(cheap wine articles & info)
The Aldi California Heritage Brut Sparkling is a $4.85 non-vintage Bubbly. It is produced for Aldi by E & J Gallo, who have plenty of experience with bargain Bubble with the Andre, Balatore, and Barefoot. The Story This is a revisit. We reviewed this Sparkling wine in February 2024 and found it to be very…
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The Napa Estates Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 s $9.99 at Trader Joe’s. It is Cellared and Bottled by DnA Cellars, who are long-time suppliers of popular and tasty value Trader Joe’s wines. The Story To Cellar and Bottle a wine means that the barrels and tanks are kept in storage for an unspecified time, and then…
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The Opaline Brut Sparkling Wine is a $9.99 Trader Joe’s import wine, though I did see it selling for $14.99 in a place that Trader Joe’s doesn’t cover. The Opaline Rosé Brut, made from Pinot Noir grapes, was $7.99 before tariffs. The Story The back label indicates that CFG Group bottled this Bubbly. CGF is…
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The Rural Mendocino Pinot Noir 2023 is a wine available at Costco for $13.99. It is an excellent price, as most internet retailers charge between $29 and $25. The Story Rural Mendocino Pinot Noir is a label from Masüt Vineyard and Winery, which is operated by the Fetzer Brothers in the Eagle Pass AVA near…
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The Angeline Vineyards California Pinot Noir 2024 is a wine I discovered at Trader Joe’s, priced at $9.99. It is widely available in wine shops across the US and can be found on the wine list for $15 on the company’s website. The Story Angeline Vineyards is a brand from Martin Ray Winery. The original…
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The Tattoo Girl Riesling 2024 is a wine that should be found for under $15. Tatto Girl wines are part of William Weaver Wines, and they offer a full array of the typical Washington/Columbia Valley wines. The Story The Tattoo Girl Riesling 2024 is 98% Riesling, with 1% Chardonnay, and 1% Pinot Gris. Pinot Gris…
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The Roseta Lisboa Vinho Tinto 2024 is a $5.99 Trader Joe’s import wine. It is a table wine from the Lisboa region of northern Portugal. The Story This is a table wine from vineyards in the Lisboa region (near Lisbon) of northern Portugal. Portugal has DOC, IGP, and table wine classifications for their wines. The…
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The Aldi Scarlet Path Old Vine Lodi Zinfandel 2023 sells for $6.79, which is the cheapest it has been, and we have reviewed every vintage since 2020. It is produced for Aldi by a large sustainably farmed family-owned winery from Monterey, California. The Story There is no legal definition of “Old Vines.” It is generally…
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The Villa Borghetti OTTO Pinot Grigio 2024 is a wine from Trader Joe’s that sells for $7.99. It has been cheaper in past vintages. This wine is produced by Pasqua Wines. The Story Pasqua Wines is a family-owned winery operating in the Veneto region of Northeast Italy. They have been in business since 1925. Villa…
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The Imagery California Pinot Noir 2023 is a wine I found selling for $12.99; the Imagery website lists its price as $25. This is a brand from The Wine Group and Benziger Family Winery. The Story Benziger Family Vineyards has been producing biodynamic and organic wines since 1995. Today, they are part of The Wine…
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The Whitehaven Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2024 is a wine I found for $13, the grapes are sourced from Wairau and Awatere river valleys on the upper east side of New Zealand’s South Island. The Story Whitehaven is a small family-owned winery founded in 1994. They own about 250 acres of vineyards in several sections of…
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The Harken Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2024 is a wine I found at Trader Joe’s for $12.99, which may be slightly higher than other wine sellers. Harken is a brand from O’Neill Wines. The Story The main point of interest for the Harken Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2024 is the barrel fermentation. Both the initial fermentation and…
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The Korbel California Champagne Brut is a Sparkling wine that should be found for under $14. Korbel has the legal right to call itself a Champagne since it was grandfathered in after the French enforced their trademark a few decades ago. The Story Korbel was founded by three Korbel brothers in the Russian River region…
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The Kirkland Signature Brut Champagne (2025) is available for $22.99, up from $19.99 in past years. This Champagne is produced by Manuel Janisson, a fifth-generation winemaker in Champagne, France. The Story Manuel Janisson had his own Champagne House in Verzenay, with multiple vineyards and many designated Crus. He sold his holdings to LVMH, a high-end…
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The Momentum Legacy Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 is a $14.99 wine sold at Trader Joe’s. It was bottled by Momentum Wines in Napa, California. The Story Momentum Wines is part of the Fior di Sole winery, which is located along the Silverado Trail east of Route 29 in Napa Valley. It is interesting that the…
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The Mumm Sparkling Brut Prestige (2025) is a wine I found on sale, selling for $8.99. GH Mumm has been a French Champagne House since 1827 and has had a California outpost since the 1970s. The Story Mumm has been in Napa and Sonoma for 50 years. Their Estate vineyard is located in Carneros, where…
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The Trader Joe’s Reserve North Coast Brut Rosé (2025) is a $9.99 wine available year-round. It is produced by Rack and Riddle for Trader Joe’s. The Story The Trader Joe’s Reserve North Coast Brut Rosé (2025) is a Sparkling wine that has been available at Trader Joe’s for the last couple of years. We reviewed…
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The Cecilia Beretta Treviso DOC Extra Dry Prosecco is $10.99 at Trader Joe’s, though it looks to be available at places that don’t have a Trader Joe’s. The Story The Treviso region is in northeast Italy near Venice. It is where the DOC-designated vineyards are located. There are also the Valdobbiadene and Asolo regions nearby,…
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The Peaks & Tides Sonoma County Chardonnay 2023 is a $10.99 Aldi exclusive. This wine was previously sourced from the Sonoma Coast. The Story Aldi typically owns the brand names of their wines and then contracts with a winery to make the wine. The Sonoma Coast version of this wine was made by Delicato (Gnarly…
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The Aldi Landkastel Mosel Riesling 2024 is a $6.99 Aldi exclusive. Aldi owns the trademark to the Landkastel name, but a winery named St. Gisbertus is mentioned on the back label. The Story Mosel in Germany is the premier Riesling growing region in the world; some say it is the greatest wine region over Napa,…
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The Trader Joe’s Reserve Meritage Paso Robles 2023 is a $9.99 wine from Trader Joe’s. The back label indicates that it was produced and bottled by Barrel 29 Wine Company, which had previously been a label of McPrice Myers Winery, also located in Paso Robles. The Story The Barrel 27 brand was founded in 2002…
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The Sonoma Grove Zinfandel 2022 is a wine I found at Trader Joe’s, selling for $7.99. It is wine from the Navigator Wine Collection, which, up until recently, was known as Precision Wine Company. They have made many wines for Costco and Trader Joe’s. The Story The label says the grapes are sourced from Sonoma…
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The Aldi Specially Selected Douro Doc Reserva Red 2022 is a $9.99 Aldi exclusive. The Specially Selected line of Aldi wines is a curated line that features affordable wines from the world’s greatest growing regions. The Story This red blend is produced and bottled by Van Zeller and Company, the oldest Port wine producer in…
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The Trader Joe’s Platinum Reserve Carneros Pinot Noir 2023 is a $14.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive. Not to be mistaken for the Trader Joe’s Grand Reserve Carneros Pinot Noir, which has been a Trader Joe’s staple for 15 years. We reviewed the 2021 Platinum Caneros Pinot Noir. This is the 9th year for this offering. The…
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The Trader Joe’s Platinum Reserve Napa Valley Brut Rosé is a $14.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive. It is produced and bottled by Rack and Riddle, located in Healdsburg, California. The Story The Trader Joe’s Platinum Reserve Napa Valley Rosé Brut is made entirely from 100% Pinot Noir. If this wine were not a Rosé, it would…
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