Another Bargain Wine From Trader Joe's

If you have a Trader Joe's market near you, I probably don't have to explain how many good bargain wines are on the shelves there. Anything around the $10 mark or less is worth a shot. The more expensive wines don't disappoint, but if you're a bargain hunter you will be impressed.

The 2025 Trader Joe's Reserve Paso Robles Grenache Blanc Lot #281 is one of those nice bargain wines. It looks like it may have some age, or oak, on it, but it's young and clean. Alcohol sits at 13.2% abv and the price is $10.

This wine has a beautiful golden tint in the glass, which in a young wine might suggest some oak treatment. That is not apparent on the nose or palate here, though. The clarity is exceptional. The somewhat subdued nose gives hints of pear, citrus, and honeydew melon. Minerality does not show in the aroma package, but it does in the flavor profile. The sip has more plentiful notes of lemon, apricot, peach, and a very nice level of acidity. The fruit carries over in a lengthy finish. This is a great sipper, but pair it with shrimp or a tomato sandwich. 

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Jammy Zinfandel At Trader Joe's

Trader Joe's has several lines of branded wines, and they are mostly all thought of fairly highly. The 2024 Trader Joe's Grower's Reserve Zinfandel is cheap, but at TJ's that doesn't mean you should avoid it. The store has a reputation as a good outlet for bargain wines. 

I understand that ASV Wines, the winemaker here, gets organic grapes from the Santa Clara Valley, but they also have addresses in Kern County. The source of the Zinfandel grapes here is not disclosed. The alcohol content is disclosed, 14% abv, and the price is $7 at Trader Joe's.

This wine is colored medium ruby in the glass. The nose is massive, with brilliant red cherry aromas, joined by the smell of red vine candy and an herbal aspect that's a bit like parsley or cilantro. It's a big nose. The palate is just as huge. The red fruit flavors lead the way, with a spearmint note that's especially notable on the jammy finish. There is a moderate acidity and grippy tannins. This wine is made for a meat-lover's pizza, or barbecued pork, dripping with sauce. 

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Hooray! A Bargain Vouvray

Every time I go bargain hunting at Trader Joe's, my white wine thirst loves to find the Vignobles Lacheteau Vouvray. Any time I see Vouvray on a wine label, my eye is caught. This Vouvray is a semi-dry white wine from France's Loire Valley. Vouvray is an appellation, not a grape. Most of the white wines of Vouvray are made from Chenin Blanc grapes, as is this one. I've had this wine before, 2021 1nd 2023 vintages. This one is a 2024.

The French region of Vouvray is white wine heaven. Alcohol for this wine is quite restrained, at 11% abv, and it sells for less than $10 at Trader Joe's. I hope they keep it in stock, because I have a spicy shrimp dish on my radar for the coming week. 

This wine has a straw-yellow color in the glass. Its nose shows aromas of stone fruit, like peach, apricot, and white nectarine. There is also a hint of Meyer lemon in the sniff. The palate is just creamy goodness. The fruit flavors are joined by a savory minerality and salinity, which is overpoweringly wonderful. The acidity is fresh, but not razor sharp. Pair it with a spicy dish and thank me later. Spicy seafood would be perfect.  

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Bargain Soave Classico Changes Name, Still Can't Hide

Bargain Soave Changes NameI recently grabbed a bottle of the 2024 Casaponte Soave Classico off the shelf at Trader Joe's. I thought something was familiar about the label, and when I looked into it I found that I had seen it before with a different name on it. 

I had already had the 2022 vintage of the wine, with the name Villa Molino Soave Classico on it. The notes are the same this time around, which is alright with me. It's a decent wine and it doesn't hurt the wallet too badly. 

Soave Classico is quite a different wine from Soave. The Classico region of the Soave DOC has a higher altitude and a volcanic aspect to the soil, which is imparted into the Garganega (90%) and Trebbiano (10%) grapes. The wine is much better than the label, which features a picnic basket and a cute little dog who is packing the wine in his saddlebags. Alcohol hits only 12% abv and the bottle can be had for less than $10 at Trader Joe's.

This wine has a golden yellow color in the glass. The nose is highly aromatic, with citrus minerals, apricot and a lanolin note competing for attention. The palate is brisk and full, showing Meyer lemon, guava and a hint of pineapple, all laced with a streak of salinity. The acidity is fresh, but not ripping. The long finish has a sense of apricot outlasting all the other flavors. It's a great wine for sipping, but it paired quite nicely with a way-too-creamy pasta primavera. 

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A Bargain Wine For Summer

The 2022 Rosa dell'Olmo Langhe Nebbiolo is imported by Latitude Wines, a company I've had good luck with in the past. It is available only at Trader Joe's, and it falls squarely into the Bargain Wines To Look For category. Aging took place in stainless steel tanks, and alcohol sits at 13.5% abv and it sells at TJ's for $9. A steal.

This wine looks like a rosato, lightly tinted for a red wine. The nose offers bright cherry and lilac scents. On the palate, juicy and vibrant red fruit are a delight, while the acidity is refreshing and the tannins are medium-firm. It finishes medium, with plenty of fruity reminders of the sip. With summer on the way, keep this one in mind if you need a light red to chill for the patio. 

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Decent Chardonnay, But Not Great

This is one of those wines which seems to be orphaned online. It's hard to scrape up a mention of the winery, much less a tech sheet. It's labeled as a California Chardonnay, no vintage is given, but they do seem to favor sustainable farming for their vineyards.

Alcohol checks in at 13.5% abv and the bottle costs around $10 at Whole Foods Market. It may have been a little less. I neglected to make a note of the price when I got home and it sat in the rack for a few weeks. 

This wine has a golden-green tint in the glass. The nose has aromas of apples, pears, and mangoes. The palate offers up the same fruit salad, with the addition of lemony citrus minerality. Acidity is fresh and vibrant, and the oak spice is noticeable but not overpowering. It's definitely not a bad wine, but it's not an exceedingly great one, either. You won't be disappointed unless you set the bar incredibly high. 

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A Bargain From Bordeaux

Les Portes de Bordeaux 2023 is described on the label as a Grand Vin de Bordeaux, which hits close to the mark, if not directly on it. The portes, or gates, of Bordeaux are giant, ancient structures that date back almost a millennium. What does that have to do with this wine? Probably nothing, except that it is a wine produced in Bordeaux and the drawing of the gate looks good on the label. 

The maker is LWX Wines, which is a company that sources, produces, packages, and delivers exclusive adult beverages to retailers. This one came from Trader Joe's, where I often pick up wine for cooking. 

The 2023 Les Portes de Bordeaux handles that task easily, and it drinks nicely, too. The grapes are Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon, alcohol is rather low, at 13% abv, and it costs $7 at Trader Joe's. 

This wine is inky dark in the glass. The nose is fairly beautiful, with a large whiff of black fruit like blackberry, blueberry, and currant dominating over the sniff of smoke and the note of graphite. The same sort of fruit is forward on the palate, and the tannic grip is enough, but not too much. It is a satisfying Bordeaux, and it worked well in my beef stew. 

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A Bargain That Rocks

I would imagine that you get tired of all the calls to notice one bargain wine or another at Trader Joe's. And not just from me! I do love a good wine at a bargain price, though. So here we go again.

The 2024 Granite Coast Vineyards Rosé is reportedly made by the Scheid Family Vineyards of California's Monterey County. I say "reportedly," because like so many other wines at Trader Joe's, there is very little information available about it. I know nothing about which grape or grapes are used here, except that they are organically grown. The alcohol is fairly light, at 13% abv, and the price is a steal: $6 at Trader Joe's.

This wine is very pale for a rosé. It's almost clear. If you like the pinkness of rosé, that could be off putting, but stay with it. For six bucks, you don't have much to lose. The nose is aromatic, but it's mostly peaches and pears. As light cherry aroma does come forth, along with minerals and a hint of citrus. The palate shows similar fruit, with a heavier accent on the citrus. The acidity is quite brisk. If you get past the lack of color, this is a pretty good rosé wine.

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Cookin' With Aglianico

Here's yet another of those bargain wines from Trader Joe's. Julia Child once said that one should never cook with wine you wouldn't drink on its own, and that's a great rue of thumb. I think it was W.C. Fields who said "I cook with wine, and sometimes I add it to the food." Today, it's the 2024  Epicuro Aglianico Puglia IGP.

Freshness and ripeness comes courtesy of the aging process in steel tanks rather than oak. I bought this wine for cooking, but I enjoyed some while the sauce was simmering. I always try to have a red Italian wine on hand for pasta sauce. Alcohol checks in at 13% abv and the price can hardly be beaten, $6 at Trader Joe’s.

This wine is fresh and fruity. The medium ruby tint looks like Pinot Noir. The nose gives red and black fruit aromas, while the palate brings cherries, blueberries, and blackberries to the forefront. It is a clean sip, with no oak coloring the fruit and gentle tannins that make for a nice wine to chill, if you want. 

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A True Bargain From The Rhône Valley

The Perrin family, of Château de Beaucastel fame makes La Vieille Ferme Blanc. We're now seeing the 2024 vintage on the shelves at Trader Joe's, for a pittance.

The brand was started 45 years ago. This bottling is a Vin de France, made with four Rhône Valley grapes: Bourboulenc, Grenache Blanc, Ugni blanc, and Vermentino. The latter is sometimes called Rolle in the Rhône Valley. If you have a Beaune to pick with that terminology, I'd advise you to Rolle with it. The wine is a great bargain, has alcohol at 12.5% abv, and goes for $7 at TJ's.

This wine has a light golden tint in the glass. Its complex nose smells of apples, pears, ripe nectarines, and Meyer lemon. The palate shows off that fruit admirably. The citrus minerality comes through like gangbusters and the acidity is as fresh as it gets. Despite the tingly acid, the mouthfeel is full and rich. It’s the best of two different worlds. For $7, it's amazing that I ever buy anything else. 

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Bargain Lambrusco

A lot of people probably equate Riunite with Lambrusco wine, simply because the company has sold so much of it since the 1950s. They bill themselves as "the world's #1 Lambrusco," and I have no problem with that pat on the back for good winemaking and great marketing. Today, they still use the great catchphrase, "Riunite on ice, still nice." I don't mind it chilled, but I'll skip the ice cube.

Riunite is produced in Italy's Emilia Romagna region, where a great portion of Lambrusco is made. The wine is imported in the US by Frederick Wildman and Sons of New York City. Alcohol is quite restrained, at a mere 8% abv, and the Sweet-O-Meter on the back label shows sweetness in the "high" range. It sells in most supermarkets for less than $10. 

This wine pours up delightfully frizzante. It has a deep purple color, and even the bubbles are purple. The nose is earthy and grapey. It's simple, but very pleasant. There are more complex Lambruscos, but finding a less expensive one will probably prove difficult. 

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Vinho Verde With Low Alcohol, Less Acidity

Orlana Vinho Verde is one of those bargain wines which is almost invisible online. I could not find much information on it, save for the million and one retail outlets that carry it, all under $10, and all the blurbs are pretty much the same. 

It is a Portuguese wine, from the Minho region in the northern part of the country. It carries the Vinho Verde designation. That translates to "green wine," but it is a reference to style, not color. The wines are youthful and exuberant. Most Vinho Verde wines are white, but this producer does make a rosé, too. The Vinho Verde has a low alcohol content of 11% abv and it cost only $7 at my local Whole Foods Market. That's how much their rosé costs as well.

This wine pours up a bit frizzante and has a greenish tint in the glass. The nose carries pear, apricot, and lime aromas. The mouthfeel is full and shows flavors of citrus and stone fruit. The acidity is almost nonexistent, but the sip is certainly pleasant enough

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Incredible Portuguese White Wine At An Incredible Price

Portuguese wines are a treat, whether you’re drinking a wonderful Porto or a still wine from the Douro Valley. Today's wine is from the Alentejo region in the south of Portugal.

Herdade do Rocim's 2024 Mariana is a white Alentejano wine which was named after a cloistered nun. Mariana Alcoforado lived in the Beja Castle in the 17th century. The castle was already centuries old at that time. Why the namesake? From the terraces of Rocim Winery, one can see the famed tower of the castle. She reportedly wrote Letters of a Portuguese Nun, a collection of five letters she wrote to her lover, a French military man. That's the story, anyway.

The wine is even more interesting than the story behind the name. Mariana is made from 60% Antão Vaz grapes, 30% Arinto, and 10% Alvarinho. Antão Vaz is a thick-skinned white grape which thrives in hot weather. Arinto delivers high acidity, and Alvarinho is the Portuguese name for the Spanish Albariño. The wine was aged for three months in concrete tanks, has an alcohol level of 12% abv and sells for around $20. 

This wine has a clean, yellow glow in the glass. The nose is full of lemon and herbal aromas. Minerals abound on the palate, along with a delightfully racy acidity. Sweet lemon flavors and a mineral-laden salinity mark this wine as one to look for.

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Portuguese Pink Wine

Orlana Vinho Verde Rosé is one of those bargain wines which is almost invisible online. I could not find much information on it, save for the million and one retail outlets that carry it, all under $10 and all the blubs pretty much the same. 

It is a Portuguese wine, from the Minho region in the northern part of the country. It carries the Vinho Verde designation. That translates to "green wine," but it is a reference to style, not color. The wines are youthful and exuberant. Most Vinho Verde wines are white, but this one is a rosé. It has a low alcohol content of 11% abv and it cost only $7 at my local Whole Foods Market. That's a couple of dollars less than when I had it a year ago.

This wine has a lovely salmon tint in the glass, as well as in the clear bottle. There is a bit of a frizzante quality upon pouring. The nose offers some strawberry, guava, lime and mineral aromas. The palate has red fruit with a splash of citrus minerality. The acidity is quite good. The wine finishes short, but is a delight while sipping. 

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More Grenache In This GSM, But Just Barely

We are looking today at another bargain wine from Trader Joe's, where shoppers can find plenty of really decent wines at a low cost. The 2023 Ténèbres GSM comes from the Pays d'Oc IGP, which covers a good part of the Languedoc-Roussillon region in the southeast part of France. 

The three grape varieties of a GSM are split fairly evenly: 34% Grenache, 33% Syrah, and 33% Mourvèdre. The low cost I mentioned is just $6 and the alcohol content is 13.5% abv. 

This wine is very dark in the glass. The nose is quite aromatic, with aromas of blackberry, plum, cinnamon, and vanilla coming through. It is the oak spice which dominates the bouquet, however. The palate displays plenty of oak, too, but with jammy, dark, fruit notes to help distract us from the aging process. Tannins are firm enough to pair with whatever beef you like. 

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South African White Blend At A Bargain Price

Mbali is the Zulu word for flower, and the label shows the King Protea, South Africa's national flower. Also, the country's national cricket team is called the Proteas.

The blend of white grapes consist of 79% Chenin Blanc and 21% Viognier, taken from South Africa's Western Cape region. The alcohol content is 13.5% abv and I bought it for $6 at Trader Joe's.

This wine is straw colored in the glass, and it pours up a bit frizzante. It smells wonderful, with notes of honeysuckle leading the way, followed by lemon, lime, and apple aromas. The palate shows delightful stone fruit, tropical fruit, and a hint of citrus. The acidity is not as fresh as I would like, but it serves the purpose of livening up the sip and affording easy pairings with a salad, a baked potato, or a Caprese sandwich. It is not a terribly complex wine, but for six bucks it will certainly do. 

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A French Wine For Less Than $10

Imagine my surprise when I stumbled across a selection of Esprit Cépage wines at my local Whole Foods Market, selling for less than $10. The 2023 Esprit Cépage Blanc is the one I picked up. I’ll probably try the Rouge soon. It's only a dollar more.

The Blanc is made from organic grapes, which are not identified by variety on the label. It is labeled as a Vin de France, the designation which replaced Vin de Table in 2010. There is no specific appellation other than it comes from France as an ordinary, everyday wine. It's a lot like the "California" appellation on a California wine. Sure it's from California, but where? The alcoholic content is 13.5% abv and I paid only $8.

This wine, I believe, is a Grenache Blanc. Some of the info I found online suggested that, and my taste buds agree. If there is a little Sauvignon Blanc in there, I would not be surprised. However, the yellow tint in the glass suggests GB. The nose brings citrus aromas along with apple notes. The palate is rather racy in the acidity department, and the finish leaves stone fruit, lemons, and limes lingering. It's an enjoyable wine and a likely pair with some sort of seafood or salad.

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A Bargain From Beaujolais

Here's another nice value wine from Trader Joe's: the 2023 La Compagnie Beaujolaise. 

It’s made from the grape of Beaujolais Villages, Gamay. Alcohol sits at 13% abv and it was only $9

This wine is medium garnet in color. The nose is quite fruity, loaded with plum, raspberry, strawberry, cherry and licorice notes. The mouthfeel is juicy and the tannins are soft. Flavors of red and black fruit dominate the palate, while the acidity is fresh and lively. It's great with a soft cheese or pasta and olive oil. Like most of the Beaujolais I've tried, it's also a good sipper.

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California Chardonnay From Mondavi

Vint is the rebrand for Robert Mondavi Private Selection wines. Private Selection was launched in 1994, and Vint hit the labels for the brand's 30th anniversary. 

The 2022 Robert Mondavi Vint Private Selection California Chardonnay is made largely from Chardonnay grapes, with a touch of Muscat Canelli in the blend. Alcohol hits 13.5% abv and I got it on sale for $5 at Pavilions Market, down from $12.

This wine has a pale golden-green tint in the glass. The nose throws off some lively apple, pear and citrus notes, while bathing them in a buttery vanilla scent. Fruit is forward on the palate, and the buttery oak is pleasantly present, not overpowering. The mouthfeel is full, while the acidity is fresh. The lush flavors linger on the finish. Pair this wine with seafood or salad, or even with a chicken or pasta dish in a creamy sauce.  

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A Bargain Wine That Misses The Mark

I went hunting for wine bargains at Trader Joe's again recently, a visit that usually produces pleasant results. This time, I came home with a wine that sported a pretty bottle with ugly juice inside. 

The 2023 Satis Dei Syrah Garnacha from the Exclusive Art Collection had me hoping high. I love Spanish wines in general, and Garnacha in particular. Satis Dei was made from 55% Syrah grapes and 45% Garnacha, grown in the IGP Tierra de Castilla region. The wine spent six months in French and American oak barrels. Alcohol hits 14% abv and it costs around $9 at TJ's.

That pretty label to which I alluded features a miniature version of an abstract work by Argentine artist Mauricio Lencina, Illogical Forms #2. The winery says the piece helps us understand "the voluptuousness of the wine." Having it mounted on a stave of oak would further illustrate the palate. 

This wine is dark purple/garnet in the glass. The nose offers up considerable black fruit, such as blackberries, plums, and blackcurrant. It also offers up considerable oak effect, even though the wine's exposure to wood was minimal. The oak comes through heavily on the palate as well, obscuring some nice dark fruit flavors. The artwork on the label is nice, but the artwork inside the bottle can't live up to it. 

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