I don’t know if you knew, but Trader Joe’s sells a wide variety of wines, some exclusive, and most of a great quality, worthy of decorating elegant and distinguished tables, or for casual parties or informal meetings.
But, since the variety is large, it is difficult to decide: Red? White? Sparkling? Extra Brut? Champagne? God! That’s a lot to figure out when standing in front of a Trader Joe’s shelf! That’s why we put together this shortlist with some of the most exquisite, according to opinions of wine experts that we have consulted, and our own field investigations (we do work for you!).
Trader Joe’s best wines: Taste and quality on a budget
The first thing you have to know is that you don’t necessarily have to spend fortunes on a sparkling wine, or sell your car to buy the best red wine of the season. We don’t know how, but Trader Joe’s manages to sell fantastic wines at very affordable prices. In the opinion of an expert winemaker we consulted for this list, you can never go wrong with her imported wines, or any of Trader Joe’s Reserve wines: her favorites, she told us, range from Grand, Platinum, to Diamond.
Approximately half of the wines that the American retailer has available are exclusive bottles that you will not find anywhere else. Have you ever noticed that many of your wines have the word “moon” in their title? Those are all Trader Joe’s specific wines and they are often under $10, real bargains for an Alexander Hamilton.
Book North Coast Brut Sparkling
To begin with, Reserve North Coast Brut Sparkling Wine is perfect as an aperitif, to eat with some olives or nuts, and you can use it to celebrate some event, because it is soft and elegant on the palate without being too dry or too sweet. It is a bottle made with grapes from world-renowned growing regions on the northern California coast, where the cool coastal climate allows for longer growing seasons. It is a limited edition that appears every so often, so keep an eye on it and grab a couple of bottles when you see it. Its price is $9.99 but, for me, it’s worth much more (don’t tell the guys at TJ’s).
Cecilia Beretta Freeda Rosé Trevenezie
This soft and elegant rosé wine is characterized by having a light and fruity taste, with notes of fruits such as peach and nectarine. It can also have hints of spices and flowers, as well as a hint of acidity or salty sensations. It’s prices is $8.99.
Brut Rosé French Sparkling Wine
With shades ranging from orange to salmon and an intermediate body in the glass, this wine made with a patented blend of grapes grown on the French coast of the Mediterranean Sea, offers uniform and pleasant bubbles on the palate, leaving a creamy and smooth feeling, as if it were velvet. It has fruity and floral aromas and generates similar sensations in the mouth.
A sommelier told us that she has had pleasant experiences with cheap French sparkling wines, because the producers seem to set higher standards for their sparkling wine than in other regions of the world. France is the home of bubbly wines, and poor-quality products do not survive long on the market.
This wine is within the budget and costs only $6.99 in any of its stores. In fact, it is the chain’s best-selling sparkling rosé.
Villa Antica Asolo Prosecco DOCG Superiore
This prosecco has a sweet and fruity taste, with notes of apple and pear in the mouth. It can also have a hint of citrus and white flowers. It is a refreshing and light wine, perfect to have as an aperitif or to accompany a light meal. It’s priced at $7.99 in any TJ’s where is available.
Petit Reserve Cabernet Franc Pasos Robles 2021
Little is said about Cabernet Franc, because it is not usually chosen by most wine enthusiasts, but by people with the most exclusive palates. It is a basic component in French Bordeaux, but it usually takes a back seat to the other varieties included. Trader Joe’s Petit Reserve Cabernet Franc Paso Robles is grown in the Central coast region of California, specifically in Paso Robles, known for its fantastic Bordeaux blends.
This vibrant and strong wine, with great body, tannins present and sufficient acidity, suggests aromas of black cherries and plum, and in the mouth leaves sensations such as toasted oak and mocha. One would expect its price to be close to $50, but Trader Joe’s sells it for $7.99.
Petit Reserve Pinot Noir Monterey County 2020
Trader Joe’s special reserve Pinot Noir received a rating of 3.5 stars out of 5 on the specialized portal vivino.com , not bad for a wine that costs $7.99. Beyond its French origin, this variety is successfully grown in various regions of the world, California being one of the most competitive.
On the nose it presents aromas of black berries and red plums, and in the mouth they turn into raspberries, wild strawberries and non-invasive spices. It is an elegant wine, because it does not hit you with excessively strong flavors.
Extra feature: Diamond Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Napa Valley 2020
We couldn’t close this shortlist without including the world famous Napa Valley region, where I have taken a couple of getaways with my girlfriend to do wine tours and relax among its soft dusty hills planted with the most elegant varieties of the world.
This Oakville Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from TJ’s is, without a doubt, a bottle for special occasions, and it is much more complex and structured than others when it comes to drinking it. Its tannins are strong without being shocking, and its aromas of red fruits and plums turn into berries, aromas of ripe woods and other experiences that, better, discover them yourself.
For the experts of vivino.com , this wine has a rating of 4 out of 5 stars, and they add that its price of $19.99 is much more affordable than one of the same qualities that costs above $27.