Great (Easy) Wine Tasting

It seems that I post about wine a lot... Here's another wine related tip: Not only is Trader Joe's great for yummy, healthy food it's also a good source for reasonably priced wines. Sure, there are varying opinions on the infamous two buck (really three buck) Chuck- probably their best selling brand. I think that one depends on type. I really like their Shiraz but the other reds are just ok. I digress... Trader Joe's conducts informal wine tastings in-store during the evening. I didn't have to buy a thing to sample the rainbow of wine in front of me. The employee pouring the wines was very knowledgeable. I expected it to be a grab and gulp operation and was pleasantly surprised when he actually made me work through the reds to the fuller bodied Shiraz. He even paired the wines with samples of cheese and chocolate and made we cleanse my palate with a dessert wine at the end. Needless to say, I had to roam the aisles for a while before leaving!

Yes, these are all traits you would expect at a wine tasting. However, you usually pay a tidy sum to take part. At Trader Joe's, I just waltzed through the door and got to taste and learn a lot for FREE! Yes, my favorite word, FREE. I have only gone once, partly because I don't want to be known as the Trader Joe's wine mouch. I have no idea if this is done at all locations every evening or not. Sadly, I admit that I did not do much research on this topic. I do recommend checking it out sometime if you want to learn more about wines but don't know where to start and don't feel like investing any money into the pursuit. Although, it is hard not to buy one of their bottles after you've sipped some.

Trader Joe's wine tasting is a great thing!