The Trader Joe’s fun continues! A few old favorites made their way into our case of mixed wine from Trader Joe’s and I’m very happy to report that the Espiral vino verde remains a great buy at $3.99. (For those who haven’t tried vinho verde before, it’s a Portugese white wine with a slight fizz to it.) It’s a hair more acidic on the finish than I might like, but overall it’s refreshing and low in alcohol — a perfect match for fish, Indian, or Thai dishes.
Rating: Buy a bottle
Next up: the 2011 The Crossings Sauvignon Blanc, for $7.99
This wine is slightly more acidic than some of my other favorite NZSBs (notably, Nobilo), but it’s clean and vibrant and very drinkable. It goes well with spicy food that has a bit of fat to cut the acidity — think a fiery Tex-Mex dish topped with cheese, or perhaps a bold Thai curry made with coconut milk.
Rating: Buy a bottle
Finally, this week’s roundup includes the 2009 Three Knights Los Carneros Pinot Noir, for $8.99 a bottle.
I haven’t had great Pinot Noir luck at Trader Joe’s. I’ve tried some bottles that were flat and flavorless, and at least one that was downright unpleasant to drink — it tasted artificial and syrupy. The Three Knights, happily, was one was one of the better ones I’ve tried. It’s a warm, earthy wine, somewhat rougher around the edges than the lighter, smoother, fruitier Pinot Noirs that I count as my favorites, but at $9 it’s a solid buy, especially if you (like a lot of people) actually prefer the earthy Pinots.
Rating: Buy a bottle.
Love that vinho verde!!