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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 4671 wines in our database currently.

WinerySpecial DesignationVintageVarietalRatingDateTastedNotesBuy Again?
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
B Cellars WineryCalesa Vineyard2022Pinot Noir962/13/2026 y
B Cellars WineryNightwing Petaluma Gap2023Pinot Noir962/13/2026 y
B Cellars WineryManzana Vineyard2023Pinot Noir942/13/2026 y
B Cellars WineryBrown Ranch2023Pinot Noir932/13/2026 y
B Cellars WineryGame Farm Vineyard2023Sangiovese942/13/2026 y
B Cellars WinerySugarloaf Vineyard2023Merlot972/13/2026 y
B Cellars WineryHudson Vineyard2022Merlot982/13/2026 y
B Cellars WineryBlend 272023Blend (Red Table Wine)952/13/2026 y
        
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