(and the cheap WHITES we’re diggin’ on lately)
The La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2023 is a wine I found selling for 14.99 at Costco, a quick check of the web saw prices ranging from a low of $11 to $23. La Crema’s original name was La Crema Viñera, which translates to “best of the vine.” The Story La Crema’s estate vineyard is…
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I found the Lustrous Russian River Chardonnay 2023 at Trader Joe’s, selling for $8.99. Precision Wine Company, which makes private-label and retail wine shop wines, appears to have produced it for Trader Joe’s. Their wines can be found at Costco and Trader Joe’s. The Story Precision Wine Company produces 22 separate labels along with Trader…
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The 19 Crimes Revolutionary Red Limited Edition is a wine released near St. Pat’s Day, which I found selling for under $10. It looks like this wine was first released in March 2024, but this version has a different label, so it seems to be new and not a 2024 leftover. 19 Crimes is a…
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The Specially Selected Single Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2023 is a $9.99 Aldi exclusive. Their Specially Selected brand showcases wine from the greatest growing regions in the world. The Story The single estate in the wine name is from Lismore Wines, which specializes in wine from Marlborough and Hawkes Bay in New Zealand. Lismore Wines…
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I found the Locations NZ Sauvignon Blanc Release #12 selling for $16.99. Dave Phinney created the Locations line of wines; if anyone is a “Rock Star” winemaker, it’s Dave. The Story Dave Phinney is the man behind the massively successful The Prisoner line of wines. The Prisoner sold for about $50, and those wines flew…
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The Field Recordings Chenin 2024 is a wine I found at a local wine shop selling for $14.99. This Chenin land was sourced from three vineyards in the Central Coast AVA that were planted in the 1970s. The Story Field Recordings is a project by winemaker Andrew Jones. He was a Feldman who traveled the…
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The Kolbie California Brut Sparkling Wine is a $7.99 Aldi exclusive. This Bubbly is produced by the Rack and Riddle facility in Geyserville, California. The Story Rack and Riddle is a custom Sparkling wine producer with locations in Sonoma and Lodi. It is a large operation that can produce all types of Sparkling wines. Rack…
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The Starpointe Yakima Valley Chardonnay 2023 is a $7.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive. This is a wine produced for Trader Joe’s by DNA Vineyards, who have, over the years, produced some of Trader Joe’s best wines. The Story DNA Vineyards is Dennis Patton (40 years experience) and Andrea Silverstein (25 years experience). They have been making…
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The Kirkland Signature Asolo Prosecco (Bottled Nov 2024) is a $7.69 Costco exclusive. This Kirkland Signature Asolo Prosecco is designated a Prosecco Superiore DOCG. The Story DOC Prosecco is farmed from vineyards in the flat section of the Prosecco region in the Veneto area. The DOCG Prosecco is produced from grapes in the hilly sections…
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The Trader Joe’s Reserve Arroyo Seco Chardonnay 2023 is a $9.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive. Arroyo Seco AVA is located inside the Monterey AVA, which is inside the Central Coast AVA. The Story As a Trader Reserve wine, there aren’t production notes available, but there are a few paragraphs in the current Fearless Flyer. They mention…
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I found the Joel Gott California Sauvignon Blanc 2023, selling for $12.99. Joel and Sarah Gott founded the company in 1996, and it produces wine from grapes grown in California, Washington, Oregon, and New Zealand. The Joel Gott California Sauvignon Blanc 2023 is a wine I found at a local grocery store selling for $12.99….
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The Chandon California Brut Rosé is a Sparkling Wine I found selling for $18.99 at Target. Chandon is the first French Champagne House to start a California outpost (1973). The Story Chandon, California, is the California winery of Moet & Chandon, founded 281 years ago. Both are now part of LVMH, a luxury brand company…
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The Henri Laffard Grande Reserve Brut Champagne is a $24.99 Bubbly found at Trader Joe’s. It looks to be a Trader Joe’s US exclusive. This is a Grower Champagne, which is a Bubbly from one of the vineyard owners in the Champagne region. Less than 5% of the Champagne wines in the US are Grower…
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The Cambria Katherine’s Vineyard Santa Maria Valley Chardonnay 2022 is a wine I found selling at Costco for $15.99. A check of the web saw average internet prices of around $20. Cambria Vineyards is part of the Jackson Family Wines portfolio (think Kendall-Jackson), and this is Katherine (Katie) Jackson’s winery. This is a single vineyard…
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The J Lohr Riverstone Arroyo Seco Chardonnay 2023 is a wine that I found for $12.99, and with a quick check of the internet and wine shops, it is the going rate. This is an estate wine from J Lohr a family owned and operated winery and vineyards located in the Monterey AVA since 1974….
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The La Burgondie Cremant de Bourgogne Brut Rosé (2024) is an $11.99 Trader Joe’s wine in cities with a Trader Joe’s wine department. I found this wine selling for $16 to $19 in places not served by Trader Joe’s. La Burgandie makes this French Bubbly. They are a Co-op with over 700 growers and produce…
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The Kirkland Signature Brut Champagne (2024) is a $19.99 Costco exclusive made for them by Manuel Janisson, a third-generation Champagne winemaker. His Grandfather established their winery in 1923. The Story Janisson et Fil was a Champagne House in the LVHM group. They specialize in the most elite brands. Companies under their umbrella include Dior, Givenchy,…
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The Rock Station Napa Chardonnay 2022 is a $9.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive. This Chardonnay is produced for Trader Joe’s by Fior di Sole, Napa Valley, California. The Story Fior di Sole (translates to “flower of the sun”) is a family-owned and operated Napa winery with 35 years of experience. Its production capacity is equivalent to…
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I found the G H Mumm Brut Grand Cordon Rosé Champagne on sale for $25. The regular price is $50, and in some places, more. Be on the lookout for Holiday specials in November and December to attract customers to the shops. Wine sales are down 8% for the year so look for bargains. The…
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The Fess Parker Santa Barbara Chardonnay 2023 sells for $14.49 at Costco which is about two bucks cheaper than most internet wine shops. Santa Barbara is at the southern end of the Central Coast AVA, about 100 miles north of Los Angeles. The Fess Parker winery was founded in 1988. In the late 1950s and…
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The Slice Skin Contact White Wine 2023 is a $12 Trader Joe’s wine produced for them by Bozzano & Co. headquartered in the San Luis Obispo AVA of California’s Central Coast. This is a White wine blend with 24% Chenin Blanc, 18% Pinot Gris, 12% Colombard, 9% Xarel.lo, 8% Verdelho, 6% Vermentino, 3% Gewurztraminer, 3%…
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The William Walker Monterey Chardonnay 2023 is a $7.99 Aldi exclusive, if the name sounds familiar, the previous Aldi value Chardonnay was the William Wright Chardonnay ($6.99). This Chardonnay is produced for Aldi by Plata Wine Partners, which has over 60 vineyards totaling 18,000+ acres and a talented winemaking team. They have also produced several…
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The Trader Joe’s Reserve North Coast Brut (2024) is a $9.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive. The North Coast AVA is Sonoma, Mendocino, Napa, and Lake County, which are the best known but also Marin County and Solano County. This Bubbly is made for TJ’s by Rack and Riddle of Healdsburg California. Rack and Riddle is a…
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The Trader Joe’s Grand Reserve Carneros Chardonnay 2023 is a $12.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive. The Trader Joe’s Fearless Flyer indicates that the 2023 vintage returns after a six-year absence. Carneros is a high-end wine district, and the California wine business has been booming in the last few years. However, the boom is turning into something…
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The Trader Joe’s Reserve Willamette Pinot Gris 2022 is a $9.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive. This wine was “produced and bottled by” D W Hinman Cellars. Produced and bottled by means they made the wine, vinted and bottled by (often seen on Trader Joe’s Reserve wine) does not mean much. D W Hinman Cellars is Doyle…
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