Reverse Wine Snob

Wine doesn't have to be expensive to be good

  • About
  • Aldi® Picks
  • Costco® Picks
  • Trader Joe’s® Picks
  • FREE GUIDE
  • Insider Deals
menu icon
go to homepage
Get Our Free Guide!
search icon
Homepage link
  • FREE GUIDE!
  • Insider Deals
  • Best Of Lists
    • - Costco
    • - Trader Joe's
    • - Aldi
  • About
  • The Rating System
  • More Helpful Links
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Trader Joe's Reserve Meritage Napa Valley - A Napa Bargain

    By: Jon Thorsen Published: July 18, 2019 Last Updated: May 28, 2021

    A solid wine at a great price, the Trader Joe's Reserve Napa Valley Meritage Lot 181.

    Trader Joe's Reserve Meritage Napa Valley - A Napa Bargain

    46% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, 22% Petit Verdot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley, California. The wine is aged for 6 months in American oak barrels. (A meritage is a Bordeaux-style red blend.)

    This wine is available exclusively at Trader Joe's and sells for just $9.99. This is a rather crazy price for Napa Valley but I would imagine that using only 10% Cabernet Sauvignon helps to keep the cost down.

    From the bottle:

    Complex blend of zesty aromas including black cherries and plums.

    14.3% Alcohol

    The 2017 Trader Joe's Reserve Meritage Napa Valley Lot 181 begins with pleasing aromas of black cherry, spice, figs and licorice plus a little vanilla and chocolate. Taking a sip reveals a smooth, soft and tasty wine full of good dark fruit and lots of oaky spice. The licorice, chocolate and vanilla from the nose also continue with just a little bit of an earthy edge in the mouth. It gets better as it has more time to breathe so plan appropriately. It ends with a dry, medium length finish.

    While it's not as impressive as the $13 Trader Joe's Grand Reserve Sonoma Meritage we recently reviewed, it's still a solid, all around wine for just $10.

    2017 Trader Joe's Reserve Meritage Napa Valley Lot 181

    TASTE: 7       COST: 8
    OVERALL RATING: 7.3

    Recommended Buy

    As always you can find an updated list of our recommended wines from Trader Joe's as well as more info on their pricing model and some tips and tricks for shopping the store here.

    The Best Wines at Trader Joe's - The Reverse Wine Snob Picks

    You can also find more of our favorite red blends here!

    Filed Under: California, Meritage, Red Blends, Trader Joe's

    << Underwood Bubbles - Choose Your Refreshment
    Famiglia Pasqua – Excellent Amarone and Much More >>

    About Jon Thorsen

    Author and independent wine consumer helping millions of people find great wines without breaking the bank since 2011. Sign up for my FREE GUIDE to learn how! Read more about me...

    Reverse Wine Snob Insider Deals Header Square
    Limited Time offers with amazing discounts just for our readers.

    Don't Miss Out!

    About Reverse Wine Snob

    Wine doesn't have to be expensive to be good! Jon Thorsen is an independent wine consumer who has been helping millions of people find great wines without breaking the bank since 2011. If you're new to Reverse Wine Snob® sign up for my free guide and don't miss our exclusive Insider Deals! Read more about Reverse Wine Snob in the news and about me.

    Reverse Wine Snob Logo

    The "Perfect 10" Pack!

    Insider Deal Perfect 10 Pack!Four of our highest rated wines, all with 10 Taste Ratings (94+ points), all from different wineries, and all offered at a huge discount! Get them while you can.

    More Info

    Join over 450,000 followers on social media!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Get Our Free Guide! How To Drink Great Wine...Without Breaking The Bank

    Free Guide! How To Drink Great Wine Without Breaking The BankReady to start drinking the best wine of your life, and save money doing it? Sign up for our 5 Day Free Guide!

    Learn More

    Helpful Links

    • - Ask The Expert Series
    • - Browse by Variety, Region, etc.
    • - Buy My Book on Amazon
    • - Get Our Free Guide
    • - How To Choose A Good Bottle of Wine
    • - Insider Deals
    • - Insider Deal FAQ
    • - Printable Lists of Recommended Wines
    • - Ten Tenets of Reverse Wine Snobbery
    • - The Rating System
    • - Wine Tasting Basics

    • - Advertise
    • - Contact Info
    • - Submit Samples for review

    How To Drink Great Wine...Without Breaking The Bank

    Tired of wasting money on bad wine? Sign up for our Free Guide!

    No commitments, no spam. Unsubscribe at any time.

    Best Of Lists!

      • - Aldi Wine
      • - Best Pizza Wines
      • - Best Red Wines of 2022
      • - Box Wines
      • - Cabernet Sauvignon
      • - Chardonnay
      • - Chianti
      • - Costco Wine
      • - French Wines
      • - Italian Wines
      • - Malbec
      • - Merlot
      • - Oregon Wines
      • - Organic Wines
      • - Pinot Noir
      • - Red Blends
      • - Rosé
      • - Riesling
      • - Sauvignon Blanc
      • - Spanish Wines
      • - Sparkling Wine
      • - Syrah
      • - Thanksgiving Wines
      • - Trader Joe's Wine
      • - Vegan Wines
      • - Zinfandel
      • And Many More Best of Lists

    Reverse Wine Snob®: Wine doesn't have to be expensive to be good.

    Copyright © 2011–2023 · Reverse Wine Snob, LLC. | Privacy, Editorial & Advertising Policy