| Winery | Special Designation | Vintage | Varietal | Rating | DateTasted | Notes | Buy Again? |
| Beringer | Q Napa Valley | 2020 | Blend (Red Table Wine) | 92 | 3/7/2026 | Notes of spicy wood, blackest blackberry, black cherry, very dry herbs and cocoa.
Wow, this wine packs a tannic punch. It hits you in the back teeth and tongue. The concentration of fruit is high, the body full, the finish forever, acid high.
This wine is dark in flavors that it repels light! Just kidding. But it is dark. The tannins are robust, but the dark fruit on the palate is intense and black. On the back of the tongue you get a burnt blackberry sugar. All in all, this is really great intense, concentrated wine if not for the huge tannins. | y |
| Maison Barboulot | France IGP | 2024 | Cabernet-Syrah | 90 | 3/6/2026 | Trader 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 |
| Margerum | Santa Barbara County | 2023 | Rhone Blend | 95 | 3/6/2026 | Having drunk plenty of Rhone wines and blends, this really comes across as a proper southern Rhone blend. The nose is redolent with raspberry, strawberry, wet soil, sweet pea flower, dried herbs, cedar and Phressia scent.
The palate is very plush, rich concentration of flavors, high intensity, medium tannins, high acid, full body and long finish. The finish has trouble stopping, that`s how long it is.
This wine is lovely and gets better as it breathes. Drink it slowly. Don`t drink it with food. It is lovely by itself. I mean, do what you want, but just sayin. This thing is stunning. | y |
| Hollys Hill | Fenaughty Vineyard, El Dorado County | 2024 | Syrah | 91 | 3/5/2026 | This 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 |
| Jarvis Estate Winery | Finch Hollow | 2021 | Chardonnay | 96 | 3/4/2026 | | y |
| Jarvis Estate Winery | Dancing Flowers Glass Cuvee | 2020 | Blend (Red Wine) | 97 | 3/4/2026 | | y |
| Jarvis Estate Winery | Vintage Selection | 2019 | Merlot | 97 | 3/4/2026 | | y |
| Jarvis Estate Winery | | 2019 | Cabernet Sauvignon | 97 | 3/4/2026 | | y |
| Jarvis Estate Winery | Lake William | 2019 | Blend (Red Wine) | 96 | 3/4/2026 | | y |
| Jarvis Estate Winery | Reserve | 2014 | Cabernet Sauvignon | 98 | 3/4/2026 | | y |
| Jarvis Estate Winery | DTR | 2012 | Cabernet Sauvignon | 96 | 3/4/2026 | | y |
| Jarvis Estate Winery | Reserve | 2016 | Merlot | 96 | 3/4/2026 | | y |
| Royal Tokaji | 5 Puttonyos Aszu | 2018 | Furmint | 93 | 2/28/2026 | | y |
| Thymiopoulos | Naoussa PDO | 2021 | Xinomavro | 92 | 2/28/2026 | | y |
| Beringer | Knights Valley Reserve | 2021 | Cabernet Sauvignon | 97 | 2/27/2026 | We 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 Wines | Appellation Santa Lucia Highlands | 2024 | Pinot Noir | 96 | 2/27/2026 | Oh 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 Joes | Platinum Reserve, Nizza, Bersano Estate Lot #117 | 2020 | Barbera | 93 | 2/27/2026 | Platinum Reserve, Nizza, Bersano Estate Lot #117 | y |
| Ciccone Vineyard&Winery | Leelenau Peninsula | 2021 | Cabernet Sauvignon | 92 | 2/24/2026 | Blackberry, 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 Estates | Nape Valley | 2022 | Cabernet Sauvignon | 91 | 2/19/2026 | Blackberry, 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 Joes | Coastal, Central Coast | 2022 | Cabernet Sauvignon | 87 | 2/19/2026 | Blueberry, 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 |
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