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Ahhh, Trader Joe's...when missing Manhattan, I used to rationalize that at least we have the advantage of Trader Joe's here in Santa Monica. But my friend Jessie now tells me that TJ's has made its New York debut, so she, too, can now purchase such favorites as white-cheddar soy chips, chocolate-covered cranberries, Tiger Milk bars, Tasty Bite and killer pizza dough.
But what Trader Joe's may be most famous for is that shady character "Charles Shaw" and his inexplicably inexpensive wines that retail at TJ's for $2-$4 a bottle. "Two Buck Chuck," as the wine has fondly been called, has made a huge impact on the market, but is it good? That is the question I have been asked at least six hundred million times in the last few years, so let me answer succinctly -- if a wine tastes "good" to you, then it's good wine. If you enjoy bargain-basement wines, then drink up proudly, but do understand that what you're tasting isn't exactly the apex of grape achievement. Charles Shaw and other bulk wines are exactly that: wines that are bottled in mass quantities from grapes or grape juice purchased at volume discount prices. (Note that these labels always read "California" as a generic place of origin, which means the grapes therein can hail from absolutely anywhere in the Golden State, as opposed to being from a specific AVA with quality restrictions.) There is no artistic vintner named Charles carefully nurturing his plot of merlot vines at that price, friends, but rather a big ol' industrial wine factory churning out the juice somewhere in the Central Valley.
Trader Joe's wine department is all about treasure-hunting. Because they do buy a lot of wine, you can often pick up some surprisingly good wines at astonishingly low prices, more often from places like Spain, New Zealand, Argentina, or South Africa than from California. Put on your fedora and get out your whip, because there are treasures to be found if you can decipher the wine hieroglyphics on the labels. Below are the GMG picks for bottles of wine purchased recently at Trader Joe's that all cost ten bucks or less:
WHITES
1) Albariño, Castiñeira (Rias Baixas, Spain 2005) - $8.99
Get to know the great white grape of northern Spain's Galician coast...albariño is crisp and aromatic, and pairs beautifully with shellfish like oysters. Lots of notes of green pears and honeydew melon -- no oak, very refreshing.
2) Sauvignon Blanc, King Shag (Marlborough, New Zealand 2006) - $7.99
Cloudy Bay helped put Marlborough on the world's wine map, but in my experience, many New Zealand sauvignon blancs that cost more than this inexpensive sipper don't really offer much distinction for the price. Classic SB from New Zealand is green, green, green -- lots of herbaceous, grassy notes and what my husband calls the "olive" or picholine flavor. People either love 'em or hate 'em, but at this price, you ought to try it and see if this style of sauvignon blanc is to your taste. I love them.
3) Blanquette de Limoux, Comte de Galeyran (Limoux, France NV) - $5.99
This wine was a discovery! So cool to find something like this at a grocery store...Limoux and Champagne are regions that each like to claim that they own the ancestral bragging rights to the invention of French sparkling wine. Needless to say, Champagne has just about whooped Limoux out of everyone's consciousness. But this super cheap bubbly has much more character than that crappy Korbel you know you're too embarrassed to bring to a party. This isn't profound bubbles, but it's pretty tasty for a brunch or fun, everyday event.
REDS
4) Malbec, Don Miguel Gascón (Mendoza, Argentina 2004) - $9.49
Malbec is Argentina's star grape -- originally one of the five ancient Bordeaux varieties, it has blossomed in the Mendoza Valley. This everyday version showcases hallmarks of the grape -- ripe plum fruits with more dusty, rustic flavors than its buddy merlot.
5) Merlot, Red Diamond (Washington 2002) - $7.99
Ye fans of merlot, rejoice for Washington State! A trip I took all through Eastern Washington last year affirmed for me that this is where merlot sings best. Red Diamond is an inexpensive entry point to the world of WA merlot, and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised at just how much this relatively generic bottling, i.e., no AVA designation within the state, nevertheless had to offer. Really good wine for the price -- juicy, round and a decent length finish.
6) Nuvola Vecchia (Tuscany, Italy 2002) - $5.99
Okay, say hello to my leetle friend. I love this blend of 90% sangiovese and 10% merlot, which qualifies it for the "Super Tuscan" term -- the traditional grape of Tuscany, sangiovese, with a dollop of the nontraditional merlot. This wine is light-bodied, with cherry tones and nice herbal notes of anise and oregano that make it great for Monday night pasta. Yummy, cheap, easy.
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