The Two Buck Chuck from Trader Joe’s isn’t the only wine worth buying when you head to the grocery store. Instead, there are more choices than ever when it comes to browsing Costco or Kroger (KR) shelves say experts like Tom Wark, the Executive Director
Specialty Wine Retailers Association, “Grocery stores have done an excellent job of increasing their diversity of wines over the past ten years – there is usually a little of everything.” And with all the anti-aging claims of drinking wine, it’s perfectly acceptable to try them all. But don’t look for small production wines in the supermarket aisles say oenophiles like Gary Vaynerchuk the host of Wine Library TV, “for a grocery store there needs to be some long term stock available.”
Here are our top picks:
Gunderloch, Riesling 2006
Opting for a German or Austrian Riesling can be a safe bet, says Vaynerchuk. “They tend to be excellent wines to serve with food or for simply quaffing,” explains Vaynerchuk and adds that bottles are widely available at prices that aren’t over the top.
Guigal Cotes du Rhone 2004
A bottle of Cotes du Rhone is a safe bet and usually available wherever you go, but it can get tough when it comes to differentiating between labels, writes Oz Clarke author of the Essential Wine Book. “Mostly red, the wines can be tremendously fresh and fruity,” Clarke explains and recommends that shoppers ask a merchant before making the final decision.
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc 2007
While the Kim Crawford Winery started in 1996, the Marlborough region in New Zealand has long been known for quality. “It’s a white wine that the Kiwis have perfected,” Wark says. The wine is also easy to find in supermarkets across the U.S.
