Trader Joe’s Grand Reserve Barossa Shiraz Lot 109 Review

Another fine find from down under via Trader Joe’s, the Trader Joe’s Grand Reserve Barossa Shiraz Lot 109.

Shiraz from Barossa Valley, Australia.

We were huge fans of the Trader Joe’s Reserve Barossa Shiraz Lot 214 that retailed for just $9.99. As we noted at the time, you don’t often find imported wines that carry the Trader Joe’s Reserve label, usually they make up a new private label and put that on it instead.

Today we have the same situation except this time with a Grand Reserve wine, also a Barossa Shiraz (although the producer seems to be different as it has a different bottled by name). Given how much we liked the Reserve bottling we were a little skeptical this one could justify the $3 price increase of the Grand Reserve level so let’s check it out!

The Trader Joe’s Grand Reserve Barossa Shiraz Lot 109 is available exclusively at Trader Joe’s and retails for $12.99. It is imported by Plume Ridge.

The 2017 Trader Joe’s Grand Reserve Barossa Shiraz Lot 109 begins with a pleasing aroma full of blackberry, black pepper and spice plus a little licorice, cola, vanilla and even some floral notes.

When we first popped and poured this one we thought it tasted a bit more ripe and jammy than the Reserve wine, which drinks more like a Rhone Syrah; however, this Grand Reserve also develops more of a meaty note after it has some time to breathe.

Quite drinkable, the wine features similar fruit to the nose. And everything is put together just wonderfully in the mouth.

It ends dry, quite long and lively with some lingering juicy fruit.

At the end of the day is it worth the extra $3 versus the Reserve version? To be honest, we had them rated about the same on day 1 but by day 2 this wine had developed even more and was clearly the winner – although you really can’t go wrong with either!