You know you’re doing something right when planning your wedding involves a legit excuse to sample wine! Our amazing caterer is letting us bring in any/as much wine as we’d like for our post-wedding party, so we’re using this as an excuse to sample cheap cost effective wines to serve to our unsuspecting guests.
I’ve tweeted and blogged about Green Fin in the past, which led to recommendations for other cost effective wines from Trader Joe’s that we just couldn’t pass up. Thanks, Love Beer Love Food and The Winegetter!
Blair and I made plans to host a steak and wine dinner at our place with Jason and Kate over the weekend. To prepare, he zipped into Trader Joe’s with $35 and zipped out with 5 bottles of wine and some veggies and orzo. A very well rounded shopping cart, indeed.
We ended up with some very drinkable red wine, 4 newbies and an old faithful.
Green Fin California Red Table Wine 2010
Panilonco Merlot Malbec Reserve 2011
La Finca Tempranillo 2012
Trader Joe’s Coastal Zinfandel 2011
Blue Fin Petite Sirah 2011
I am very confident that we will repurchase most of these wines again before the wedding. Which is great news, because things got a little fuzzy after glass number 2 or 3 or 4. And I clearly didn’t take notes. Unless my super sparse tweets count…
But for now, here are some bare bones reviews. Keep in mind I took a catnap after dinner and glass 2 or 3 or 4, so these opinions should be taken with a fistful of salt.
Blue Fin Petit Sirah – $3.99. Smooth, fruity, super drinkable. 🍷🍷🍷
TJ’s Coastal Zinfandel – $4.99. According to Twitter, I loved this. 🍷🍷🍷
La Finca Tempranillo – $3.99. Loved this, too. 🍷🍷🍷
Panilonco Merlot Malbec – $4.99. I had high hopes for this, but it was completely unmemorable. Not fair to rate it. I think it was so forgettable because I was napping and didn’t drink any.
And y’all know that I love me some Green Fin ($3.99). 🍷🍷🍷
Moral of this story: if the goal of your wine tasting is to help throw a good party, taste more, drink less, take notes.
So the tasting was sort of a bust, but the night was a lot of fun and a complete success.
For more reviews and an explanation of my scientifically tested rating system, check out my Reviews page.
Any reason to try more is good. We had a German BBQ wedding and my much touted friend ManSoo (to whom I owe a lot of my wine experience) took it upon himself to cater the wines. We ended up with eight wines to choose from at the venue and our guests had a blast. Everything at that low key wedding party was locally sourced: the wines were from the region, the steaks provided from a friend of mine’s kindergarten sweetheart (who now is a butcher…only in Germany, I usually say!). I hope you’ll have as much fun in the process as we did.
Oh, and if I may suggest: Try the Epicuro Salice Salentino Riserve at TJ’s. $5.99 but quite deep.
Thanks! I really appreciate the suggestion and can’t wait to add it to the list for next weekend. I scrolled through a lot of your TJ’s reviews last week, and they were much appreciated!
That sounds like so much fun! We’re planning to keep the party stress free and low key, too! We’d rather throw a party with awesome food and drinks than think about centerpieces and seating arrangements.
To me, the most important thing you can say after your wedding is that you had TONS of fun. Not many couples can seriously claim that. I think your approach is spot on!
my favorite part about this is when you said you didn’t taste one of them because you were napping….
I wish I had a trader joes by me because these wines are right in my price point!!!!
I cannot tell a lie!
I should start stocking up on TJ’s wines for you and bring them all this summer! What a wedding gift that would be! 
Pingback: Blue Fin Pinot Noir 2011 | She Wines Sometimes
Pingback: Trader Joe’s Coastal Merlot 2009 | She Wines Sometimes