Trader Joe’s wines are sneaky good. Here are 9 budget bottles to try.

During a recent trip to buy wine at Trader Joe’s, the cashier did a double take when he read my total. “Wow, that’s a whole lot of wine for $200,” he said, laughing.

He wasn’t wrong. On average, each wine in my 23-bottle haul cost less than $8.50, a low figure from every side of the register. Even in TJ’s terms, it’s a bargain: Over in the baking aisle, a 4-ounce bottle of Trader Joe’s organic vanilla extract is $9.99.

But there’s more to value than what you spend. An $8.50 wine is a steal only if you enjoy drinking it. When you scan the shelves of Trader Joe’s cheerfully packaged bottles, with names such as “Chill to Chill” and “Super Happy Cabernet,” it’s easy to spot deals. What's trickier is finding wines that are so good you would happily pay more.

Is it possible to find quality bottles at Trader Joe’s that don’t break the bank? Absolutely. But you have to know how and where to look.

What to look for on a private label wine bottle

Geographic specificity is a good place to start. If a wine label says “Langhe DOC,” it means all the grapes used to make it were grown in a designated region that enforces quality-focused regulations such as yield limits. Meanwhile, if the label’s only nod to place of origin is “Italy,” that fruit might have been cultivated in dramatically different conditions in far-flung plots all over the country.

“Single-vineyard would obviously be gold standard, but even going from, say, an appellation like Sonoma down to Dry Creek Valley takes you from 60,000 acres down to just 9,000,” says Jon Thorsen, the founder of Reverse Wine Snob, a website that reviews budget-friendly wines. “It also makes it more likely that the wine was sourced from a single producer.”

Thorsen estimates that he’s tasted up to 2,000 Trader Joe’s wines in the nearly 15 years he’s run his site. Some are better than others — “we’ve poured an unbelievable amount of wine down our drain,” he says — but he’s often impressed by the grüner veltliners from Austria and Hungary, and by the range of Trader Joe’s French wine selection. Bottles from Vignobles Lacheteau label are among his favorites.

You won’t see the name Vignobles Lacheteau at other wine shops. It’s one of Trader Joe’s many private label products, goods made by a third party, then packaged by the grocery chain. Brand spokespeople say that Trader Joe’s private label products account for the vast majority of its inventory and enable it to keep costs down.

While I’m hard-pressed to imagine a grocery shopper who wouldn’t appreciate lower prices — especially these days — some consumers find the opacity of many private labels troubling. Intellectual property concerns aside, if you value transparent supply chains and farming practices, or like to memorize the names of your favorite wines so you can order them at bars and restaurants, private labels may not be for you.

“Wine is an agricultural product,” says sommelier and content creator Loris Jones-Randolph. “When you pick your grocery store, whether you’re going to Trader Joe’s or Erewhon or someplace else, you have to understand that it has an ethos, and you want it to reflect yours.”

Consider the distributor and producer

Another challenge of the private label model is consistency. Trader Joe’s can source the wine that goes into its smartly packaged house brands from various producers, so you don’t know if the syrah that you loved in 2023 will taste anything like the 2024. It’s not a vintage variation so much as an entirely different wine.

However, depending on your degree of interest and tolerance for eyestrain, you can inspect Trader Joe’s bottles for clues about who made them and how. International wines list the importer on the back label, which is useful intel if you’re familiar with the types of wines those companies represent. For instance, when I noticed that a $13.99 Lambrusco I was holding was imported by Winebow, a U.S. firm with some great labels in its portfolio, I decided to give it a try. Turns out, it was one of the best of the bunch.

Some wines include the name of the producer in small font on the front or back label. I spotted the words “bottled by Famille Ravoire,” an independent company that specializes in wines from the Rhône and Provence, in tiny lettering on the back of a Trader Joe’s Grand Reserve Bandol rosé that I liked. Thorsen tells me he noticed Piedmont’s Bersano winery (since 1907) listed on the labels of Trader Joe’s Diamond Reserve barolo and Platinum Reserve barbera, both of which he enjoyed.

If this sounds fussy, don’t fret. Trader Joe’s inventory changes frequently and wines sell quickly, so it’s best to keep your mind open and cart moving.

“Most of the bottles won't set you back much,” adds Thorsen, “and if you really don't like something, Trader Joe's will even give you your money back.” Value is subjective, but a refund for a $7 chardonnay is priceless.

9 Trader Joe’s wines to try

Bottles that include bubbles, as well as classic and chillable reds, these wines are balanced, tasty and well worth the effort to find parking in a crowded TJ’s lot. Pricing is generally stable but may vary by location.

Trader Joe’s Blanc de Blancs French Sparkling Wine Brut (Nonvintage)

$7.99; Alcohol by volume (ABV): 11%

Bright and bubbly, this easygoing sparkler has green apple, pear and lemon juice notes followed by a long, crisp finish. I’d happily raise a glass during happy hour or use it to make effervescent wine cocktails.

Lini 910 “Labrusca” Lambrusco Rosso (Nonvintage)

$13.99; ABV: 11%

Underripe blackberry and blueberry flavors give this dry Lambrusco an orchard’s worth of tartness. It’s best with food; I would pair it with pork bao, creamy pastas, or cookout classics like cheeseburgers and elote.

Trader Joe’s Bandol Grand Reserve Rosé 2024

$12.99; ABV: 13.5%

From a Provençal region famous for its rosé comes this salmon-colored crowd-pleaser. It has understated peach and strawberry aromas, followed by a friendly, fruity palate and dry finish. Serve it ice-cold with fish tacos or ceviche, or pile on the ice for a rosé piscine (mais, oui!).

Espiral Vinho Verde (Nonvintage)

$4.99; ABV: 9%

One of my favorites from TJ’s selection, this Portuguese white wine has lemon and lime aromas, stone fruit and citrus flavors, and an irresistibly spritzy texture. Like air conditioning in a bottle, it’s a bona fide refresher, and exactly what I want in my glass before dinner or while snacking on popcorn on the couch.

Kono Sauvignon Blanc 2024

$9.99; ABV: 13%

The hallmarks of many New Zealand sauvignon blancs are big, bold tropical fruit aromas and flavors. This bottle from a Maori-owned winery with local sustainability certifications delivers on all fronts, and has an almost grassy quality that keeps the wine balanced.

Vignobles Lacheteau Vouvray 2024

$9.99; ABV: 11%

Many commercial semidry wines skew cloying, but this Loire Valley chenin blanc has racy acidity alongside ripe stone fruit and juicy citrus notes. Pair it with Thai-style curries or stir frys, or try it with a cheese board.

Porta 6 Tinto 2023

$5.99; ABV: 13.5%

Straightforward but not boring, this Portuguese red has soft red fruit flavors, balanced tannins, and a dry finish. I’d open it to drink with pasta or pork chops on a low-key weeknight.

La Sonriente Garnacha 2023

$6.99; ABV: 14%

A chillable red that won’t blow your budget, this nicely structured garnacha hails from a high-elevation region of Aragón, Spain. The delicate red fruit aromas make way for juicy cherry and plum flavors. You could drink this on its own, or serve it with roast chicken or hearty cauliflower steaks.

Epicuro Nero D’Avola Sicilia DOP 2023

$5.99; ABV: 12.5%

With its textured palate and velvety tannins, I could imagine this bottle selling for three times its price. It offers raspberries, cherries and spicy clove on the nose, followed by blood orange and earthy flavors, and bright acidity on the finish. If you’re making or ordering a pizza, this red overdelivers.