that speaks of sweetness, but the palate is perfectly dry without being bone dry. Definitely worth checking out.
Description: Rough & Ready Wine Productions, Lodi California
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc
Rating: 92 | $7.99 | Tasted: 2/8/2024
Notes: Black berry, black cherry, dried black currant, warm stewed fruit, dark cocoa, black pepper, mint, lavender.
Very intense, pronounced flavors. The body is full, the tannins soft, the acid high. The texture is rich on the palate. The finish is really long.
Having tasted wine at most of the Lodi wineries over the last 20 years, this wine has the same flavor profile as some of the Michael David wines — in that the wine tastes like it came from berries that were (for part of their lives on the vine) hot. I mean hot. You can smell and taste it. It’s like a stewed fruit flavor that smells warm. But besides that, this wine is a steal at 7.99. It is massive.
To geek out on WSET for a second, the wine checks all the boxes: BLIC — Balance, Length, Intensity, Complexity. According to WSET this is an exceptional wine. The grapes are classic Bordeaux grapes, but they are 100% Lodi in flavor profile. They aren’t trying to be Napa or any other region in style. This has the Lodi fingerprint. The Central Valley should be proud of that.
Description: Rough & Ready Wine Productions, Lodi, California
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Petite Sirah/Petit Verdot
Rating: 93 | $7.99 | Tasted: 2/8/2024
Notes: Blue berry, boysenberry, tart black cherry, light cocoa, black berry leaf, black pepper.
Very intense, pronounced flavors. The body is full, the tannins medium, the acid high. The texture is almost plush on the palate as the tannins really provide a lovely grip. The finish is really long.
This is a great wine out of Lodi. Really reminds us of Michael David wines with their intense flavors and huge mouthfeel. The Petite Sirah provides the dark, inky vehicle that the Petit Verdot rides on with its lovely blue fruit flavors. You could write with this stuff it’s so deeply colored.
What I want to do it mix this wine and the one above together. I’ll do that later.
Description: Rock Station, Napa Valley
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Rating: 90 | $14.99 | Tasted: 2/1/2024
Notes: The spicy wood in this wine is fairly pronounced. Cedar and oak are the first things we noticed. After you get past the wood, you get blackberry, vanilla, cassis, cloves, cinnamon, oregano and black cherry. It almost smells like a good piece of berry coffee cake.
The palate is intense, concentrated, full bodied. The finish is long, the acid is full and the tannins medium. This wine does not come across as dry. It’s more off-dry with just a hint of sweet. If you’re sensitive to sweet, you might get more of this than we did. But the hint of sweet plays well with the baked good flavors.
Description: Reserve Wahluke Slope, Washington State, Lot #237
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Syrah
Rating: 89 | $9.99 | Tasted: 2/1/2024
Notes: This one is a little on the lighter side. I get blackberry, dark baking chocolate, butter cookie, black cherry, vanilla, phreesia, nutmeg and a touch of wood box.
The finish is med+, the tannins medium, the acid full and the balance very good. The flavors are fairly concentrated, a little tart and fruity. The winemaker wasn’t going for big and thick, but it’s not simple either. It’s a very quaffable wine.
Firstly, good on Trader Joe’s for getting some Washington wine in their shelves. This is where I grew up.
And secondly — Wahluke Slope is located up in the Columbia River Valley, eastern Washington just north of the now famous Horse Heaven Hills and Red Mountain. It hosts over 20 different vineyards from two different wineries. It features gravelly, rocky soils with and warm, dry climate.
Description: Reserve Wahluke Slope, Washington State, Lot #253
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Rating: 88+ | $9.99 | Tasted: 2/1/2024
Notes: The very first thing that strikes you about this Washington State wine is the sweet blueberry on the nose. Then comes the blackberry, pure oak and vanilla. But there is also some red cherry and strawberry — and then suddenly it hit me: this is really fruity cab, kinda leaning toward a cru Beaujolais like a Morgon or Moulin-a-Vent. The palate holds high acid, full tannins and a med+ finish. The finish has a brambly flavor as well. This is a great, easy drinking summer afternoon wine served lightly chilled. Just don’t expect a massive cab and you’ll be fine!
— Wahluke Slope is located up in the Columbia River Valley, eastern Washington just north of the now famous Horse Heaven Hills and Red Mountain. It hosts over 20 different vineyards from two different wineries. It features gravelly, rocky soils with and warm, dry climate.
Description: M Chevallier, Carte Noire BRUT Cava, Methode Traditionelle
Vintage: NV
Varietal: Sparkling Wine
Rating: 89 | $6.99 | Tasted: 1/10/2024
Notes: Lemon nose with a hint of biscuit, apple, pear, apricot and nice minerality. The body is medium, the acid full and nicely balanced with the intense fruitiness on the palate.
For the money, this is really an excellent buy. Really good Cava is hard to find on the west coast, but this is one of the better ones. Once again Trader Joe’s has found a really good wine.
Description: Grand Reserve Los Carneros Brut
Vintage: NV
Varietal: Sparkling Wine
Rating: 89 | $12.99 | Tasted: 1/2/2024
Notes: Lime peel, lemon Jello, river stone, pear drop, toast, oak, nectarine, honeydew melon. The Jello on the nose is slight but does have an odd Jello-ness.
The body is medium+, the acidity medium+ with low alcohol. The wine has a lovely crispness without being overly tart. At first, I thought I was off-dry, but the fruit was throwing me off. It has ample fruit and balances really well with the acid level.
If you don’t enjoy the usual bone-dry sparkling wine and want one with far more fruit character this could be the wine for you.
Description: Brut Rose’
Vintage: NV
Varietal: Rose’ Sparkling Wine
Rating: 88 | $12.99 | Tasted: 1/2/2024
Notes: Great nose on this one. Strawberry, cherry, red delicious apple, melon, pear, lemon, apricot and honey suckle. Very pretty.
It isn’t over carbonated at all, with soft bubbles and a medium+ finish and length. It isn’t overly complex. The acidity is medium-. More acidity could have made this a really complex, crisp, fresh wine, but it’s not as such. It is very fruity and bit much like a Jolly Rancher. So, all in all, there are folks that will probably really appreciate this wine who don’t like bone-dry sparklers. The fruit really tricks you into thinking there’s a touch of sweetness here.
Description: North Coast Reserve Brut
Vintage: NV
Varietal: Sparkling Wine
Rating: 90 | $12.99 | Tasted: 1/1/2024
Notes: I picked this up last week and forgot the review it before New Year’s Eve.
Crisp pear, lemon peel and apple, but this apple is a Gala or Honey Crisp. There is a little more stone fruit on this one than the one below.
But here the mouth feel is far more generous and complex. The lemony acidity is lovely, and the finish is longer, medium+. The apple on the finish is really lovely with the slight buttery pie crust flavor. Worth buying just to have a few around when you need something sparkling and won’t, in any sense, break the bank.
Description: La Burgondie
Vintage: NV
Varietal: Cremant de Bourgogne
Rating: 88 | $20 | Tasted: 1/1/2024
Notes: I picked this up last week and forgot the review it before New Year’s Eve.
It’s a nice, basic sparkler from the Bourgogne region. On the nose you get pear, lemon drop, apple, wet stone and a touch of biscuit. The palate feel on this one is medium sized bubbles and medium body.
It is perfect if you need a good starter wine or rushing for a party over the holidays.
Description: Pedroncelli Mother Clone Dry Creek Valley
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Zinfandel
Rating: 91 | $18.99 | Tasted: 12/21/2023
Notes: What a classy label. The manager at my store made sure to point this bottle out today, saying they had tasted it recently at a store tasting and loved it.
Nose: Blackberry, black plum, chocolate, coffee, a hint of a banana note that goes great with the chocolate. There is a cedar, pencil shaving playing in the background. Deep down you can smell the dirt in that vineyard, peppery earth.
Flavor is also fairly chocolate and coffee with smooth tannins, high acid, full body and full intensity. Pretty delicious.
Description: Reserve Santa Maria Valley, Lot #250
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Chardonnay
Rating: 89 | $9.99 | Tasted: 12/19/2023
Notes: A peach, stonefruit attack, followed by wet river stone, a hint of banana, passion fruit, green melon, pear drop and vanilla.
The finish is medium plus, the body full, high acid and alcohol. This is edging on 90pts to me. Good acid balances out the tropical fruit. It is a tad tart, however. It is a simpler Chard than some of the high-end stuff, but it’s so approachable. Worth the money.
Description: Gran Reserva DOC Rioja Spain Lot#120
Vintage: 2015
Varietal: Rioja
Rating: 89 | $9.99 | Tasted: 12/19/2023
Notes: The first sniff was an assault of scents, and it took a moment to sort them all out. It was like a game to get them all straight. For a 2015, this wine doesn’t smell at all of aged wine. Instead, it’s pretty fresh. A tiny hint of brett, mushroom, cedar, cayenne spiciness, blackberry and mint. Breadiness, cinnamon and tart red plum. After breathing then a lovely nose of black pepper emerges.
Big smooth tannic wine that coats the teeth with medium acidity. Medium+ finish and dry. The wine changes pretty quickly with oxygen contact. It has so many flavor nuances. But it does die off pretty quickly after sitting in the glass for a few minutes. Open it, pour it and drink fairly quickly.
Description: VINTJS Paso Robles
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Rating: 88 | $6.99 | Tasted: 12/19/2023
Notes: Ripe plum, raspberry and blackberries, currants, a wood note, vanilla, forest floor and mushroom.
But this wine is really alive on the palate. The tannins are soft with firm acid. But it’s really round in your mouth with a great intensity of bright flavors with no off-notes at all. The finish is pretty long. This is a good sipper and won’t break the bank.
Description: Grower’ Reserve California
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Merlot
Rating: 86 | $4.99 | Tasted: 12/19/2023
Notes: Rhubarb tartness, raspberry, cherry, baked pie crust and a hint of vanilla on the nose. It has a lovely tartness, medium acidity and soft tannins. The finish is medium in length.
The back of the bottle begins, “Cultivate simplicity . . .” and that’s what you get: a simple wine that doesn’t require a lot of thought and has a lot of nice character. There is nothing wrong with this wine at all. It’s a perfect wine for a holiday party or with a roast chicken or pork.
Description: Reserve Sonoma County Lot #251
Vintage: 2020
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Rating: 91 | $9.99
Notes: The nose jumps right out. This is no bashful wine. You get black Cherry, blackberry, black currants, cedar, vanilla clove as you get in phreesia, warm plum, damp earth, basil and a hint of cumin.
The tannins are firm but silky, the acid well balanced, alcohol highish, nice long finish. Very well-balanced fruitiness. It is a solid 90+. Maybe that is why this wine came out a week ago and there were only two bottles left on the dang shelf . . .
Description: Reserve San Luis Obispo County Lot #243
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Chardonnay
Rating: 90 | $9.99
Notes: A bit of diesel, medicinal at first, but this fades away leaving you with a really approachable Chard. The minerality of this wine is amazing. I mean really pretty minerals. They are right up front blending nicely with pear, stone fruit, citrus and vanilla with a hint of either malolactic or lees contact leaving a creaminess and a tiny bit of biscuit.
Flavor-wise, it has got complexity. The acid shines and the stone fruit (maybe white nectarine) is balanced with tart citrus peel. It has a good long finish. The minerals and stone fruit pit flavor stay around a bit. Really nice wine for the money.
Description: Grand Reserve Napa Valley Lot #126
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Rating: 89 | $12.99
Notes: A bit grassy, with stone fruit and grapefruit, pear, apple, lime, wet river stone, floral honeysuckle,
Fresh acidity with medium plus body — quite refreshing. For the money, this is a brilliant wine to take to a party. It has a lot of layers. People will be saying, what? How much did you say that cost?
Description: Conti di Bregonzo
Amarone della Valpolicella
Vintage: 2020
Varietal: Corvina
Rating: 92 | $16.99
Notes: First thing out of my mouth was, “That’s a chunky wine.” Layers of flavors, thick body, dry but way fruity. Medium acid and soft medium tannins. Huge finish. It is thick but not flabby at all. Imagine black cherries for Old Fashions, tobacco, coffee, but also lilac and currants. Blackberries, black plum, sweet raisins and nutmeg. This wine just keeps giving and sucks you in for more. So, Trader Joes has this for around $16 bucks. It is very good.
Description: Trading Post by Trader Joe’s, Napa
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Rating: 94+ | $19.99
Notes: Immediately upon opening the cherry jumps out at you, but let it breathe for a few minutes. It has black cherry, almost Bada-Bing cherries, blackberry, cassis, cloves, toasty oak, dried fig, black pepper and coffee.
The tannins are medium, alcohol high, acid high and the finish is LONG. But this is not your giant, cellar for 10 years, Napa cab. It is far more fruit forward, ready to drink now. Maybe let is rest a few years, but there is no reason to do so. It is ready now, right out of the gate. It is pretty plush and juicy, but not simple at all. It is round and a pleasure to sniff and drink. Does not need food. It would love chicken enchiladas with a dark red sauce, but it does not need them. This wine is its own person.
Description: Petit Reserve Amador County
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Zinfandel
Rating: 91
Notes: Black Currant, blackberry, black pepper, cool vanilla, sweet raisin, grape stems and coffee. This is a texbook description of California zinfandel from the WSET 2 handbook.
The body is full, acid high, tannins full but silky, finish is long.
The wine is warm and round. I would be fascinated to hear where the grapes came from in Amador County. It feels like it could have come from various vineyards in that area and then maybe a small amount from the Central Valley. It has that warm fruit nose from an area that saw some heat over the summer.
Description: Petit Reserve Maule Valley, Chile
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Carmenere
Rating: 91
Notes: Dusty, meaty, red plum, green pepper and raspberries. Hazelnut, coffee and toast wrapped around medium, plush tannins, good acidity, full body and long, long finish.
Dang TJs, you knocked it out of the park again. So pretty. Like drinking rubies.
It’s great. This wine does not need to breathe at all, and so far it seems solid. Does not fade in the glass with oxygen contact.
Description: Reserve, Lussac Saint-Emilion, Grand Vin de Bordeaux Lot# 247
Vintage: 2020
Varietal: Bordeaux
Rating: 87
Notes: Saint-Emilion is right bank Bordeaux and therefore Merlot dominated. There is a pronounced lilac floral note on the nose along side the dense Raspberry, blackberry and green herbaciousness. We also got hints of currant, cassis, toast and baked biscuit.
It is tart on the palate with ample tannins and acid. It has a lot of rough edges. You get hints of the Cab, Cab Franc and Petite Verdot on there as well.
Description: Grand Reserva, Maule Valley, Chile, Lot# 121
Vintage: 2020
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Rating: 88
Notes: This Chilean wine has blackberry, honeysuckle, mint, thyme, cedar, clove, charred barrel and smoke. This would be amazing with smoked meat. We had it with turkey soup, vinegary tomato salad and bread and it caused the wine to taste slightly sweet.
The wine is dry, supported by tannins and acid and has fairly rough edges. The nose suggests that this might be fairly oppulent, but it is not as plush as we had hoped.
Description: Grand Reserve Russian River Valley, Sonoma County Lot# 122
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Rating: 93
Notes: Popped the cork, stuck my nose in the bottle and got a good whiff of strawberry-rhubarb preserves. But oh, my! The full nose is huge. Strawberries, cherries, raspberry jamminess. There is a tiny bit of mushroom/forest trail funk to it, but it does not detract. White pepper and rose play around the back of the nose.
It has a long finish, nearly full body, polished tannins, med acid. It’s pretty. Like going on a blind date and the guy or gal that emerges from the house is eye-poppingly cute! But also charmingly easy-going, no hangups.
I am about to gush about this wine. The Santa Lucia Highland (below) was pretty darn good, and so it this one. It is a firm 92+ pointer. It has all the bones to please at all levels, but I do not feel this is going to age long. Get a few bottles and drink them now and in the next couple years. Save some for me!
Description: Platinum Reserve Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, Lot #109
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend
Rating: 91
Notes: Ripe red plum stands out above the raspberry, cassis, red cherry with a hint of black fruit, a little chocolate, vanilla and toast. This leads me to believe that the wine is Merlot heavy with Petite Verdot, maybe Cabernet Franc and a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon (present in the nose in the green pepper)
The body is Med to full, med acid and high but tamed tannins. The finish is long.
Description: Reserve, North Coast, Brut Rose’, Sparkling Wine, Methode Champenoise
Vintage: NV
Varietal: Sparkling Wine
Rating: 89
Notes: Banana, cayanne, strawberry lemonade, tropical fruit, wet stone, pluot, clove, cardamom off-dry, fruit forward, would be great with something sweet, perfect for brunch, crisp, not cloying, with smoked salmon
Description: Grand Reserve, Santa Lucia Highlands, Lot# 118
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Pinot noir
Rating: 94+
Notes: I already bought six bottles of this and will probably buy more. It is amazing wine. This is what I am talking about when I say above, sometimes Trader Joes comes out with something spectacular. At $12.99 a bottle this is a superstar wine with a full body and huge finish.
Nose: pronounced nose of cranberry jolly rancher, baked raspberry tart, lime peel.
Palate: Concentrate palate of raspberry, blackberry, high tannin and med acid, huge finish like eating a cherry/berry cobbler. This wine has bones that will allow it to age. None of the flavors are cloying, all fresh and balanced.
Description: Grand Reserve, Santa Rita Hills Lot# 119
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Chardonnay
Rating: 93
Notes: I am flummoxed. This is a $12.99 wine and it is as good as many of the 60-80 dollar Sonoma and Carneros wines I have tried recently. It has a lovely nose of tropical fruit, stone fruit and minerality. The mouthfeel is full bodied complexity. The finish lingers a long time with lovely acidity and fruit balanced out nicely. Dang. Just buy a bottle and try it.
Description: Reserve, Santa Barbara County Lot# 241
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Rating: 91
Notes: Imagine red cherry, cranberry, earthy, mineral, toasted oak, and nicely balanced acid with fruit. Tannins are soft, but the finish lingers on the tongue. We let this linger in the bottle half full for an hour or more. The wine settles into more cherry/strawberry with a lovely spice and mild cocoa. Wow.
Honestly, for $9.99 this thing is a steal! Trader Joes does it again.
Description: Reserve, Santa Ynez Valley Lot# 248
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: GSM
Rating: 86
Notes: 47% Mourvedre, 34% Syrah, 19% Grenache
Fruity, Tannic, rough around the edges
Description: Grand Reserve, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County Lot# 117
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Rating: 92
Notes: Licorice, blackberry, cocoa, cassis, currant on the nose. Full body, med acid and lovely long finish, slight tartness
Description: Grand Reserve, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, Lot# 116
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Zinfandel
Rating: 93
Notes: Coffee, black fruit and sweetness on the nose, full bodied, med acid and delightful palate
Description: Willamette Valley Oregon
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Rating: 87
Notes: The nose is elusive on this one. Better on the palate with notes of cherry and minerals.
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Description: Santa Ynes Valley, Santa Barbara County, Lot# 123
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Merlot
Rating: 87
Notes: Good tannins and acid, red and black fruit, improves with breathing time
Description: Grand Reserve, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, Lot# 125
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Malbec
Rating: 90
Notes: Very delicious, great tannin, acid balance. Lovely dark fruit
Description: Grand Reserve, Barossa Valley, Australia, Lot# 109
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Shiraz
Rating: 90
Notes: Very delicious, great tannin, acid balance. Lovely dark fruit
Description: Reserve, Napa Valley, Lot# 224
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Red Blend
Rating: 92
Notes: Lovely cherry, blackberry, violet, and sweet cocoa.
