Trader Joe's

Articles About Trader Joe's

Reviewed Wines

2020 Trader Joe’s Grand Reserve Lot #106 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir

13.7% alc. $12.99. Black label, real cork. A featured wine in Trader Joe’s Fall Fearless Flyer. Label says, “Produced by Bozzano & Co., Morgan Hill, CA. This company specializes in grape and bulk wine sourcing and sales. Wherever they sourced this wine is a mystery, but it is damn good. · Light ruby red color in the glass. Aromas of strawberry, cherry and sandalwood leap from the glass. Light in weight and elegant, but with engaging flavors that echo the nose. Gossamer tannins make for very easy drinking, the texture is refined and silky, and there is an appealing cherry-fueled finish. This is not a bombastic wine, but is tres Pinot. Score: 91. Reviewed October 10, 2021 ARTICLE »

2019 Trader Joe’s Lot #207 Sonoma Coast Reserve Pinot Noir

13.8% alc., $9.99 (Trader Joe’s, various locations). Vinted and bottled by ABJ Wines, Geyserville, CA. (Also, look for “Platinum Reserve” lineup of Pinot Noir from Russian River Valley, Spring Mountain and Sta. Rita Hills, all priced at $14.99. Trader Joe’s Pinot Noir can be hit or miss as the source may be over-produced bulk wine, even declassified wine, acquired from varying sources with each release. · Moderately light garnet color in the glass. This beauty reeks of pinotosity. Moderately light garnet color in the glass. Aromas of strawberry, cranberry and rose petal. Lighter in weight, but packed with delightful black cherry, raspberry and cinnamon spice flavors. Only a phantom touch of oak. Still very good when tasted several hours later from a previously opened bottle. Pour this wine in an expensive empty bottle of Pinot Noir and fool your friends! A total steal at this price. Score: 90. Reviewed December 13, 2020 ARTICLE »

2019 Trader Joe’s Grand Reserve Lot #23 Carneros Pinot Noir

14.2% alc., $12.99. Bottled by Carneros Cellars, Napa, CA. · Moderately light garnet color in the glass. Lighter weighted, with aromas of cherry and blueberry with a vegetal note and flavors of cherry, raspberry and a botanical note. Smooth on the palate, with a woody them on he finish. The nose never reaches an appealing level. Score: 87. Reviewed February 7, 2021 ARTICLE »

2019 Trader Joe’s Lot #79 Platinum Reserve Carneros Pinot Noir

White and silver label, 14.25%, $14.99. Artificial cork. Label says “Vinted and bottled by Carneros Cellars, Napa, CA.” a producer I cannot locate. · Moderately light garnet color in the glass. Aromas of cherry and spicy oak. Mid-weight flavors of red cherry, strawberry and a shadow of oak. Decent, with silky tannins and a short finish. Leans too much on oak for my taste. Score: 89. Reviewed October 10, 2021 ARTICLE »

2016 Charles Shaw California Pinot Noir

5% alc., $3.99, twist-off Helix cork. Made with CCCF certified organic grapes. · Light ruby red color in the glass. Upon opening, the nose offers aromas of cherry and mocha, fading quickly and giving way to aromas of plum, wilted rose, oak and a slight vinegar note. A simple quaff, with a dark cherry fruit core, low acidity, a shallow mid palate and a short, slightly sweet finish. The wine is silky in texture as one expects from Pinot Noir, but there are strange non-fruit flavors, including vegetal and spoiled nut tastes, as well as other unappetizing flavors that are hard to pinpoint. Unappealing, but about what you would expect from a $3.99 Pinot Noir. Score: 79. Reviewed June 9, 2018 ARTICLE »

2016 Trader Joe’s Grand Reserve Lot 23 Carneros Pinot Noir

13.9% alc., $12.99. · Moderately light garnet color in the glass. Aromas of coddled black cherry, spice, cola and fertile earth with oak showing up in the glass over time. Silky in the mouth, with mid weight flavors of black cherry, raspberry, purple plum, mushroom and earth. Elegantly composed, with gossamer tannins, finishing with welcome cherry succulence and a bit of tobacco oak. A very good value. Score: 87. Reviewed January 6, 2018 ARTICLE »

2016 Trader Joe’s Grand Reserve Lot 80 Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir

14.5% alc., $12.99. · Moderately light garnet color in the glass. The nose opens slowly to reveal aromas of purple and black berries, marzipan, wood spice and dark chocolate. Sleek and easy to drink, with a mid weight core of dark berry fruits backed by toasty oak. Rather elegant, with soft tannins, building in intensity over time in the glass. Score: 87. Reviewed January 6, 2018 ARTICLE »

2016 Trader Joe’s Lot #87 Grand Reserve Sonoma Coast Chardonnay

14.8% alc., $12.99. Vinted and bottled by AVID Winery, Sebastopol. · Pale golden yellow color in the glass. Up front aromas of butter, lemon and pineapple. Light in weight with good acidity, featuring flavors of citrus, apple, nuts and caramel. Bright and lively with a silky texture and integrated alcohol. This wine will attract Chardonnay fans at this price. Score: 88. Reviewed July 14, 2018 ARTICLE »

2016 Trader Joe’s Platinum Reserve Lot #79 Carneros Pinot Noir

13.9% alc., $14.99. Vinted and bottled by Carneros Cellars, Napa, CA. · Moderate garnet color in the glass. The nose is quite charming, offering aromas of wild strawberry, rose petal, cherry, raspberry and pine. Light to mid weight in style, and very open and giving, featuring an array of dark red fruit flavors. A slightly earthy, mushroom vibe is typical of Carneros. There is favorable juiciness and able oak management (unlike many Reserves that lean heavy on oak). Still perfectly fine when tasted the following day from a previously opened and re-corked bottle. Incredible value. Score: 90. Reviewed June 9, 2018 ARTICLE »

2015 VINTJS Willamette Valley Oregon Pinot Noir

13.5% alc., $8.99. Vinted and bottled by ABJ Wines, Geyserville, CA. · Moderately light reddish purple color in the glass. Primarily oak-derived aromas of smoke, mulch and graham with a slight note of cherry. Drinkable in a mid weight style, but little depth of cherry flavor, little complexity, and sparse length on the finish. The muscular tannins are aggressive. Score: 83. Reviewed December 13, 2016 ARTICLE »

2015 Trader Joe’s Grand Reserve Lot #23 Carneros Pinot Noir

13.9%, $12.99. Bottled by Carneros Cellars, Napa, CA. · Moderately light reddish purple color in the glass. Fruity aromas of black cherry lead to a mid weight core of black cherry fruit framed by modest tannins. Not appreciable depth or nuance, but true to the varietal, balanced and offers a modest but pleasing finish. A decent value. Score: 86. Reviewed December 13, 2016 ARTICLE »

2015 Trader Joe’s Lot #79, Platinum Reserve Carneros Pinot Noir

13.9% alc., 1,450 cases, $14.99. Vinted and bottled by Carneros Cellars, Napa, CA. · Upon opening, the nose is effusive with blueberry pie aroma but develops more oak notes of anise and tobacco over time in the glass. Soft and satiny in the mouth, with a decent attack of blueberry-pomegranate fruit flavor underlain with an earthy, mushroom riff typical of Carneros Pinot. A pleasant but not special wine, with adequate backing tannins and a modest finish. Score: 87. Reviewed August 6, 2017 ARTICLE »

2014 Sphere Monterey County Pinot Noir

13.8% alc., $6.99. This is a featured wine in the spring Trader Joe’s Fearless Flyer newsletter. In amongst descriptions of many offerings including whole milk Greek honey yogurt and dark chocolate covered peaberry coffee beans, you will find this wine highlighted. It is said to have been crafted for Trader Joe’s Markets by a winemaker with deep roots in California wine country and is 100% Pinot Noir. · Moderately light cherry red color in the glass. Well-perfumed with scents of strawberry, black cherry and spice. The light weight core of red cherry fruit is accented with complimentary oak and framed by modest tannins making for easy imbibing. The wine is a bit shallow and lacks much finish, but it is not oaky like so many value-priced Pinot Noirs and satisfies all the criteria for a Pinot Noir varietal. At this price, it is hard to complain. This would be a great wedding wine. Score: 87. Reviewed May 11, 2016 ARTICLE »

2014 Trader Joe’s Reserve Lot # 109 Arroyo Grande Valley Pinot Noir

13.9% alc., $9.99. Vinted and bottled by Reluctant Wine Co. in Arroyo Grande, California. · Moderately light reddish purple color in the glass. This wine is true to its Pinot Noir origins, with aromas of dark cherry, raspberry and truffle, and mid weight flavors of black cherry and purple grape. Oak is supportive without being intrusive, the tannins are silky, and this simple wine is easy to drink. Score: 86. Reviewed September 7, 2016 ARTICLE »

2014 Trader Joe’s Reserve Lot #109 Arroyo Grande Valley Pinot Noir

13.9% alc., $9.99. Vinted and bottled by Reluctant Wine Co., Arroyo Grande, CA. · Moderate reddish purple color in the glass. Perfumed with aromas of black raspberry, blackberry, spice, and vanilla, picking up more oak notes over time in the glass. Velvety and lush on the palate, with good fruit intensity and drive. Nicely balanced array of purple and black fruits with a hint of oak toast and spice, finishing with good roundness. Impressive harmony. Over delivers for the price. Score: 88. Reviewed December 13, 2016 ARTICLE »

2014 Trader Joe’s Lot #57 Estate Grand Reserve Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

14.2% alc., $14.99. Cellared and bottled by DNA Vineyards, Ukiah, CA. · Moderately light reddish purple color in the glass. Deep aromas of Bing cherry, spice and toasty oak. Quintessential Russian River Valley in character, with mid weight flavors of black cherry, cola and spice. This wine has noticeable power and intensity on the palate and finish with a compliment of oak in the background. An easy drinking wine with substance that won’t disappoint at this price point. Score: 88. Reviewed November 22, 2015 ARTICLE »

2014 Trader Joe’s Platinum Reserve Lot #33 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

14.2% alc., 5,000 cases, $14.99. Cellared and bottled by The Vine Intervention, Napa, CA. · Moderately light reddish purple color in the glass. Aromas of cherry and baking spices with a bit of apple core. Silky smooth on the palate in a cherrydriven mid weight styled wine. Easy going, with gentle tannins, a shallow mid palate and a very modest finish. Score: 85. Reviewed December 13, 2016 ARTICLE »

2014 Trader Joe’s Platinum Reserve Lot #66 Carneros Napa Valley Pinot Noir

13.5% alc., 2,000 cases, $14.99. Estate grown and produced by Eris Vineyards, Napa, CA. · Moderately light reddish purple color in the glass. Blackberry fruit aromas are accented with scents of earthy flora and toasty barrel. Highly flavorful, with plenty of black cherry and exotic spice notes to please. The fruit is nicely framed by silky tannins and there is noticeable length on the finish. A bit too much barrel on the nose, but the oak is better integrated on the palate. Well worth the money. Score: 87. Reviewed December 13, 2016 ARTICLE »

2013 Trader Joe’s Grand Reserve Lot #23 Carneros Pinot Noir

14% alc., $13. · Moderately light reddish purple color in the glass. Pleasant aromas of black cherry, strawberry glaze and toasty oak. Light to mid weight flavors of juicy cherry with a hint of anise and cola. A bit shallow on the attack but finishes with a burst of cherry flavor backed by slightly astringent tannins. This wine delivers what you would expect for Pinot Noir at this price point. Score: 86. Reviewed January 23, 2015 ARTICLE »

2009 Trader Joe’s Petite Reserve Central Coast Pinot Noir

13.7% alc., $5.99. · Moderately deep reddishpurple color. Scents of underbrush, leaf, old sweatshirt. Light-bodied flavors of strawberries, raspberries, cranberries with minimal tannins. Akin to a rosé in intensity. Decent (-). Reviewed February 8, 2011 ARTICLE »