638065 Mon Jul 20 14:29:30 -0700 2009 53 34 Wine 0 4875079 I like randomly sampling the wines at TJ's, Cline Zin is reliable and the Bogle Petit Syrah is tasty, but too often wind up with a bottle that's no better than the 2 buck chuck. Looking for daily drinkers under $10, red or white. Let's separate the Clines from the Chucks! (Since TJ's is far more prevalent in So Cal than elsewhere, I'm posting here rather than the wine board.) Mon Jul 20 14:29:30 -0700 2009 63958 Scott the Poet 1 4875103 Scott - I don't mind posting that there is a very drinkable chardonnay made by Clos du Bois that also cooks down nicely. I see it in TJs all the time for less than $10. I don't have the most sophtsticated taste in wines, but I've served this guests who were either very polite (and hated it) or actually liked it. Mon Jul 20 14:38:53 -0700 2009 4875079 12886 kotatsu 2 4875211 I like Clos du Bois but what's wrong with Two Buck Chuck? Some lots of their merlot are pretty darn good, especially for $1.99. Funny how some critics rate wines by the price rather than by taste? I've served 2BC many a times to guests where they gave the thumbs up until they found out what it was. Mon Jul 20 15:06:58 -0700 2009 4875103 116037 Clinton 3 4875239 It's not that 2 buck chuck is all that bad, I like the merlot and the savignon blanc and drink plenty of it. It's just that sometimes i want something that tastes a little better and get frustrated if I shell out the extra dollars without getting a wine that tastes any different. Mon Jul 20 15:14:12 -0700 2009 4875211 63958 Scott the Poet 3 4882946 imho, what's wrong with two buck chuck is that, to my palate, it is insipid. it isn't a matter of price, because my local wine shop, LA Wine Company, often carries some very cheap wines that actually taste good. . . . i hate 'spending' calories on meh wine or food. Wed Jul 22 21:27:00 -0700 2009 4875211 11935 westsidegal 3 4885402 There's nothing **wrong** with 2BC, it's just that there isn't a whole lot right with it, either. I'll go out on a limb and say that anybody who says it's consistently good doesn't have a particularly well-developed palate. On the other hand, anybody who says the stuff is consistently terrible is simply incorrect. Occasionally a decent bottle will show up, but 2BC is made with whatever grapes are available that week, so there's no consistency between runs. Back in the days when Hearty Burgundy was its main product, Gallo at least manipulated the wine from batch to batch to deliver a somewhat consistent flavor profile. Bronco doesn't do that. Your comment that critics "rate wines by the price rather than by taste" is misguided. Serious wine tastings are conducted blind. Some wine **drinkers** believe that more expensive wines are necessarily better. I put them in the same camp as the philistines who claim that Turning Leaf and DRC are interchangeable since they're both made from pinot noir grapes. That said, 2BC is my go-to cooking wine, and I don't mind drinking it if somebody's pouring it at a cookout. But it's never my first choice; there are much more interesting wines in the <$5 price category. Thu Jul 23 16:28:10 -0700 2009 4875211 58743 alanbarnes 1 4875258 Sorry but 2 Buck Chuck Sucks. First off, I would suggest asking the people at TJs that work in the wine department. They really do try a lot of the wines they carry and can make really good suggestions. However, one that I really like is Zarafa. It's a South African winery and TJs usually carries a Pinotage (it's made from a hybrid Pinot Noir grape) and a Chardonny. Inexpensive and really good. Mon Jul 20 15:20:48 -0700 2009 4875079 293829 mollygirl 1 4875297 A couple that I just tried over the weekend. Blue Fin Chardonnay. Great fruity quaffing wine. Under 4$. Perfect for summer. Hogue Chardonnay. Somewhat buttery, nice fruit and a steal at 5$. Mon Jul 20 15:33:45 -0700 2009 4875079 292426 trimtab 2 5152035 I, too, just recently found Blue Fin at TJs. Enjoyed the Chard and the Petite Sirah... I bought a case of the Petite Sirah:) Especially nice at $3.99. Tue Nov 03 09:15:10 -0800 2009 4875297 1120402 Rat3 1 4875301 Casillero Del Diablo Carmenere from Chile. It was recommended to me by "the wine guy" and I love it. Have gotten it a couple more times and goes great with a lot of things and everyone else always seems to love it too! Mon Jul 20 15:35:33 -0700 2009 4875079 1082302 Yes Please 1 4875326 I'm into not too expensive Pinot Noir. I like Black Mountain (the price recently went up to 5.99), Rex (6.99), and Blue Fin (3.99). Mon Jul 20 15:43:44 -0700 2009 4875079 69033 emilymm 2 4875445 I really like Black Mountain Sauv Blanc too Mon Jul 20 16:30:30 -0700 2009 4875326 18011 Jacey 1 4875355 A couple times a year they get this wine called "Chariot". It's a red blend, about $4.99 a bottle. Very good stuff considering the price, and makes a nice table wine or cooking wine. I also like their CDR by Perrin, I think $6.99. One of their sparkling wines is a great bang for the buck, I think St. Michelle, about $7 I've had some good luck with various SBs and Voigniers. Don't recall any specific names, but if you stay in the $7-10 range, you usually get pretty good value. Kim Crawford is solid but is probably closer to $12. Mon Jul 20 15:53:05 -0700 2009 4875079 323721 weegeebee 2 5146809 The Chariot is about 7 bucks up here in WA. It's tasty for the price, but a little on the sweet side. I wasn't quite sure what to do with it, it was so sweet. Sun Nov 01 09:29:34 -0800 2009 4875355 64882 Vetter 1 4877952 Try the Como Sur Sauvignon blanc for 7.99. WF had it on special for 15.99! Tue Jul 21 12:33:53 -0700 2009 4875079 66281 ginnyhw 1 4878047 The Ogier "Caves des Papes" Cotes du Rhone ($5) is one of my favorites. Look for the squatty bottle. Espiral Vinho Verde ($4) is crisp and lightly effervescent. Going through a lot of that this summer. All the sparking wines are competitively priced. On the cheap end of things, try the Blason Cremant de Bourgogne ($10). I'm not particularly fond of Domaine Ste. Michelle ($7) by itself, but it makes a great French 75; mix up Monopolowa gin ($10/l), lemon juice, and simple syrup, top with bubbly, and kiss your evening goodbye. Tue Jul 21 12:57:30 -0700 2009 4875079 58743 alanbarnes 1 4878071 Marqués de Cáceres Rioja Blanco white wine $5.99 Another vote for the Perrin Cotes du Rhone red wine $6.99 Domaine Ste Michelle Blanc de Noirs sparkling wine $6.99 Tue Jul 21 13:02:51 -0700 2009 4875079 78406 scrappydog 1 4878261 Salice Salentino has become one of my favorites http://newworldwine.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_worlds_greatest_value_wine Tue Jul 21 13:54:02 -0700 2009 4875079 74192 chuckl 1 4878474 Might want to take a look at this: http://jasonswineblog.com/ I'd pretty much given up trying to ferret out the hidden gems at TJ's until I discovered Jason. +2 on alanbarnes reco for Espiral VV (also maker of Gazella, iirc, which Bev-Mo currently has on their 5cent sale) and for the Chariot. One other great find at TJ's is a French blend called Now and Zen Wasabi White. Tue Jul 21 14:57:44 -0700 2009 4875079 18150 PolarBear 2 4878759 I know winery corporate/family trees can be convoluted, but I think Gazela and Espiral only use the same exporter, Sogrape Vinhos S.A., and the same U.S. importer, Evaton Inc. If you look closely at each label, however, they indicate they are bottled by different wineries: Gazela is bottled by Sogrape Vinhos S.A., and Espiral is bottled by the cryptic "Eng. No. 505." Maybe it's some type of FBN/DBA, maybe it's a completely different company, I don't know... Regardless, my wife and I *much* prefer the Gazela over the Espiral, and we always buy a couple of cases per year during the Bevmo 5 cent sale. With the Gazela going for $4.50 per bottle (when on sale), it's a no-brainer over the Espiral! Let me also add Archeo Nero d'Avola to the TJ's list -- solid pick for the money: http://www.cellartracker.com/list.asp?Table=List&Designation=Ruggero+di+Tasso . . Tue Jul 21 16:46:52 -0700 2009 4878474 10606 Joe Blowe 3 4878849 Thanks for the clarification, JB. I picked up a few of the Espiral before the 5c sale came around, thought it was drinkable, especially since I wasn't going to pay $9 for the Gazela. Tue Jul 21 17:19:18 -0700 2009 4878759 18150 PolarBear 3 4879082 + 1 for the Archeo Nero d'Avola. Tue Jul 21 18:51:50 -0700 2009 4878759 251260 vinhotinto75 2 4964663 Thanks so much for mentioning Jason's Wine Blog! Cheers, Jason Fri Aug 21 00:39:40 -0700 2009 4878474 168850 jjrzut 3 4967296 Oh, so that's you! Thanks for posting so many TJ wine reviews. By any chance have you tried the VINTJS pinot noir? Thanks. Fri Aug 21 20:01:11 -0700 2009 4964663 10764 monkuboy 4 4968637 I have not tried the VINTJS Pinot Noir. I did try what I believe to be the predecessor to this one, the Trader Joes Grand Reserve Pinot Noir, and I wasn't a big fan. I believe this is made by the same folks (Adler Fels) if I recall correctly Anyhow, Angela (aka BigWoodenSpoon) left this is in a comment on my blog: "I kinda liked the VINTJS Pinot Noir: Santa Lucia Highlands ($9), definitely not a “light & friuty” wine, but one with a little more substance.." Sat Aug 22 15:32:58 -0700 2009 4967296 168850 jjrzut 5 4968679 Thanks for the reply. Today I followed your advice and bought a bottle of the Picton Bay Pinot Noir. I'm going to try it this week to see if I should buy more. I also bought a bottle of the VINTJS Pinot and, despite your skip it recommendation, a bottle of the Caretaker PN mainly because of the comments on your post which made it sound like the bottle you tried needed to settle down some. There were only four bottles left of that one. Have you tried a 2nd bottle? Also, they had only the 2004 Howell Mountain Cab. Have you tried that? Funny, this lady thought I worked there and even though I told her I didn't, she started asking me about the Italian wines listed in the latest flyer. Then she picked up a Santa Margarita Pinot Grigio and I told her no matter what, don't buy it - it's way overpriced! Sat Aug 22 15:58:26 -0700 2009 4968637 10764 monkuboy 1 4879154 Has anybody compared the Perrin Cotes du Rhone with the Ogier? I stumbled across the latter, was pleasantly surprised, and have stuck with it. But if the Perrin is significantly better... Tue Jul 21 19:18:09 -0700 2009 4875079 58743 alanbarnes 2 4887572 Alan, this year both Ogier and Perrin CdR are very good. You should give it a try. But Ogier is more consistent year to year. Also, for those who haven't bought Ogier, you must look for the squat bottle, because the name Ogier does not appear conspicuously on the label. Also agree with your cremant recommendation. Fri Jul 24 11:15:13 -0700 2009 4879154 145461 rdt01 1 4884343 "I like Clos du Bois but what's wrong with Two Buck Chuck? Some lots of their merlot are pretty darn good, especially for $1.99. Funny how some critics rate wines by the price rather than by taste? I've served 2BC many a times to guests where they gave the thumbs up until they found out what it was." I hate to say it but these guests don't follow the tasting process of smelling and moving the wine around to hit all the taste buds. I served a Manyana Tempranilio against a good one and only one person could tell the difference. Then I taught everyone how to taste wine and everyone liked the other one better. This was done all blind and no one knew the identity or cost of either wine. Thu Jul 23 11:19:33 -0700 2009 4875079 292404 redmeatfan 2 4885321 i've tasted them all, 2 buck chuck is bulk wine from Bronco made with cheap grapes from Lodi. In my opinion, they're all terrible, though the sauvignon blanc doesn't make me want to spit it out as quickly as the others. I'd prefer to splurge and spend $5 for something that's at least drinkable Thu Jul 23 15:57:31 -0700 2009 4884343 74192 chuckl 2 4888996 Regarding your before and after Tempranilio taste comparison - while I can understand educating people on how to taste, on the other hand a thought that came to mind was "ignorance is bliss." Fri Jul 24 21:26:59 -0700 2009 4884343 10764 monkuboy 1 4967589 Hiya! There's actually quite of number of wines that are quite tasty in the $10 and under range. Love the Castle Rock Mendecino County Pinot Noir ($10), +1 on the Perrin & the Now & Zen, just got in the Trentante Rosso ($6: Smoky, smooth, 33% Cab, 33% Merlot, 33% Montepulciano) which the Crew enjoyed and the Chateau Ste. Michelle Pinot Gris ($10) was very interesting as well. Bright nose and kinda fizzy on the mid-palate. I also love the Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc ($10ish), great aromatics, grapefruit, green apple but not a fruit grenade, and a wonderful, zesty finish. Big fan of Jason's blog and I use it at my store all the time. Alert: It looks like Corporate might be starting to clear out the slow sellers in preparation for the Holidays. If you have any odd favorites, it would be a good idea to check on their status and maybe stock up before its too late. Sat Aug 22 02:02:15 -0700 2009 4875079 125609 BigWoodenSpoon 1 4969306 +1 for the Ogier Le Chateau Vouvray ($7) won our New Year's $35 maximum wine tasting, and there's a light, sparkling white Lambrusco that's $4 and excellent for these hot summer days and nights. There's a Spanish vineyard (I believe it's Albero?) that has a great dry rose and a very nice Tempranillo for $6 or $7 a bottle - organic, and delicious. Sat Aug 22 22:14:37 -0700 2009 4875079 19626 thursday 1 4971452 Are either of TJ's proseccos good? Sun Aug 23 20:36:08 -0700 2009 4875079 170696 Peripatetic 2 4973201 The Zonin is a Brut with nice bubbles and a lemony note which I like it better that the Villa Carlotta that is "softer", a smidge sweeter and has not as many bubbles. Yup, Albero is the vineyard, thursday. You might also want to try the Incanto Frizzante Rose ($6), dry, fizzy & tasty. Mon Aug 24 11:48:48 -0700 2009 4971452 125609 BigWoodenSpoon 3 4973224 Thanks BWS. Will try it and report back. Mon Aug 24 11:55:22 -0700 2009 4973201 170696 Peripatetic 3 4973343 I had the Incanto recently and agree that it is worth a try. Mon Aug 24 12:29:44 -0700 2009 4973201 78406 scrappydog 4 5019278 Glad to hear it. BTW everyone, you might want to check out the Mt. Linden Merlot & Cabernet ($4). We just tasted them last night at our All Store Meeting and the Crew really enjoyed the Merlot, which was juicy, smooth and delightfully easy to drink (I had to open a second bottle, which I've never done before) and the Cabernet was nice & easy drinking as well. This is a "Opportunity Buy" and supplies are limited at this point, so don't delay. I'm a confirmed white wine gal who can appreciate a nice red and I'm seriously considering picking up a few of these for myself. Also, the Grigio Luna Pinot Grigio ($6) was the favorite white. Light to medium body, refreshing acidity that mellowed a little bit as it warmed up and light flavors of stone friuts. Definitely a nice addition to the Pinot Grigio section. Thu Sep 10 09:20:08 -0700 2009 4973343 125609 BigWoodenSpoon 1 5029309 +1 for the Bogle Petite Syrah. Recently I got curious about this one, tried it and liked it - Le Grotte Reggiano Lambrusco. I believe it is going for < $5. Slightly fizzy and sweet, great chilled. Let the sneering begin! :-> Mon Sep 14 13:19:34 -0700 2009 4875079 16109 sweetTooth 1 5111475 my wife and i serve a lot of wine. we have found that our white wine drinkers will drink more of the honeymoon viognier than anything else. we have compared it with the macmanis viognier which is not nearly as fruity. macmanis is drier and a bit austere. it would appeal to those who like sauvignon blanc. the honeymoon viognier appeals to chardonnay drinkers. the red wine drinkers will enjoy a full bodied purple moon shiraz (syrah) at a low price. don't sneer at the 2 buck chuck. remember......it received a gold medal in a blind tasting by some of the finest palates in the country, at the orange county fair a couple of years ago. that was in competition with some of the supposedly most well crafted wines costing twenty times as much. if you don't believe it hide it in a high priced chardonnay bottle. your guests will never complain. Sat Oct 17 20:51:10 -0700 2009 4875079 1117170 jfkadlec 2 5111828 TBC medals are pretty meaningless.... http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/572975 Sun Oct 18 06:31:32 -0700 2009 5111475 18150 PolarBear 2 5112002 I would complain. ;) Sun Oct 18 08:34:04 -0700 2009 5111475 92744 invinotheresverde 3 5112789 Me too! Seriously, that "vintage" was in stores for only a little bit and then we have the latest batch which isn't horrendous, but I'd feel much more comfortable serving the $6 Hogue or one of our private label wines. The amount of cases that go through my line is unbelieveable, but unfortuantely in many cases quantity is more important than quality. I thank all my customers that buy "good wine" because I know that even thought they want a good deal, the integrity of the wine is more important than the price. Sun Oct 18 14:57:11 -0700 2009 5112002 125609 BigWoodenSpoon 1 5147369 Scott - I highly recommend you stop shopping for wine at Trader Joes and head over to established, trusted SoCal wine shops instead. For the same money, you will exponentially increase your 'hit rate' on value wines. This is a sore, old topic for me, but I'll lay it out quickly. TJ's puts a lot of wine on their shelves at attractive price points...just like Safweway. If they cared about wine quality more than profit, you wouldn't see half the bottles on their shelves. That said, stop shopping at TJ's and other supermarkets and go to specialized wine retailers. Make friends with them...and watch your knowledge expand while you greatly increase your ability to find great values in the $7-15 range. Sun Nov 01 14:10:16 -0800 2009 4875079 1115082 stalkingwine.com 2 5148290 but when you go to trader joe's it's sort of like playing WHERE'S WALDO, which, in and of itself is sort of entertaining. and trader joe's is open to 9 pm. Mon Nov 02 00:03:12 -0800 2009 5147369 11935 westsidegal 2 5152778 Actually, Corporate IS "focusing our Wine offering" as we speak. A lot of the slower sellers (and some dreck) are on their way out the door and private labels are coming up more and more. That said, it really depends on the store. Do they have a Wine Geek/Person/Team? Is the Captain interested in wine and committed to bringing in quality items or do their customers only want "the cheap stuff"? We have Stag's Leap Cab (yummy!) in our Order Guide at $43 (I think), but in my store most folks want to spend between $3-10 (if that). My job as Head of Crew Tastings for the Alameda store is to find the gems amongst the manure and let y'all know about them. I've been fighting very hard to have time in the Wine Department so I can answer your questions and help you make educated choices. Most folks just want a nice bottle that won't suck and I've had a lot of positive feedback about the wines I've recommended. So again, its the store in particular that has the control of what they carry according to what sells in their neighborhood and how often the Crew Members have Tastings to obtain product knowledge. Also, some wines are only available in certain regions. I might get a wine in Northern CA that isn't available anywhere else. Same with Southern CA, Washington, Oregon, etc. Now don't get me wrong, I don't get all my wine at work. Not enough good Rieslings ; ) I have access to a number of discount outlets in my area which I frequent when funds are available and my local wine bar/shop has expanded my palate immensely. I LOVE finding a good deal and I try to do that for my customers as well. I encourage folks to use all the resources available in the hunt for a good wine, even if what they're looking for isn't at my store. And yes, I do refer them to the other wine shops in town if we don't carry wines they want. If you like, I can ask about the stores in SoCA and see if anybody down there has our specific interest. Also, for more info on some of the wines we carry, please don't forget Jason's blog: www.jasonswineblog.com. I try to post the results of our store's weekly tastings there as often as time and content allows. Tue Nov 03 12:50:10 -0800 2009 5147369 125609 BigWoodenSpoon 2 5152880 I'm a big fan of the independent wine store, especially when it's owned and operated by people who share (or at least identify with) my tastes, preferences, and budget. But to tell someone to buy wine at independent shops or forego it entirely is unnecessarily elitist. Close to my house there are half a dozen to a dozen grocery stores (including TJs) and a similar number of drugstores. All of them carry a decent, if not inspired, selection of wines. Total number of good independent wine shops in that radius? Zero. For a special bottle, or when exploring new horizons, you'd better believe you'll find me at the specialty store. But if the plan is to grill burgers for dinner and we need something to serve with them, I'm not going to hop in the car and drive an hour round trip. A CdR from TJs or maybe a Ravenswood Zin from Safeway or CVS will do the trick very nicely, thankyouverymuch. Tue Nov 03 13:13:07 -0800 2009 5147369 58743 alanbarnes 2 5198617 The OP talked about <$10 wines. I find that TJ's is a pretty good source for wines in the $5 to$7 range (an area I never would have thought I'd be looking at a couple of years ago). <$5 is a crap shoot anywhere. At >$7 (not an exact baseline, but pretty close) I would begin to agree with the specialty wine retailer idea. Certainly >$10. What I find about supermarkets is that their values are much better when they run items on sale. If you have time to price shop, markets and volume wine 'warehouses' can be very good too. I just find TJs convenient and consistent, in that $5-$7 range (my new threshhold of daily drinkability), once I know which wines I like. Takes re-adjusting every so often. Sat Nov 21 12:04:42 -0800 2009 5147369 11405 Midlife 1 5151387 I hit the closest Trader Joe's that sells alcohol in Westfield, NJ on Sunday with a friend, and thought I might find some gems. She was actually buying wine for her wedding this coming Saturday, and with her budget, Two Buck Chuck was the only option. She needed 4 cases as well as a case of bubbly, so I took a ride with her to help her pick it up. To me, their selection and pricing wasn't any better than I could get at the local shops I frequent, ie Canal's (Marlton, Hainsport, Lawrenceville, Hamilton), Glendale, Shop Rite, Windsor Wine & Spirits, CoolVines, etc, etc. I actually found that their pricing on one of my go to pinot noir, the 2006 Sanford, was $8 more per bottle than I am paying locally. Call me cheap, but $8 per bottle adds up fast! I was a bit intrigued by their cheap Bordeaux selection, and actually h ad a mixed case in my cart before changing my mind thinking that 1) I probably won't be happy with these wines, and 2) I really don't have the room for them right now. That said, I put them back, but did pick up a bottle of the Trader Joe's Reserve cabernet Yountville that I keep seeing pop up in threads on different boards. We'll see if it's worth the $12. As for the Two Buck Chuck, it is what it is. We serve it to the adults on Halloween and the annual Christmas walking tour in town once we run out of the other "guest wines" that have been left at our house that we are not fond of. It is what it is, and serving it to these visitors is always a hit...and I would much rather pour them that since I don't know them than the $30-$50 bottle of pinot that we're drinking! =) -mJ Tue Nov 03 05:03:33 -0800 2009 4875079 192452 njfoodies 1 5176360 Some recent stuff from TJs that are decent-to-good are the 2007 Perrin Cotes-du-Rhone "Reserve". 07 Rhones are hyped up the wazoo right now, but this bottle is cheap and good. For those in NorCal, this bottle is easily found at K&L. TJ's private label "Vint JS" has a good 2008 Syrah. $7-8, and made by Lindquist at Qupe. Regarding TJ in general...I think they are doing a decent job introducing new wine drinkers to a ballooning marketplace of wine. Wine is supposed to be (traditionally) an everyday beverage with a meal. Wine is not about ScrEagle, Lafite or DRC 99.99% of the time. People may start at the Two-Buck-Chuck, but many then move on to explore cheap Chilean, Australian, New Zealand, French, Spanish and even South African wine. Then if they start wanting to learn more about wine and expand to the $25+ per bottle range, independent wine retailers are a great next step. Thu Nov 12 12:21:52 -0800 2009 4875079 11745 Cary 2 5199924 I wholeheartedly agree with you! Too many wine snobs all over the place, dissing TJ's because they don't carry Screaming Eagle and the like. Sun Nov 22 08:28:59 -0800 2009 5176360 10764 monkuboy 3 5200158 Heck, they even carry Stag's Leap. And considerably cheaper than the local wine shop. Where the local wine shop really shines is in the personalized service department - the staff generally have far greater depth and breadth of wine knowledge than the typical TJs crew member. And not just when it comes to higher-priced wines; if you want to explore the range of, say, inexpensive Cotes du Rhones, you can get far better information and direction at a wine shop than at TJs. Plus, a wine shop can buy small lots of more exotic wines, whereas TJs tends to buy wines that are made in much larger quantities. I like both, and each has its place. That Perrin Cary mentioned drinks very well for the price, as does the $5 Ogier CdR, and I happily buy them both from TJs. But if I'm looking to pick up a bottle of something I've never had before, the guy at the wine store is going to provide me with far better selection and guidance. Sun Nov 22 10:39:54 -0800 2009 5199924 58743 alanbarnes 4 5201415 I agree, they both have their place! Without TJ's the wine industry would be worse off revenue-wise and so would the consumer, I say. Sun Nov 22 21:55:12 -0800 2009 5200158 10764 monkuboy 1 5196972 I've long been a fan of Kris Pinot Grigio. I first started getting it from a local wine shop at around $14 a bottle, then later discovered the exact same wine at TJ's for $3 or $4 less. Fri Nov 20 13:40:28 -0800 2009 4875079 14386 BobB