| Winery | Special Designation | Vintage | Varietal | Rating | DateTasted | Notes | Buy Again? |
| Franciscan Estate | California | 2022 | Cabernet Sauvignon | 89 | 11/3/2025 | A California cab. These grapes could come from anywhere in the state. But they put together a pretty nice wine! It has notes of warm blackberry, blueberry, cinnamon, clove and red plum. It has medium intensity on the nose.
The palate is soft with tannins, medium body, finish and concentration. But the intensity on the palate is nice, lifting this wine up. It has a high acidity that freshens the flavors.
Franciscan is one of those labels you see all the time at the big stores. And due to its wide-reaching availability, this would be a great wine to grab if youre out of town and need a few glasses in the evening. Keep this one in your back pocket. | n |
| Trader Joes | Reserve, Brut Rose, Sparkling Wine, North Coast, Methode Champenoise | NV | Sparkling Wine | 88 | 11/2/2025 | If you are looking for a crowd pleaser on Thanksgiving Day or New Years, this is a great wine. It has finer bubbles than some inexpensive sparkling wines. It will pair well with things that are salty. Think charcuterie board, crackers and cheese, salty nuts. Perfect with appetizers.
This wine is made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Blanc. It isnt overly acidic but has a lot of fruit on the nose and the palate. There is a touch sweet on the palate with strawberry and raspberry notes. And it has nice minerality. If you like a touch of sweet (and just a touch) with lots of fruit, youll be in heaven. | n |
| Trader Joes | Reserve, Brut, Sparkling Wine, North Coast, Methode Champenoise | NV | Sparkling Wine | 91 | 11/2/2025 | Oh, dang. This wine has apple, pear, lemon peel, walnut and butter. The zesty bubbles are really appealing.
The palate his high acid, medium bubbles, has a lovely finish, low alcohol (12.5%) and nicely dry. And after a little air, you start to get salted caramel flavor (not the sweetness) on the palate.
This wine is an instant pleaser. The palate has amazing Gravenstein apple, pear notes. But the acidity balances it out wonderfully. It is not a classic sparkler, but it is so interesting that we ended up really liking it. Pair with sesame seed oil infused Asian foods, pear tart or pear and goat cheese salad, carbonara or oysters.
If you are looking for a great sparkling wine for a wedding toast that wont break the bank, this is it! My co-taster said 91 points immediately. | y |
| Trader Joes | Reserve, Sonoma Coast, Lot# 278 | 2024 | Chardonnay | 89 | 11/2/2025 | Lime peel, green melon, pear, unripe stone fruit, dried herbs, touch of cream and light oak.
Nice high acid on the palate, long finish, med+ body, firm concentration, med intensity and high alcohol.
This is a very nice, concentrated Chard with a pleasant nose and textbook tart, mineral Sonoma Coast flavors. | n |
| Trader Joes | Grand Reserve, Carneros, Lot# 20 | 2024 | Chardonnay | 93 | 11/2/2025 | Honey dew melon and ambrosia melon nose, peach, a touch of butter, toast, pear, lemon drop and sweet apple.
High acid, full body, long, pleasant finish, concentrated flavors, full intensity and high alcohol. It has a great dry caramel note on the palate that is very enticing.
Here we go! This is a lovely Chardonnay. It is not overly oaked, nor too impacted by malolactic. It has a fresher, steel cask nose and flavor. It has great fruit, minerality and balanced acid.
At this price point, this is a great wine for a glass while making dinner, taking to parties and drinking with just about any seafood dish. Another hit from Trader Joes. | y |
| Banshee | Sonoma Country | 2023 | Pinot Noir | 88 | 10/30/2025 | We actually picked this up at Trader Joes. It was recommended by a staff member. It has a nice plum, strawberry, cherry nose. It has nice earthy, dried herb nose.
The palate has a hint of a harsh flavor, but other than that it has high acid and is balanced with the fruit. All in all, for the price, this is a fun wine to try. We see this everywhere. | n |
| Trader Joes | Platinum Reserve, Russian River Valley, Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County, Lot# 129 | 2024 | Pinot Noir | 91 | 10/30/2025 | The nose on this has cherry kirsch, forest floor, strawberry, forest floor, lake water notes and key lime.
The palate is where this wine shines. It has great intensity, decent flavors, high acid, long finish, light tannins and medium body.
Yet another really nice pinot from Trader Joes. It has fingerprint notes that we have experienced in other Russian River wines. But for this price, this is a wine to check out. | y |
| Siduri Wines | Van der Camp Vineyard Sonoma Mountain | 2023 | Pinot Noir | 93 | 10/25/2025 | | y |
| Siduri Wines | Zena Crown Vineyard Willamette Valley | 2023 | Pinot Noir | 93 | 10/25/2025 | | y |
| Siduri Wines | John Sebastiano Vineyard, Santa Rita Hills | 2021 | Pinot Noir | 95 | 10/25/2025 | | y |
| Siduri Wines | Skycrest Vineyard Anderson Valley | 2023 | Pinot Noir | 94 | 10/25/2025 | | y |
| Siduri Wines | Gran Moraine Vineyards, Yamhill-Carlton, Oregon | 2018 | Pinot Noir | 95 | 10/25/2025 | | y |
| Siduri Wines | Hapgood Vineyard Santa Rita highlands | 2022 | Pinot Noir | 97 | 10/25/2025 | | y |
| Siduri Wines | Van Der Kamp Vineyard, Sonoma Mountain | 2018 | Pinot Noir | 93 | 10/25/2025 | | y |
| Siduri Wines | Willamette Valley | 2022 | Chardonnay | 93 | 10/25/2025 | | y |
| Hall Wines | Exzellenz Napa Valley | 2022 | Cabernet Sauvignon | 97 | 10/23/2025 | 100% Sacrashe Vineyard | y |
| Hall Wines | Bergfeld Vineyard St Helena | 2019 | Cabernet Sauvignon | 96 | 10/23/2025 | | y |
| Walt Wines | Gaps Crown Sonoma Coast | 2022 | Pinot Noir | 96 | 10/23/2025 | | y |
| Walt Wines | Shea Vineyard Oregon | 2023 | Pinot Noir | 94 | 10/23/2025 | | y |
| Walt Wines | Clos Pepe Santa Rita Hills | 2022 | Pinot Noir | 92 | 10/23/2025 | | y |
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