Freddy R. Troya

8.9

Trader Joe’s – Grand Reserve Pinot Noir 2023
Carneros AVA – California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
An entry-level Pinot Noir from Trader Joe’s Grand Reserve series, designed to be approachable and wallet-friendly, yet sourced from Carneros, a region with a strong pedigree for Pinot Noir thanks to its cool climate influenced by the San Pablo Bay.

Aromas & Flavors
Ripe red cherry, cranberry, and a touch of strawberry compote. Subtle notes of baking spice and a faint hint of cola.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied, soft tannins, and moderate acidity. Smooth and approachable, leaning more toward fruit-forward than earthy complexity.

Food Pairings
Roast chicken with herbs, Margherita pizza, Mushroom risotto, Soft cheeses like Brie or Camembert.

Verdict
A casual, weeknight Pinot Noir that shows off the Carneros fruit in an uncomplicated way. Don’t expect Burgundian elegance or layered depth, instead, it’s a friendly, fruit-driven Pinot that hits the right notes for its price. Cheers! — 11 days ago

S Line

10

Had at Tei-An Dallas 4/26/25 delicious. — 6 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

A blend of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and aged for 23 months in French oak, deep Ruby color with aromas of dark ripe fruit with sweet herbs, floral and complex spices. On the palate flavors of ripe plum, blackberry and currants, licorice, cinnamon spice, sweet oak, vanilla and cacao. Well integrated with fine soft tannins, the wine is complex yet enjoyable now and will continue to age. Long finish ending with savory oak, tobacco and slight earthy vanilla spice. Very Nice! — 10 months ago

Conrad Green

9.3

Plush and delicious fruit. Raspberry and black cherry. A hint of leather and dark berry. Very good — 17 days ago

with Bex, Walker and 1 other

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Produced from the "mosto flor" ("free-run juice") of sustainably grown and hand-harvested grapes. Ya means "yes!" in Spain. Straw yellow with good flow of tiny bubbles and light mousse. Stone fruit aromas with a vanilla nut fragrance. On the palate peach and citrus flavors, good balance, plenty of acidity and lingers nicely. — 2 months ago

Neil Valenzuela

9.1

Medium gold color. Aromas of orange blossoms, honeysuckle, apple and wet stone. Great citrus flavors, stone fruit and great minerality.
43% Tocáis Friulano, 34% Ribolla Gialla and 23% Chardonnay. — 7 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.1

Pretty deep ruby garnet with garnet , terracotta . Quite sweet , spiced , dried fruit nose , slightly volatile nose . On the palate this is better , meaty and rich spiced dried dark fruits, plum , fig. Quite grippy tannins and balanced acidity . Good density and rich meaty finish , a little porty, pretty good length . Dense and rich , much more than expected . Still dense and really quite young, held up well in the glass , this would probably continue at this level for a further 5-10 years . — a year ago

Greg Andrew

9.0

10/25/25 - Steak, loaded potato & Brussel sprouts — 10 days ago

with Beth

Jeremy Shanker

Sommelier at RN74

9.6

On fire right now 🔥 — a month ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Probably my favourite rum - it’s from Guatemala. They use virgin sugar cane honey - the first pressing of the sugar cane, unlike most rums which use molasses. As I’ve mentioned in previous notes on Delectable, aromas of burnt caramel, tar and molasses. Aged in a Solera system at 2300 metres above sea level. Firstly in American Oak Barrels then in charred American Oak barrels, then in barrels that previously aged Sherry and finally in barrels that previously aged Pedro Ximinez. Very smooth and dangerously drinkable. — 7 months ago