What You Need to Know About Supermarket Wines
I shop for groceries at Safeway, Trader Joe’s, Mollie Stones, and Whole Foods markets. Each of the wine departments at these stores carries some excellent-tasting wines. I always find a wine gem at the Supermarket.
Many wine critics and wine snobs argue that supermarket wines are generally lower in quality, and few good wines are on the shelves at grocery stores. Many wines in the Supermarket are indeed massed produced. Does that make them bad wines? The idea that wines in a supermarket are inferior is dead wrong. Every consumer is different in terms of what they like and can afford.
Pros
- Grocery shoppers like the convenience of one-stop shopping. Buy your groceries and then choose your wine all in one spot.
- Big supermarkets can purchase wine in large amounts, thus negotiating a better price. Generally, a bottle of wine will be cheaper at the Supermarket than at a wine shop.
- Some wines can be heavily discounted when making room for the latest vintage
- Wine at Trader Joe’s
- Wine at Safeway
Cons
- Most supermarkets do not have a wine expert or wine steward to help you make purchase decisions. You are on your own. Know your wines and keep current by reading GoodCheapVino.
- Supermarkets have a limited selection of imported wines. Therefore, I cannot recommend any foreign wines in my list of recommended wines below. For imports, a good wine shop is recommended.
- Many supermarket stores offer sales prices only if you mix or match six wines. That’s annoying to the consumer. Costco does not do this.
Here is my list of supermarket wines that are excellent wines and all under $20
Whites
- Dry Creek Vineyard Fume Blanc
- Dry Creek Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc
- Bonterra Chardonnay
- Joel Gott Sauvignon Blanc
- Daou Sauvignon Blanc
- Talbot Kali Hart Chardonnay
- J Vineyards Pinot Gris
- Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc Viognier
- Brassfield Sauvignon Blanc
Sparkling wine & Rosé
- Gruet Brut and Brut Rosé
- Gloria Ferrer
- Carol Shelton Rendezvous Rosé
Red Wines
- J Lohr Cabernet Sauvignon
- J Lohr Pinot Noir
- Dry Creek Vineyard Zinfandel
- Carol Shelton Old Vine Zinfandel
- Frei Brothers Cabernet
- Bonterra Cabernet
- Louis M Martini Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon
- St Francis Zinfandel
