Trader Joe's Grand Reserve Meritage Napa Valley 2013 Lot #63

I was excited to see that Trader Joe's is now selling the 2013 version of their Grand Reserve Napa Valley Meritage for $12.99. When I last reviewed the 2012 version of the wine, I was very enthusiastic about it, calling it a great wine.

The bottle gives no clue about the blend of Bordeaux grapes in the wine. As with most Meritage wines from Napa, flavors of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon dominate. The alcohol content is 14.5%.

This is an excellent fruit forward Meritage with flavors of dark chery, blackberry, blue berry and only minor spice. The tannins are smooth and in balance with the fruit. I really enjoyed this wine.

I wanted to compare this Napa Valley Meritage with Costco's Kirkland Signature Napa Valley Meritage, so I tried both at the same meal. The Kirkland has always been a solid choice but The Trader Joe's Grand Reserve is far superior. I would spend the additional $2 per bottle for the Trader Joe's wine every time.

SC Wine Joe rating = 91 points

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