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 Wente Morning Fog Central Coast Chardonnay 2023 is a wine I found at a local grocery store, selling for $11.99. This is the entry Chardonnay for Wente Family Vineyards, who have a unique history with the Chardonnay grape. The Story Wente was founded in 1883 and is the oldest continuously operated family-owned vineyard and…
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The Bonflor California Organic Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 is a $7.99 wine found at Aldi stores. The name Bonflor translates to “Good Flower, which is “likely a reference to the type of plants grown in the organic vineyard to attract the kinds of insects and birds that feed on the insects detrimental to the vines. The…
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The Aldi’s Peaks & Tides Sonoma Brut is a Sparkling wine sold at Aldi stores for $13.99. This Bubbly was produced by Rack and Riddle. The Story Rack and Riddle (these are terms used in making Bubbly) is a custom Sparkling wine producer located in several locations in Sonoma and Lodi. If you have tasted…
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Send us Fan Mail The fascinating world of wine often hides gems in plain sight. Meet the Bacchus Ginger's Cuvée Pinot Noir 2023, a $12.99 bottle that breaks the assumption that quality must come with a hefty price tag. What makes this wine remarkable isn't just its approachable price point, but the pedigree behind it….
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The Bacchus Ginger’s Cuvee Pinot Noir 2023 is a wine I found at a local wine retailer selling for $12.99. It is a wine label from David Gordon, the Sommelier at Tribeca Grill (owned by Robert De Niro) since 1990. The Story David Gordon has had an outstanding career, he is one of 3 Americans…
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The Duvergey Taboureau Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2023 is a Trader Joe’s $11.99 exclusive, sourced from grapes farmed in the Burgundy region of France. The Story Maison Duvergey Taboureau was a wine estate founded in 1868 in Burgundy. When the founders passed away, Jaques Prieur acquired the estate in 1925. This estate continues to this day….
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Send us Fan Mail What makes a humble bottle of Pinot Noir stand out from the crowd? Unlock the secrets behind Trader Joe's Cotillion Pinot Noir, a $9.99 treasure, as we take you on a journey through its 2022 vintage story. This episode revisits a cherished selection from our past reviews, tracing its origins across…
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The Cotillion Pinot Noir 2022 is a $9.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive wine that has been available since at least the 2013 vintage. Plata Wine Partners produces this Pinot Noir for Trader Joe’s under its Ashford Court winery label. The Story Plata Partners (founded in 2005) has 60 vineyards with over 18,000 acres of vines. Grapes…
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Send us Fan Mail What if the madness of men in pursuit of excellence leads to an affordable yet exquisite Pinot Noir? Discover the captivating story of Folly of the Beast 2022, crafted by the passionate winemaker Ryan Zotovich. Inspired by a quote from Moby Dick, this wine's journey stretches across the Central Coast, from…
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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 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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Send us Fan Mail Upper Eden Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir 2022-$12.99 & Ready For Thanksgiving This is a Trader Joe's exclusive wine from an AVA in the heights above the Salinas Valley near the Monterey Bay. It is a prime location for Pinot Noir grapes and this is a well-made, well-priced Pinot Noir wine….
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The Upper Eden Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir 2022 is a $12.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive wine bottled by Upper Eden Wines, a Bozzano & Company custom wine producer located in San Luis Obispo, California. They have produced some of the more interesting recent Trader Joe’s wine. The name Upper Eden comes from Steinbeck’s book East…
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The Scarlet Path Old Vine Lodi Zinfandel 2022 is a $7.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive. It was made for Aldi by a branch of a large, family-owned, organic winery located in the Monterey AVA of California’s Central Coast. Since this isn’t an organic wine, it seems they purchased the grapes from local Lodu growers. The Scarley…
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The Acacia Carneros Pinot Noir 2020 sells for $12.99 at Costco and I have seen it at $35 but is more likely found for around $20. Acacia Vineyards was founded in the Carneros AVA in 1979 and was one of the first Pinot Noir wineries in the region. Acacia has changed ownership several times over…
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The Scarlet Path Lodi Old Vines Zinfandel 2021 is a $7.99 exclusive wine at Aldi. It is produced by some segment of a large sustainably farmed family-owned vineyards and winery from Monterey California. They have a branch that makes contracted brands and several Aldi wines. Lodi is located in the Central Valley of California, and…
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The Mark West Pinot Noir 2021 is the largest selling under $15 Pinot Noir for 15 years straight. It is a wine I found with a rebate for $4.99 but typically is priced for about ten bucks. Mark West Winery was founded in 1978 as a Pinot Noir-based company. They are now owned by E…
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The Outlander Paso Robles Meritage 2022 is a $7.99 Aldi exclusive, Aldi has trademarked the Outlander name. It is produced by a winery located in Greenfield, California, (Monterey AVA) which happens to be the home of a family-owned winery in business since 1972. A Meritage (rhymes with heritage) wine is a California wine that exclusively…
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The Poppy Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay 2019 is a wine I found for $13.99 and it is the house brand for Monterey Wine Company, a custom wine producer. This is a single vineyard wine with grapes from the Poppy Hillside Vineyard. The Santa Lucia Highlands AVA is located on the western foothills of the Salinas…
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The Trader Joe’s Grand Reserve Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir 2021 is a $12.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive. In January of 2022, Trader Joe’s offered the Platinum Reserve SLH Pinot Noir. That wine sold for $14.99 and if you click on the link you will find that we thought it had too much alcohol and wasn’t…
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The Cannonball California Sauvignon Blanc 2022 is a wine I found selling at a local wine shop for $11.99. Cannonball Wine was founded in 2016 with the mission goal of making “the best California Cabernet under $20“, they have since branched out to include Melot, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc. The Cannonball California Sauvignon Blanc 2022…
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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…
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The Outlander Meritage Paso Robles 2021 is a $7.99 Aldi exclusive. The Meritage in the name indicates that this is a Bordeaux blend, with Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot, and Malbec grapes. To be a Meritage wine a license is purchased from the Meritage Alliance. They are an industry group promoting education and working on…
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