Trader Joe's Grand Reserve Russian River Chardonnay-A Seriously Good $12.99 Chardonnay We have gotten used to Trader Joe's Reserve wine over the years. Sometimes they are remarkable bargains and sometimes they are puzzling. This time it is a remarkable wine at a crazy value price. A boutique Napa winery is involved with the bottling. It…
Read More
The Trader Joe’s Grand Reserve Russian River Chardonnay is a $12.99 Trader exclusive produced with grapes from the Russian River Valley AVA in Sonoma County. The back label says this wine was “vinted and bottled by”Aril WInes of Oakville, Napa. They are a small boutique high-end winery with winemakers from Turley and Silver Oak. Vinted…
Read More
The Trader Joe’s Reserve Wahluke Slope Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from certified organic grapes grown in the Wahluke Slope AVA of the Columbia Valley in Washington State. This Cab Sauv was produced for Trader Joe’s by DNA Vineyards an independent winery that has produced many wines for TJ’s both Reserve wines…
Read More
Kirkland Signature Bordeaux Supérieur 2021-A $6,89 Costco Bargain Half of the wines from Bordeaux sell for under twenty bucks, in Napa about 2% of the wines sell for under $20. Ok, I wasn't taking into account all the store brands that sell for $19.99. In that case, 1% of Napa wines are affordably priced. In…
Read More
The Trader Joe’s Grand Reserve Los Carneros Brut Sparkling Wine 2019 is a $12.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive. This Bubbly is a blend of 84% Pinot Noir and 16% Chardonnay sourced from grapes grown in the Carneros AVA, located inside both the Sonoma AVA and the Napa AVA. Carneros sits on the northern shore of San…
Read More
The Rose & Finch California Red Wine 2021 is a $3.49 Trader Joe’s exclusive made for them by Fior di Sole a family-owned Napa wine company that makes its own brands, produces custom brands, bottles wine, you name it they can probably do it. A quick check of their brand’s page shows several wines I…
Read More
The Chandon California Brut is a wine that lists for $26, but I found it on sale in December of 2023 for $15, there are great prices on Sparkling Wine during the Holidays. Chandon is owned by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton who also owns Moet Chandon, Dom Perignon, Krug, and many more. Chandon was…
Read More
The Photograph North Coast Sauvignon Blanc 2021 is sourced from vineyards in the Sonoma and Napa AVAs, the list price is around $13, but I found it on sale at Target for $8.99. It was a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy in 2023 and received 92 points. This brand from Vintage Wine Estates offers 34 different…
Read More
The Peirano Estate Illusion Red Blend 2021 blends Old Vine Zinfandel, Merlot, Petite Sirah, and Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from estate vineyards in the Lodi AVA. Peirano Estate is a family-owned vineyard and winery, the family has grown grapes since the 1880s. Lance Randolph (4th generation) and his daughter Alexis Randolph (5th generation) make the wine….
Read More
The Trader Joe’s Platinum Reserve Sonoma County Brut Sparkling Wine-2023 Edition is a $14.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive featuring a blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and a little bit of Pinot Meunier which is a classic Champagne blend. This Sparkling wine was “produced and bottled by” (that means they made this Bubbly) Rack and Riddle of…
Read More
Elouan Oregon Chardonnay 2020-From The Man Who Brought You Meiomi Pinot Noir This is an Oregon Chardonnay from Joe Wagner, a member of the Wagner family who is 6th generation in Napa Valley, they are best known for Caymus wines. Joe Wagner is one of the sons and he is known for Meiomi Pinot Noir…
Read More
The Trader Joe’s Platinum Reserve Carneros Pinot Noir 2021 is a $14.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive. There was a 2020 Vintage TJ’s Platinum Reserve Carneros Pinot which also sold for $14.99. This seems to be a reoccurring Thanksgiving wine. The Carneros AVA is located on the San Pablo Bay, east of Oakland, and about half of…
Read More
The Burlwood Brut Sparkling Wine is a $4.95 Aldi exclusive made by some part of E & J Gallo Winery, any time you see Modesto, California on the back label you can bet that Gallo made the wine. Gallo also produces Andre Champagne and Barefoot Bubbly lines, all in the same general price range. The…
Read More
The VINTJS Redwood Valley Zinfandel 2021 is a $9.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive. Trader Joe’s seems to have taken a break from the VINTJS house brand. We last reviewed a VINTJS wine for the 2019 vintage, which was a $6.99 wine. The last VINTJS wine we reviewed was a 2019 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir which you…
Read More
The Shannon Ranch Big Horn Red Blend 2020 sells for $5.99 at Trader Joe’s and has sold for around $15 at wine shops previously. This is a wine produced by the Shannon Family of Wines a sustainably farmed, family-owned winery located in the Lake County AVA of Northern California. As of 2023 Shannon wines are…
Read More
Shannon Ranch Big Horn Red Blend 2020- $6 at Trader Joe's-Let Me Tell You All About It The Shannon Family Of Wines is an organic, sustainably farmed family-owned winery from Lake County AVA in Northern California, Lake County is just north of Napa Valley. This red Blend sells at Trader Joe's for $5.99, but in…
Read More
The Bay Moon Sauvignon Blanc 2022 is a $5.99 Trader Joe’s wine and is the same price as it was in 2012 when we first reviewed this brand. In places where there are no Trader Joe’s stores, this wine can sell for $11.99. The back label mentions this wine was “vinted and bottled by” Trader…
Read More
The Z Alexander Brown Uncaged Proprietary Red Blend 2020 is a wine I found for $12 at a local wine shop. It is a collaboration between musician Zac Brown and John Killebrew, the winemaker for Delicato Family Vineyards, the makers of Gnarly Head and Coppola wines. Proprietary Blend indicates that the blend is unique to…
Read More
The Doña Paula Estate Blue Edition Velvet Red Blend 2021 is $10.99 at Costco and $14 to $29 elsewhere. This wine is a blend of 60% Malbec, 30% Pinot Noir, and 10% Bonarda sourced from the Doña Paula Estate El Alto Vineyard (3,445 feet up in the Andes foothills of the Ugarteche sub-region of the Luján…
Read More
The Trader Joe’s Grand Reserve Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2021 is a $12.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive. The Dry Creek Valley first planted Zinfandel vines in the 1870s, phylloxera hit the California vineyards in the 1890s and destroyed most of the vines. The vineyards were replanted and several of those ancient (by grapevine standards) are still…
Read More
The Noble Vines 181 Merlot 2020 is $7.99 at Costco, anywhere from $8 to $14 online. Nobles Vines is a Delicato Family Vineyards brand that started in Lodi and expanded to Napa Valley and recently purchased Coppola wines in Sonoma. The 181 in the title refers to the number of the Merlot Clone they planted…
Read More
Get ready to raise your wine glasses as I, Domain Dave, introduce you to a hidden gem from the shelves of Costco: the Kirkland Signature Series Columbia Valley Red Wine 2021. Crafted by esteemed French winemaker Nicole from Long Shadow, this wine is a testament to how affordable wines can rival their pricier counterparts, without…
Read MoreReady to indulge in a Chardonnay that might change your mind about this popular varietal? Join us as we sip and savor the Jam Sellers Butter Chardonnay 2021, a fun and unique find at Costco for just $9.99. We’ll dive into the background of Jam and its founders, John and Michelle, while discussing their focus…
Read More
The JaM Cellars Butter Chardonnay 2021 is 100% Chardonnay and is a wine I found at Costco selling for $9.99 and is found on the web for 13 to $17. The JaM in the name stands for John and Michele Truchard. John is a second-generation California winemaker his father owns Truchard Vineyards in Napa. In…
Read More
Discover the secret to finding exceptional and affordable wines from Lodi, California, as we dive into the world of Sand Point Sauvignon Blanc 2021. Join Domaine Dave, your trusty wine connoisseur, as he uncovers the rich history of Lodi’s long-standing winemaking tradition and the importance of sustainable farming practices in producing delicious yet budget-friendly wines. …
Read More
