The Trader Joe’s Diamond Reserve Rutherford Meritage 2022 is an exclusive, $19.99 offering available only at Trader Joe’s. This wine was produced and bottled by (that means they made it) 1542 ACE, which is a label from Miura Vineyards, a project from a Master Sommelier, Emmanuel Kemiji.
The Story
Miura and 1542 ACE typically deal in top-notch wines grown in the Central Coast AVA. This Trader Joe’s Reserve wine is sourced from the Rutherford AVA in side of Napa Valley.
The Rutherford AVA is located in the widest part of Napa Valley, which gives the vineyard a great deal of sunlight. The summer temperatures can reach the 90s, but the nights are much cooler, allowing the grapes to rest before the next day’s invigorating sun. The benchland on the west side is considered a prime vineyard location. We are not told the exact location of the vineyard of the Trader Joe’s Diamond Reserve Rutherford Meritage 2022.
A Meritage, a combination of merit and heritage, is a California organization dedicated to the study of Bordeaux Red wine blends. The blend here is 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, 4% Malbec, and 3% Cabernet Franc; these are the approved grapes to be used in Bordeaux.
This Red blend had an excellent French oak barrel program with 20 months of aging with 30% new barrels. This is the type of aging you see in more expensive Napa wine.
As usual for these Trader Joe’s Reserve wines, we are not provided with production notes, but having the production hidden is one of the reasons they can sell these wines at a discount.
The alcohol content is a ripe 15.3%.
The Trader Joe’s Diamond Reserve Rutherford Meritage 2022 Tasting Notes
The color is strawberry jelly red with black highlights. The nose is ripe berries, spice, licorice, and a hint of a savory note. Followed by plum, herbs, and spring flowers. The Trader Joe’s Diamond Reserve Rutherford Meritage 2022 is bold, balanced, and tasty.
This Cabernet Sauvignon tastes like blackberry jam, but not sweet. Blueberry, spice, ripe plum, light herbs, interesting spice, pomegranate, and stone fruit.
This is a fruit-forward wine, but not a sweet wine. The tannins do their job and stay out of the way. The acidity provides excellent length.
The Summary
- The Trader Joe’s Diamond Reserve Rutherford Meritage 2022 is a good bottle of wine.
- At $19.99, I wonder if we are approaching the price where you can find good retail Napa wine.
- If we knew more about this wine, we could make an informed decision. But this is a wine that is worth the price, and can possibly be worth more.
