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Welcome to the wine notes page. The idea here is very simple. We have over 5000 ratings in our wine tasting database that we'd like to share with anyone who might find these opinions useful. The number of ratings grows weekly.

Our primary focus is on the wineries of the Sacramento region. We spend our time tasting in Lodi, Amador County, El Dorado County, the valley and the Gold Country. Of course, we attend the weekly tastings at BevMo as well, so we get a good selection of California and world-wide wines in our database as well.

Below you'll find a list of our 20 most recent ratings. But to search the whole database for what you're looking for please visit the search page. We have a total of 4679 wines in our database currently.

WinerySpecial DesignationVintageVarietalRatingDateTastedNotesBuy Again?
Maison BarboulotFrance IGP2024Cabernet-Syrah903/6/2026Trader Joes located a really beautiful wine here. It has black cherry, red currant, raspberry, green veg and quite a bit of wood. The acid is high, tannins are med+, finish is medium, concentration is high and intensity is med+. The nose is elusive even after being open for 45 minutes. But have no fear -- the palate is pretty concentrated. This one is like someone took a fairly simple wine and supercharged it. It is a steal at this price and well worth getting a few bottles for taking to parties when you need a bottle in a pinch. It is an 88 on the nose, but 92 on the palate.y
Hollys HillFenaughty Vineyard, El Dorado County2024Syrah913/5/2026This is a nice wine with a great price-point (under $30). It has amazing fruit, far fruiter than many high-end Syrahs. There is much to be said for the floral notes mixed with blackberry, blueberry, black cherry, raspberry, soil, yellow cake and mocha notes. The acid is high, body full, finish long, concentration, tannins and intensity are all medium. If you have not tried Holly`s Hill wines, you really must. They do such a great job with their Rhone varietals. They tend toward the fruitier end, but are never cloying. y
Royal Tokaji5 Puttonyos Aszu2018Furmint932/28/2026 y
ThymiopoulosNaoussa PDO2021Xinomavro922/28/2026 y
BeringerKnights Valley Reserve2021Cabernet Sauvignon972/27/2026We saw this on Wine Spies. This is a normally $70 bottle and they had it for under $30. This wine is just scrumptious with blackberry notes, blueberry jam, brioche, coffee, cocoa and figs. This wine is nearly perfect. The body, finish, concentration, intensity, acidity, tannins are all in nearly perfect balance. It is lush on the palate. If you find it, buy it. It will not disappoint.y
Roar WinesAppellation Santa Lucia Highlands2024Pinot Noir962/27/2026Oh my. The nose has two different kinds of cherry, strawberry, raspberry, peach, brown sugar, brioche, dianthus and cedar. The tannins are nice and firm, body full, the intensity and concentration are high. The acid it perfect with this huge flavor. Not sure what Gary and the team have done here, but for an appellation blend, this is staggeringly good. We haven`t even tried the Gary`s or Sierra Mar yet. I want cases of this!! Haha!y
Trader JoesPlatinum Reserve, Nizza, Bersano Estate Lot #1172020Barbera932/27/2026Platinum Reserve, Nizza, Bersano Estate Lot #117y
Ciccone Vineyard&WineryLeelenau Peninsula2021Cabernet Sauvignon922/24/2026Blackberry, raised cinnamon roll, black plum, black currant and toasted oak. Silky, firm tannins, high acid, long finish, good concentration and bright fruit. This wine is well rounded, fruity and bright. The wine is made in Michigan. This is really impressive, very different than California cabs but really refreshing to try.y
Napa EstatesNape Valley2022Cabernet Sauvignon912/19/2026Blackberry, raspberry, cooked carrot, red plum, black cherry, coffee cake batter and licorice. The palate is intense with a med+ finish. Medium acidity, body and tannins. It has a slight bitterness at the back of the palate, but the fruit balances that out. I was told by the staff today that this is actual wine produced for TJs but there was something that would not allow them to use their own label. Its pretty nice for ten bucks.y
Trader JoesCoastal, Central Coast2022Cabernet Sauvignon872/19/2026Blueberry, cocoa, raspberry jam, a hint of weediness, sweet baked cake and wet earth. The palate is pretty simple but still holds good flavors. The tannins, body, acid, finish and concentration are all med-. But for the price, it is not at all a loser. It is fun to try these inexpensive TJs wines because they usually offer something interesting to taste without breaking the bank.n
Trader JoesCoastal, Central Coast2023Merlot852/19/2026Very steely, black cherry, strawberry, cranberry, dried herbs. Tart high acid on the palate with very light tannins and body. Not a lot of concentration or intensity and the finish is medium. There is a smattering of juicy fruit here. What do you expect from a five dollar wine?n
Trader JoesGrowers Reserve Organic Grapes, California2024Merlot872/19/2026Raspberry, red cherry, coffee, cocoa, warm cake and black currant. The flavors are pretty good here. You get a decent concentration and intensity. High acid, longish finish and medium body. Hey, this ain`t bad for this price. They got a hold of some decent fruit here to make a wine this good for this price. It`s good. Not great, but good. This would be perfect when going to a party with people who are new to wine.n
Trader JoesGrowers Reserve Organic Grapes, California2024Zinfandel882/19/2026Raspberry, black cherry, black plum, pepper, cocoa, honeysuckle and some raisin. Really nice, tartness that balances the fruit out. Long finish, med+ intensity, high acid, med tannins and body. This wine is nicely complex. It is not a top shelf zin, but as low price point wines go, this is one of the better ones. It is not simple at all. It is a food wine. Grilled lamb, beef or seasoned chicken would complement this wine well.n
Trader JoesCoastal, Central Coast2024Zinfandel892/19/2026Blackberry, raisin, cocoa, coffee, walnut, black plum and black cherry all with medium intensity. The palate has a med+ finish and concentration. High acidity, med- tannins and body. Far more approachable on the palate. A fairly nice zin, classic central coast with med+ intensity. Someone got some decent fruit here and made a pretty good wine that is pleasant drinking.n
Trader JoesGrowers Reserve Organic Grapes, California2024Sauvignon Blanc882/19/2026A very simple, fruity SB with a slight zing on the palate. But the flavors have medium intensity, and the nose is not anything to shake a stick at. It is a nice, straight forward Sauv Blanc. Perfect cold at the pool side this summer.n
Trader JoesCoastal, Central Coast2024Sauvignon Blanc862/19/2026After a little search for the nose, the wine comes across as extremely gentle with a hint of New Zealand grassiness. On the palate, however, it shows quite a bit of intensity, though a bit simple. There is a slight shade of sweetness as well.n
Trader JoesCoastal, Central Coast2025Chardonnay892/19/2026A honey dew, pear and lemon drop nose. The palate is medium body and intensity. A slight hint of sweetness. It has nice acidity that balances the pear notes. All in all, a simple wine that has some nice character for the rather low price of $4.49.n
Trader JoesGrand Reserve, Paso Robles Lot# 1292023Meritage912/19/2026Oh wow . . . a very enticing nose full of red and black berries, red plum, cola, tobacco, cassis, Rose, biscuit and creaminess. Great nose on this thing. And the palate is even better. This 2023 is a knockout. Very intense flavors and concentration. The body and finish are great. And it has the acidity to balance the rich fruit. The tannins are just right, med+ with sweetness that gently coats the teeth. This is a great wine from TJs. Starting out the year right!y
J BucherBucher Vineyard Russian River Valley2021Pinot Noir932/17/2026Cherry, raspberry, cranberry, garden soil, dried herbs and corn flower. The palate has high acid, medium body, concentration, finish and tannins. The wine is also pretty intense. We love these J Bucker wines. And this one is Bang for the buck. A very approachable wine that is really easy to drink. It would be great with roasted chicken, grilled salmon or a creamy pasta dish.y
B Cellars WineryBlend 232024Blend (White Table Wine)932/13/2026Chardonnay, viognier, sauvignon blancy
        
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