My French ex-son in law said something like “If you want to buy wines at TJ’s take a corkscrew with you. Buy one bottle, take it out in the parking lot, open and taste it. If it’s good go Back and buy some more. If it isn’t pour it out” Sound advice. Bear in mind that my local TJ’s is ten minutes from my house.
Late to the game here, but our local TJ’s has the 2012 NxNW Riesling The Benches for $4.99, and it’s a really solid (dry) riesling for the price. We’ve picked up several bottles over the last couple months, and I should go grab several more before it disappears.
How dry?
Pretty dry buy still with a good sense of crisp citrusy fruit, if that makes sense. I think the CT notes from the last couple of months get it fairly well - lemon-lime, something floral/tropical, a little minerality/astringency. I mentioned slightly low acidity in my note on our first bottle, but I really haven’t noticed it as an issue in recent ones.
Whip out the $5 and give it a shot… ![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
If your TJ’s has Dr. L Riesling, that’s always a good wine for around $9. You can get it other places, but it’s still a great bargain.
I gave up on TJ’s wine earlier this year, but was coaxed back by a bottle of 2013 Trader Joe’s Pinot Noir Reserve Lot #109 Arroyo Grande Valley. $10.99 at my store.
Plummy, good acidity, trace tannin.
I usually like the Caretaker Pinot noir at $10 - it is light and bright
Our store also has the Latour Grande Ardeche Chardonnay for about $12. It is a good daily drinker.
The local Whole Foods has it as well.
+1 on the Dr. L Rielsing. The Whole Foods has that but is is around $11
BTW, enjoyed this posting:
I will buy Vintjs Pinot Gris/Blanc or Sauvignon Blanc from the Nw for the wife, not much else. Picked up some Raptor Ridge @ reduced on several occasions from my local.
Pretty much all of my TJs wine experiments have been duds. However, I was very pleased with a one-time discovery about seven years ago: four half bottles of 2005 Villa Palatina Ortega Trockenbeerenauslese for about $11 per. Haven’t come across anything remotely interesting since though.
[edit to correct the vintage]
Back when store managers had discretion on what to order, before the corporate uniformity set in, TJ’s used to have some good labels and at 20% off retail. I remember buying a Dunn Vineyards Cabernet (It was either the 1982, 1983 or 1985; I can’t remember).
After they changed their buying habits, several years ago I ran across some Rieslings that were made by, or had something to do with Zelma Long although the label wasn’t under her name. I ended up buying several because they were so good. But for the most part, the TJ labeled wines have been disappointing. Now and then I’ll buy one because it looks promising, but normally it doesn’t live up to the hype.
Epicuro Aglianico for $6 is a nice wine.
I had the 2013 Vintjs Gewurtztraminer a couple weeks ago. Didn’t taste much like a Gewurtz (more like a cross between a Chard and a Sav Blanc with a splash of Viognier), but a nicely made white, with good acidity. Went back and bought half a case for easy drinking if/when Chicago ever thaws.
TJ’s Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District '12
If you can find this, buy a case. $14/btl.
Not sure who TJ’s bought the grapes (or juice) from and put the TJs label on it but it punches waaaay above its weight.
I have often found the “Grand Reserve” line to be just that… Helluva a good bargain and always makes me wonder where the grapes came from.
I did this when someone told me to back the truck up to a Grocery Outlet. The blowout was for a Cab but for the life of me I cannot recall what it was. Wife thought I was crazy but if I’m gonna buy 5 cases of cellar defenders, I wanna make sure they’re at the very least “tolerable”.
These… Were not.
Just opened a 2011 Napa Meritage Grand Reserve last night. Really enjoyable. Not sweet, good black fruit with proper acidity and the slightest tannin. Cellared since I bought it two years ago.
They have a 2013 Cab franc GR out now in our local store. I picked up one to try.
A year or two in the cellar knocks down the fruitiness in some of these less expensive wines. If they don’t have excessive residual sugar and do have a reasonable degree of acidity, they can get better (to my taste), If the Car franc fits that description, I’ll most likely pick up some more.
The white version of Revelation is one of our go-to daily whites for the summer. It usually sells out fast and then they don’t carry it for weeks on end, so I generally pick up a half case when I see it.
They were tasting a 2013 Stag’s Leap Merlot labeled with their Grand Reserve label today. Based on the 1/4 oz pour I had from a tiny plastic cup I’d say it was darn good for $12.99. I may have to nab a bottle.
Always wanted to try TJ’s but never was close enough to one that sold wine. Closest on to us is 50 miles in Virginia. 
No TJ’s anywhere near Shreveport, Louisiana, either…