Trader Joe’s Grand Reserve Napa Valley Meritage – Trader Joe’s Top Picks Wine #13

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Meritage from Napa Valley, California.

Available exclusively at Trader Joe’s. Purchased for $12.99.

No info on bottle. 13.8% Alcohol

We’re big fans of Meritage blends here at The Reverse Wine Snob and as we explained in ourseries on Meritage, these wines are basically Bordeaux style blends that are not from Bordeaux. The Bordeaux name is, of course, limited to wines that actually come from Bordeaux. Nevertheless, these are wines made in the same style with the same grape varieties in other parts of the world.

The varieties allowed in red Meritage wines are: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Carmenere. Wines must contain at least two varieties, without any one comprising more than 90% of the total. Easy enough to understand, right? Just be sure to say Meritage like an American. (Think heritage with an M.)

The 2011 Trader Joe’s Grand Reserve Lot 27 Napa Valley Meritage begins with an excellent and complex aroma of blackberry, plum, a little spice, tobacco and lots of fabulous vanilla and caramel notes. All of those same flavors are evident when tasting this smooth, lush and delicious medium to full-bodied wine. Give it a couple hours to decant to really enjoy it at its best. A little spice leads into the dry, long finish which features plenty more vanilla, caramel and even a little chocolate under the lingering juicy fruit. A fantastic wine that is easily worth twice the price.

Interested in discovering more value priced Meritage wines? Check out last year’s series as well as the more recent Battle of The Bargain Napa Valley Meritage!

Other wines in the Trader Joe’s Top Picks 2014 Series:

• Trader Joe’s GSM Reserve Lot# 96 – Trader Joe’s Top Picks Wine #1
• Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc + Viognier – Trader Joe’s Top Picks Wine #2
• Il Tarocco Chianti Classico – Trader Joe’s Top Picks Wine #3
• Panilonco Merlot Malbec Reserva – Trader Joe’s Top Picks Wine #4
• Chateau Mayne Guyon 2011 – Trader Joe’s Top Picks Wine #5
• Picton Bay South Island Pinot Noir – Trader Joe’s Top Picks Wine #6
• Grifone Sangiovese – Trader Joe’s Top Picks Wine #7
• La Granja Tempranillo – Trader Joe’s Top Picks Wine #8
• Honey Moon Viognier – Trader Joe’s Top Picks Wine #9
• Epicuro Aglianico – Trader Joe’s Top Picks Wine #10
• Sauvignon Republic Sauvignon Blanc – Trader Joe’s Top Picks Wine #11
• Rosa dell’Olmo Barbera d’Asti – Trader Joe’s Top Picks Wine #12
• Trader Joe’s Grand Reserve Napa Valley Meritage – Trader Joe’s Top Picks Wine #13
• See the picks from our 2013 series here!

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