8 of the best wines to buy at Trader Joe's, according to a sommelier
- I'm a certified sommelier, and I shop for wine at Trader Joe's.
- Trader Joe's Premium Reserve cabernet sauvignon is a great store-brand option.
Trader Joe's is consistently ranked as one of the top retailers in the US — and for good reason. The specialty chain features an assortment of value-priced foods and drinks from both national and in-store brands.
As a certified sommelier, I love walking into Trader Joe's to pick up my favorite premade meals and some great wine.
Here are some of my favorite bottles.
Editor's note: Product availability and prices vary at Trader Joe's across the US.
I love Pedroncelli's Giovanni & Giulia sauvignon blanc.
Pedroncelli is a fourth-generation, family-owned producer who's been making wine in Sonoma for 90 years.
The only white grape the Pedroncelli family grows is sauvignon blanc, and its Giovanni & Giulia bottle is a fresh California take on the classic white wine. It has bright notes of tropical fruits.
Trader Joe's sells it for $17.
The Husch Mendocino chardonnay is easily the best value at Trader Joe’s.
Husch's chardonnay from the respected wine-growing region of Anderson Valley in Mendocino is a steal at $11.
If you're looking for a lighter chardonnay that's not too oaky and buttery, this is it. The wine is made with a light use of new oak, creating a fresher sip.
The Rodney Strong rosé of pinot noir is also great.
Classic Sonoma producer Rodney Strong makes a fresh and fruity rosé, and Trader Joe's sells it at a wallet-friendly price of $12.
Pinot noir is a delicate grape that makes a lighter-bodied and soft rosé wine. The versatile bottle can be enjoyed alone or with a meal.
If you want a great bottle of pinot noir, look for Banshee.
Banshee pinot noir, available at Trader Joe's for $18, is an excellent example of affordable luxury.
Because it's a harder grape to grow, quality pinot noir can be expensive. Somehow, Banshee has managed to bottle heaps of quality for under $20.
Believe it or not, Trader Joe’s Premium Reserve cabernet sauvignon is a winner.
Even some of Trader Joe's store-branded wines are delicious.
The Premium Reserve cabernet sauvignon from Oakville, one of the most respected subregions in Napa, over-delivers for its $18 price.
It's full of notes of blackberries and blackcurrants with a strong tannic finish. I think it's the perfect pairing with a home-cooked steak dinner.
J. Lohr Vineyards' cabernet sauvignon tastes way more expensive than $15.
J. Lohr has been making wine in Paso Robles for decades and is one of the area's legacy wine producers.
The ripe, juicy take on cabernet sauvignon is just $15 at Trader Joe's. It's a great reminder that cabernets don't have to come from Napa, and they don't have to be expensive.
This bottle would be delicious with Trader Joe's frozen beef bulgogi.
Pick up Harvey & Harriet's red blend for your next dinner party.
Everyone loves a good red blend — they're made to be easy-drinking crowd-pleasers.
Harvey & Harriet's cabernet sauvignon-dominant red blend offers a combination of red and black fruit notes plus spices and earthiness.
At $24, it's the perfect bottle to take to a friend's house for a dinner party.
You can't go wrong with Bogle Family Vineyards' petite sirah.
Bogle's deep petite sirah looks inky and purple in the glass. For $8 a bottle, it's an easy choice at Trader Joe's.
The budget-friendly red wine is aged in American oak and has notes of toastiness, vanilla, blackberries, and blueberries.
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