justagrape.com » Trader Joes

Vola Sangiovese (Italy, 2009)

Eddie — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 00:23:22 +0000

	This is a limited time availability wine available from Trader Joes. We’re not certain if it will return again this year or if it is gone for good. Very hard to pass up at $1.99 a bottle and we were not disappointed when we opened up the first one at home. This flavor profile and texture of this wine can be found in others for $8 – $10. If you can still find this at your TJ’s pick it up!!!
	$2 from Trader Joes

Smells of strawberries, pepper and sawdust Soft mouth feel and is very smooth after decanting Tastes of cedar and nectarine with a medium finish Changes and evolves as you drink it. This is a wine that keeps you interested all the time… You know its crazy buy you enjoy your time with it… it’s fun because you don’t know what is coming next… but it all makes sense when you realize it is a very schizophrenic wine.

Napa River Cabernet Sauvignon (California, 2007)

Eddie — Fri, 14 May 2010 03:24:45 +0000

	I went to Trader Joe’s to find a wine but they were out. I did not want to waste a trip there and figured I would look around for something else. I came across a section where much of the wine was gone and a lady scooted by me grabbed a bottle of Napa River while exclaiming “Good, they have some left” she proceeded to tell me that it was the best cheap cab I would ever have. Well with a recommendation like that, how could I resist!
	$6 from Trader Joes

Floral aromas, bright and fresh with a slight undercurrent of coffee Decent tannins and a little sharp on the finish Hints of licorice, some pipe tobacco and strawberry on the tip of the tongue A little chocolate on the finish as well Overall it is not bad for a $6 bottle of wine, but I don’t think it is big enough to stand up to the food it says it pairs well with on the back. It is sorta like losing in the playoffs… ya knew your team was good but just not good enough to match up with the elite team. Your still happy and continue to support them though.

Chariot Gypsy Red (California, 2008)

Mike — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 04:51:50 +0000

	This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel and Sangiovese. This popular yet limited availability Trader Joe’s wine is once again available at this time (or at least it is here in Arizona). This is our first review of a Gypsy vintage and it did not disappoint. Overall providing fantastic value from a $5 bottle. If you do see it your local Trader Joe’s, don’t leave without buying at least a couple!
	$5 from Trader Joe’s

Smells of all spice, cedar, fire and smoke! Smooth texture with a great overall mouth feel. Sweet start with a dry medium finish. Tastes of charcoal, earth and wood with fruit undertones of dark berries and raspberry. Fascinating, deep and complex… like a book you pick up from a garage sale because you need something to read on vacation… yet once you start it you cannot put it down and it is more engrossing than the vacation itself.

The California Wine Party Blend (California, 2006)

Mike — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 02:29:23 +0000

	This is a blend from Paso Robles California. I picked this wine up at Trader Joes, simply because it had an interesting marketing angle, and it was only $6. Turns out it was fairly decent, although probably not capable of government leadership if it were a real person.
	$6 from Trader Joes

Fruity aromas with overtones of alcohol Flavors are a bit watered down. Short finish Tastes of blackberry Very easy drinking with good mouth feel. Overall it was not a bad wine. It was enjoyable while it lasted but it kind of fell off the map with the finish…kinda like the way Giuliani fell off the map after Florida. If this wine were the Governor of California it probably wouldn’t have much budget balancing success either… but people would still vote for it again.

Albero Tempranillo (Spain, 2006)

Mike — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 15:30:26 +0000

	This is an organic Tempranillo from Spain. I hadn’t browsed the wine isle at T.J.’s in a while and was intrigued to find an organic Tempranillo from Spain there. There is also a Cabernet from Albero that we want to review as well. Jason has some more insights as to the origin of this wine and a review as well. Overall we were pleased with this $6 wine and would buy it again.
	$6 from Trader Joes

Strong cherry aroma with hints of vanilla. Decent balance, with a weak short finish. Simple and pleasant, but lacks any enjoyable complexity. Chocolate on the finish. *This wine like having the Monday of a long weekend off… you’re really happy to have the day off but you don’t really do anything really exciting or very interesting.*

Root 1 Cabernet Sauvignon (Chile, 2007)

Mike — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 06:28:15 +0000

	This is a Cabernet from Chile. We reviewed the 2005 in January and thought we would compare the 2007 to that vintage. Once again this wine falls below the 04 that we really liked. It is not a bad wine but just not up to the level of the 04. Give it a try with some grilled red meat and you might find this to be a decent wine that is worth the price.
	$12 from Trader Joe’s

Hints of citrus with a strong alcohol scent Jammy aromas with spicy notes. Tastes of grapefruit A bit sharp on the tongue Overall mouth feel is a bit harsh and big with has a long finish This wine is definitely a food wine that would be great with a porterhouse steak and twice baked potato Bold and in your face like a school yard bully….taking it on by itself can be a bit overwhelming but pairing this wine with a hearty meal will take some of the edge off and reveal its softer side.

Bogle Merlot (California, 2006)

Eddie — Thu, 08 May 2008 14:57:47 +0000

	This is a Merlot from California. This is actually our second review of this wine… we lost the notes on the first review so in theory, this review is more refined than our first.
	$9 from Trader Joes

Earthy smells, soil and roots. Flat and one dimensional. Very standard and typical tasting table wine. Like going camping in the Pacific Northwest in the spring…While it may rain and there is something enjoyable about the way the forest smells afterwards…you really feel like you missed out on something great due to the weather.

Red Flyer (California, 2003)

Mike — Sat, 03 May 2008 17:20:54 +0000

	This is a red table wine from California. A blend of Syrah, Mourvedre, Grenache, and Carignane. I saw this on display at Trader Joes and couldn’t pass up the $3 price tag for a review on justagrape.com. My expectations were low, considering the bottom barrel price and our past experience with “Red” labeled wines (see Cheap Red, Red Truck, Big House Red and Red Guitar), but it turned out to be a half decent bottle. We recommend it if you can find it for the $3 price, but if you have to pay closer to $9 you could probably do better.
	$3 from Trader Joes

Very dark deep purple/red hues. Apples and cherries in the aroma. A little sweet and jammy off the start. Bold smokey berry flavors with a short finish. This wine is light hearted and bold at the same time. It’s that fun lovin friend you have that always speaks it’s mind and is an all around good time when you hang out.

Charles Shaw Shiraz (California, 2007)

Mike — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 13:42:52 +0000

	This is a Shiraz from California. This is one of Trader Joes’ “Two Buck Chuck” wines. We really liked the Cabernet and thought we’d give the Shiraz a review.
	$3 from Trader Joes

Jammy aromas with a hint of vanilla. Very acidic and sharp in the mouth. It’s really hard to get past the acidity in this wine – it masks any good flavors that might be there. A hint of oak. Remember how Joe Blow Red was like someone who rubbed you the wrong way for a while until you found out that you really had a lot in common and grew to value their friendship…..well this is more like the person that rubs you the wrong way the first time and continues to be a pain in the butt for the rest of your life. Leave this bottle on the shelf since it is absolutely horrible. We expect better of Trader Joe’s.

Il Valore Chianti Riserva (Italy, 2003)

Mike — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 13:32:38 +0000

	This is a Chianti Riserva from Italy. Like most Italian wines it is built for a good meal. This wine would be great with a hearty macaroni dish(or pasta dish if you are Canadian or American). Or you could give it a try the next time you throw a steak on the grill. At six bucks this will not disappoint you.
	$6 from Trader Joes

Intense flower aromas – specifically lilly Hints of moist earth. Tastes like flowers with an oak finish. Smooth and flavorful. OK…so this wine had a lot of flowery aspects to it, that does not mean it is a little sissy. This wine could be like the small, undersized kid in your class that gets picked on by the school bully. That is, until he fights back and everyone finds out he is a third degree black belt in Karate. This wine definitely holds its own and can stand up for itself.

La Boca Cabernet Sauvignon (Argentina, 2007)

Eddie — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 13:50:50 +0000

	So I was standing outside the other day grilling up a steak and drinking the last bit of the Tarazza Malbec that I had. Someone I know who lives in the condo complex we live in came by and we started talking. We talked about wine, cigars, and beer. I made the comment that I wish I had some more wine to have with my steak with and he kindly offered up a bottle of La Boca Cabernet that he is a big fan of. This wine is not as big or as bold as your traditional Cab, so I did knock a trophy off for that but overall it was not too bad. Understand this…It is a 4 dollar bottle of wine…if you are looking for something that tastes decent and are not into finding all the subtle nuances and flavors a wine can have than go ahead and give this a try.
	$4 at Trader Joes

Simple Cherries on the tip of the tongue Hints of grapefruit at first followed by a very dry finish Pleasant tasting but too simple and not enough depth This wine is like an attractive girl that is very shallow…You can handle her in doses every now and then but you do not want to spend a great amount of time or money on her….Luckily for you this one is very cheap

Concha Y Toro Casillero del Diablo Carmenere (Chile 2006)

Eddie — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 13:42:38 +0000

	This wine is a Carmenere from Chile. Carmenere used to be grown in the Bordeaux region of France but is now only found in Chile. Carmenere tends to be a mellow grape that produces soft tannins and it is much more mellow than a malbec or cab.
	$9 at Trader Joes

Spicy and peppery with a little bit of smoke and oak. A masculine tasting wine in the sense that it is more earthy rather than fruity. A bit harsh on the tongue at first but decanting mellowed and rounded it out. Once decanted, oak, and a coffee flavors came out followed by slight berry tastes. Not very complex but very easy and enjoyable to drink. A great every day wine. Excellent wine for the price. Much like going into a gas station and buying a $1.00 scratcher and winning $20.00. It is not going to make you rich and will not do cartwheels down the street; but non the less, you are happy you picked up the ticket.

La Boca Malbec (Argentina 2006)

Eddie — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 14:06:14 +0000

	This wine is a Malbec from Argentina. Argentina, with its sinking currency is now finally able to challenge Chilean wine for a corner of the inexpensive wine market in North America. The label has been created to replicate the colorful houses that make up the town of La Boca that is nestled at the foothills of the Andes. We do suggest trying this because for the price it is well worth it.
	$3 at Trader Joe’s

Hints of Chocolate and coffee in the aroma The aroma is intense The taste was slightly spicy witha little plum A bit harsher than past vintages Very dry wine with a lot of tannins One dimensional in its flavor and a little boring. This wine is like free tickets to a baseball game between two teams you do not have a vested interest in. Your glad you got them and not upset that you went, but were not overly thrilled while you were there. It was better than sitting around the house all night but not exactly the World Series either.

Louis Jadot Beaujolais Villages (France 2006)

Mike — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 14:20:02 +0000

	This wine is a Gamay Noir from the Beaujolais region in east central France. Beaujolais is a sub-region of the larger Burgandy region in France, and is known for producing fruit forward and light wines. Nearly all of the wine produced in the Beaujolais region is of the Gamay grape variety. This wine is very common in the US and can be found at almost any store.
	$8 from Trader Joes.

Strawberry bouquet. Light and dry with moderate tannins. Easy to drink with a very short finish. Not complex, simple. This wine is like that song you hear and enjoy right away. After a while though it gets a little boring, because it’s not layered with intricacies that take multiple listens to hear. It still is nice to play once in a while though because it does have a good rhythm.

Charles Shaw Cabernet Sauvignon (California 2005)

Mike — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 22:59:01 +0000

	This wine is a Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma California. This is the legendary “2 Buck Chuck” that is sold exclusively by Trader Joe’s. There has been speculation and stories about why this wine is being sold for $2. According to Trader Joes however, the value priced Charles Shaw wines began as a result of an excessive supply, not because of other urban legends you may have heard. For the price, this is a great wine well worth giving a try. We have compared this wine to others in the same price point and above ($6.00 – $10.00 a bottle) and Charles Shaw comes out on top!
	$3 Purchased from Trader Joes ($2 in California)

Strong cherries in the bouquet. Notes of green apple. Hints of oak and plum. Medium tannins – decanting is recommended. An easy to drink wine, that can be enjoyed with a variety of foods. Makes a great Sangria. This wine is not the girl that wears Gucci, Fendi, or Prada. She wears baggy sweats and a baseball cap with her hair pulled through the back and she is proud of it. If you can get past the department store store clothes she wears, you will find she is definitely worth taking the time to get to know. Unlike the Cheap Red Wine we strongly suggest trying this bargain wine out.