Fast facts: 2021 Trader Joe’s Reserve Meritage, Lot #239, Paso Robles, CA ($9.99 @ Trader Joe’s, California) So this red caught my eye at Trader Joe’s recently. There were two things that first attracted me to this wine: the magical word Meritage (rhymes with “heritage” but is also pronounced “mehr-it-taj”) which promises good things … Read moreFire Up the BBQ and Pull the Cork on this TJ’s Red Wine
Fast facts: 2020 Kirkland Signature Red Blend, Napa Valley, CA ($10.99 @ Costco, California – Item #333110) Ever heard of a “brand refresh?” It’s a term I heard regularly in my three decades – and counting – in the wine trade. It basically refers to a “facelift” when an existing wine brand gets a … Read moreIs This the Best $11 Red Wine in America?
Fast facts: 2019 Kirkland Signature Red Blend, Napa Valley, CA ($10.99 @ Costco, California – Item #333110) Tasting Notes: Start with nice aromas of cherry, spice, vanilla, cola, black pepper and a hint of sandalwood. Smooth and silky in the mouth with flavors of black cherry, red berries, vanilla, and eucalyptus. which linger … Read moreOne of our Perennial Favorite Red Wines from Costco
Fast facts: 2018 Trader Joe’s Platinum Reserve Meritage, Rutherford, Napa Valley, California ($14.99 @Trader Joe’s, California) Readers that have been following us for a while have seen prior reviews of Meritage bottlings here before. Frankly, it is rare to find a Meritage that disappoints. I think it has something to do with the flexibility … Read moreA Blockbuster Meritage from the Trader Joe’s Wine Lotto – You Can’t Win if you Don’t Play!
Fast facts: 2019 Alamos Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina ($7.99 @Trader Joe’s, California) 2019 Roustabout Meritage, Paso Robles, California ($7.99 @Trader Joe’s, California) Daylight saving time – check! Spring arrives – check! Temperatures moderate – check! As North America thaws, our food and wine preferences change with the temperatures, which have crept well up into the 80s … Read moreA Delicious Pair for Your Next BBQ – Each Just $7.99 at Trader Joe’s
Fast Facts: 2019 McClean Vineyards, Love Red Blend, Paso Robles, California ($11.49 @Costco in California – Item #1528847) So I admit that it was the “packaging” that stopped me in my tracks for this wine. I am so shallow sometimes. In lieu of a traditional paper label, this wine comes in a gorgeous silk-screened … Read moreAll You Need is Love – a groovy Costco wine that is perfect for BBQ
Fast facts: 2019 Trader Joe’s Reserve Meritage Lot 100, Knights Valley, Sonoma County, California ($12.99 @Trader Joe’s, California) So often in our reviews we discuss whether a vintage is too old, and whether the wine may have passed. This is especially true for white wines but applies to red wines as well. In the … Read moreTJ’s Mystery Meritage Wine is a Winner