OK! Back to business – tasting primarily inexpensive wines. This Chilean Sauvignon Blanc from Trader Joe’s is definitely a budget-friendly selection. In fact, I almost didn’t grab it because of my last experience with a $3.99 bottle of wine. Happily, this TJ private label was worth investigating.
Winemaker: VSPT, Vitacura for Trader Joe’s
Wine: Trader Joe’s Viñas Chilenas Sauvignong Blanc Reserva
Varietal: Sauvignong Blanc
Vintage: 2012
Appellation: Valle Central, Chile
Price: $3.99 at Trader Joe’s
Notes: In the glass this wine is a pretty light yellow. On the nose I found scents of citrus, pear and honeysuckle. Flavors for me were a core of lemon throughout, hints of pear, and some zest at the finish. I would almost add a bit of honey, except it wasn’t the taste of honey but the sweetness. In fact, at times the flavors came together in a lemon drop sort of way (not as intense as the candy). This is a light wine – light-bodied and light on the taste buds. Alcohol is at 12%, and acidity is good. Light though it is, I think it could stand up to a Sea Bass or Tilapia entree.
Important: I am not a professional sommelier or wine connoisseur. See “About” for the full disclaimer.
Come on $3.99 a bottle? In Canada, our beer almost costs that. Although we do have some ‘value’ wines, they don’t some close to $3.99 as they’re usually in the $8 – $12 range. I’m jealous. Maybe a swing into Port Huron or Buffalo for some smuggling?
I had no idea. Although most of the really cheap wines here aren’t all that. Of course, we might pay more here out-of-pocket for a visit to the internal medicine doc for a liver check-up. lol
I’m always jealous of you when you purchase your wines at Trader Joe’s! I stopped at one when I was on my way home from Minneapolis a couple of weeks ago and I loved it. Now I wish I had taken a closer look at their wine selection and stocked up on some inexpensive options!
Yeah, TJ is a pretty good source of wine experiences. Because I didn’t have one close until recently, TJ is full of new discoveries. Even so, I am making my way around to other retailers!!
Trader Joe’s seems to have a great selection for inexpensive, everyday wines!