Wednesday Wine Tasting: Good Trader Joe's Wines Under $8
Not that long ago, the idea of respectable non-jug, non-box wines for under $10 -- the kind of wine you could bring to a foodie dinner party without feeling like a cheap asshole -- was pretty unthinkable. Enter Trader Joe's and BevMo and suddenly there's a lot of truly decent cheap wine out there, and we're not just talking about Two-Buck Chuck.
We're not huge wine snobs, but we do prefer our reds to be more than just "drinkable," and we like our whites to be layered and complex too (also we hate most California Chardonnay, particularly the buttery stuff). While we know wine is totally subjective and you can feel free to tell us how much you love Chardonnay and Merlot and the two-buck-chuck Sauvignon Blanc, we're offering here a selection of wines we think rise above bargain-bin status that are currently on shelves at Trader Joe's. Sure, by publishing this we're risking that some of these will disappear off SF TJ's shelves before we can stock up ourselves, but hey, it's almost the holidays, and we're feeling generous.
Tres Pinos Tierra Bianca, San Luis Obispo, $4.99
A solid white blend, especially for the price, with a few layers of citrus tang and caramel.
Fuerza Bianca, Argentina, $4.99
Fruity, Chardonnay-like smoothness with some floral overtones, not unlike a well-blended Rhone-style white.
Lacheteau Vouvray, Loire Valley, France, $6.99
The best white they've got over there, in our opinion, slightly on the sweet side with notes of almond, pear, and green herbs.
Marques de Caceres Rioja (Rosé) $6.99
Often mentioned on best cheap wine lists, this is a great dry rosé, perfect for warm weather.
Pont du Rhone Prestige, France, $5.99
Don't let the weird plastic bottle deter you -- a good, spicy, well balanced Cotes-du-Rhone blend.
Fife Max Cuvee, Mendocino, $6.99
A California blend with good balance to satisfy the drinkable quotient, and sold tannins to satisfy Cab fans.
Cline California Zinfandel, Sonoma, $7.99
We couldn't leave off this perennial fave from Cline Cellars, which is the only reason this list isn't "Under $7" instead of "Under $8." A good, hearty, fruit-spicy Zin that beats a great many $10+ bottles out there -- and even some $20+ bottles.
PREVIOUSLY: Astrale e Terra Winery
Quivira Vineyards
Loxton Cellars
Hess Collection
Preston of Dry Creek
Cline Cellars
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