What’s the Best Trader Joe’s Red Wine? We Tried 14 Bottles to Find Out

Did you know Trader Joe’s made Central Coast Syrahs? Napa Valley Merlots? Italian Barolos? Well, they do. Don’t worry, they still make Charles Shaw wines too, of course. With that wide an array of varietals, what’s the best Trader Joe’s red wine? We tried all the red wine at Trader Joe’s sold under the Trader Joe’s label to find out.

What we looked for in the best Trader Joe’s red wine

We looked for balanced red wines that tasted like good red wine. Simple as that. We wanted some mix of oak and fruit. We didn’t want anything sour or sweet enough to be juice. We prized wines that could be sipped solo but also looked for wines that would pair well with food.

I drank a lot of extremely cheap Trader Joe’s red wine back in the day, so it was a real treat to get to try some of the “pricier” bottles for this taste test (we’re talking, like, $15). But, while tasting, I divorced my assessment from the cost. What you’ll find in this ranking is all the good red wine from Trader Joe’s, no matter the price. You’ll be happy to know, the most expensive bottle didn’t take first place and there’s a dirt cheap bottle of Charles Shaw pretty high up in the ranking. Here’s the best red wine at Trader Joe’s.

Best Trader Joe’s red wine, ranked

Best Boxed Red Wine

Trader Joe’s Block Red Cabernet Sauvignon

Does this boxed wine taste like a classic Cabernet Sauvignon? It does not. There’s a better Trader Joe’s Cabernet Sauvignon on this list if that’s what you’re looking for. But if you want wine you can stack, then this is the best Trader Joe’s red wine for you to purchase. It’s a little on the sweet side, surprisingly light, and extremely drinkable. In our taste test of all the boxed wine at Trader Joe’s, this took the top spot.

Credit: Merc

Rating:

7/10

Sporks

Best Zinfandel

Trader Joe’s Coastal Zinfandel 2023

Is it steak night at your house? Am I invited? I like mine extremely rare—as rare as you can legally make it. I’ll bring a bottle of this Trader Joe’s Zinfandel. Because it’s the best Trader Joe’s red wine to pair with red meat (or, you know, a mushroom “steak”). It’s rich and dark and it has a great edge on the finish—almost like you hit a tannic wall that keeps you from falling over a waterfall of dark, cooked fruit flavors. It still has that classic jammy Zinfandel quality, but there’s structure. No flabby wine here.

Credit: Merc

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Best Cabernet Sauvignon

Trader Joe’s Platinum Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2020

Trader Joe’s

Remember that Trader Joe’s Cabernet Sauvignon I mentioned earlier? The good one? This is it! It’s chocolaty without being sweet—like chocolate with a really, really high percentage of cacao. It’s rich and almost creamy, and it ends dry with some big tannic notes. On its own, it may be a lot. But paired with a bold dish—like stew or spaghetti bolognese—it will truly shine. If you like big flavors that aren’t necessarily fruity flavors, this is the best red wine at Trader Joe’s for you.

Credit: Merc / Trader Joe’s

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Charles Shaw Red

Trader Joe’s Charles Shaw Merlot

Trader Joe’s

I admit I can be a bit of a Miles about Merlot. (That’s a reference to Paul Giamatti’s Merlot-hating character in Sideways, for those of you who aren’t obsessed with the 2004 oenophilic film.) There’s a lot of bad, flatly fruity Merlot out there. But there’s also a lot of good Merlot out there—especially when it comes to Trader Joe’s Merlot. The Charles Shaw Merlot is light, bright, and fruity. It’s a perfect burger wine. It’s also the best red wine from Trader Joe’s Charles Shaw line-up. It’s the kind of wine where you look down and suddenly your glass is empty.

Credit: Merc / Trader Joe’s

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Syrah

Trader Joe’s Reserve Syrah Paso Robles 2022

Don’t come to this Syrah looking for a French-style Syrah with lots of fresh herby notes and tannins. This is all Central Coast, baby. You’re getting bright mulberry flavors, dark, oaky heft, and a touch of smoke on the finish. This is a hearty wine. And it’s definitely one of the best red wines at Trader Joe’s. Pair it with lamb, of course, but also try it with some roasted cauliflower or one of Trader Joe’s frozen Indian meals.

Credit: Merc

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks

Best Italian Red

Trader Joe’s Diamond Reserve Barolo 2020 from the Bersano Estate

It’s definitely not the cheapest Trader Joe’s red wine, but it is still a bargain for a Barolo at around $20 a bottle. In the glass, it’s a beautiful garnet color. It has some mellow aged notes—you get that library flavor, those hints of dusty books and leather. But there’s some good acidity, too. Appropriately, there’s some pleasantly zippy acidity that goes great with tomato sauce (check out our ranking of the best Trader Joe’s pasta sauce). And it finishes with a bit of black peppery flavor. It’s a seriously good red wine from Trader Joe’s, particularly if you are an Italian wine drinker.

Credit: Merc

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

Trader Joe’s Platinum Reserve Merlot Yountville Napa Valley 2023

As I said before, I can be a bit of a Merlot skeptic. But this one really wowed me. It’s so perfectly balanced—not too tannic, not too fruity, just a touch of herbal flavor for complexity. It’s simply a great red wine that you can drink on its own, no problem, or pair with food. Buy a case and make it your house red wine. Actually, buy two cases. Trader Joe’s isn’t known for keeping the good stuff around for long. And this is the best Trader Joe’s red wine right now.

Credit: Merc

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Other Trader Joe’s red wines we tried:

Trader Joe’s Coastal Merlot, Trader Joe’s Coastal Cabernet Sauvignon, Trader Joe’s Growers’ Reserve Zinfandel California 2023, Trader Joe’s Grand Reserve Pinto Noir Santa Lucia Highlands 2022, Charles Shaw Shiraz, Charles Shaw Cabernet Sauvignon, Charles Shaw Red Blend