Think back to your first visit toTrader Joe’s.
Aside from the colorful displays and vivacious employees, you likely noticed its compact size.
You weren’t wrong.
Photo: Shutterstock. Design: Eat This, Not That!
Trader Joe’s carries around4,000 product SKUsat any given timea stark contrast to the industry average of 50,000.
One area where you’re sure to find variety, however, is on the store’s wine shelf.
Much of this inventory is what people like to call “Two-Buck Chuck,” or very inexpensive wine.
Megan Hageman / Eat This, Not That!
Starting at the lowest price point, you have Petit Reserves, followed by Reserves and then Grand Reserves.
I kept things humble and middle of the road with a Grand Reserve pinot noir.
This wine hails from the San Luis Obispo area of sunny California and cost me $12.99.
Megan Hageman / Eat This, Not That!
It takes on a light and almost translucent colora feature somewhat standard for pinot noirs.
Because of this thin nature, its shade was more similar to plum rather than dark maroon.
The taste:Watery, with a lack of flavor notes.
Megan Hageman / Eat This, Not That!
But, in this Grand Reserve, the tastes are just that, reserved.
There is no punch or sweetness.
It’s a wine that is dry but somehow also has low tannin.
Megan Hageman / Eat This, Not That!
Many also lean towards the sweeter side of the spectrum.
The look:A very dark, garnet-colored liquid is what emerges from this blacked-out bottle.
It’s certainly a deeper shade than I was expecting from a red blend.
Megan Hageman / Eat This, Not That!
It was so dark that I couldn’t see the bottom of my glass through it.
The flavor is more muted and subtle.
This is not one I would seek out again.
Megan Hageman / Eat This, Not That!
It has to have that eye-catching x-factor to turn my head away from standard go-to bottles.
And, let me tell you, thisOpaline bottlehas that certainje ne sais quoi.
Its crystal-like texture is mesmerizing, and it shows off its liquid contents in all the best ways.
Megan Hageman / Eat This, Not That!
This means it is a drier winebrut is the French word for “dry"with very little sweetness.
The look:Standard rose in a pink to peach shade.
It is certainly dry, which isn’t a problem as I typically prefer dry and less sweet wine.
Megan Hageman / Eat This, Not That!
But, nothing about it screamed rose to mebeyond the color, of course.
Plus, the aftertaste was more acidic than I would have preferred.
I would drink this again if someone handed it to me at a celebration or get-together.
Megan Hageman / Eat This, Not That!
But, other than that, I think the pretty bottle is better left empty on my bar cart.
A cab option always appears on restaurant or bar menus.
And, grocery store shelves are usually full of them, too.
Trader Joe’s delivered on selections, and I struggled to pick just one from the shelf.
I finally settled on thisCorvelia cabernet sauvignon,which pushed the boundaries of my budget at $14.99.
Corvelia’s wines come from Paso Robles, Calif.
In addition to cabernet, the brand also crafts zinfandels.
The look:Dark eggplant purple.
It’s almost ink-like, it’s so pitch-dark.
The taste:My consensus is that this is a very average cabernet.
Those are the words that kept running through my head as I lifted my glass.
The initial smell is resemblant of sour grape juice and exhibits some sweetness.
But, the taste reveals something earthy, and I picked up on some cherry flavoring.
It is low tannin.
My encounters with it have been few and far between.
Plus, at just $9.99, the price was right.
The look:A light white wine.
The taste:The scent is fruit-filled and floral, but that doesn’t translate into taste.
It’s fairly simple on the tongue but was also dry, crisp, and a pinch citrusy.
I would say this is a solid and basic white wine.
But, a friend told me that this variety drinks quite nicely, so I gave it a shot.
I was also excited by the fact that this is aviognier.
The look:Pale golden yellowit looks very refreshing.
It reminds me more of a fancy olive oil bottle or a pint of liquor.
The susumaniello grape is grown in Puglia, Italy.
The look:A pronounced midnight purple.
Just like the Ratified & Repealed Red Blend, this one is not see-through.
The taste:I finally found some tannins.
It has a more sophisticated flavor, while also remaining approachable.
It’s dry but not overly so.
I would still call it a dependable, everyday wine.
It’s hard to describe exactly what it is that makes it a favorite.
I think it has to do with its buttery flavortypically a result of being fermented in oak barrels.
The look:A deeper, richer yellow than the other white wines presented here.
The taste:I can’t say enough good things about this chardonnay.
It’s smooth and buttery, just like a good chardonnay should be.
It’s also sometimes mistaken for shiraz.
These two wines are indeed made from the same kind of grapes and share many similarities.
But, they have different countries of origin.
Syrah traditionally comes from southern France, while shiraz has roots in Australia.
This particular syrah bottle is from Spain, however, and it cost me $9.99.
I was once again persuaded to buy this particular wine because of its well-designed label.
The look:A deep ruby red.
It is closest in looks to the Corveila cabernet.
The taste:Smokey and peppery, but with a delicious finish.
It was such a strong aroma that I sneezed right after taking a whiff.
