For Everyone Who Texts Me: Trader Joe’s Picks, You’re Welcome

There are so many of these articles, yet the texts pile in: “What wine can I get at Trader Joe’s?” Everyone is always asking that, so here I am. And yay, there will be some spillover to other grocery stores. It’s TJ’s world, and we are just living in it, so I decided to compile my latest (previous TJ’s picks here ) finds. BUT! I’m not just naming wine names. I went an extra step and paired fave TJ’s foods with their wines. How did I designate a food as a “fave”? I used a combo of round-up lists, quizzed all my friends and the TJ’s employees…and randomly grabbed stuff that sounded good. The following combos I feel solid about. You can either make the combo or experience the food/alcohol solo. And because I’m really overachieving here (anything to be not-just-your-average-TJ’s-wine-article), I also made activity pairings for the pairings, so mix and match as you desire. QUINOA STUFFED DOLMAS + 2021 LA CREMA SONOMA COAST PINOT NOIR The dolmas (stuffed with three colors of quinoa!) are a bit briny and super earthy but slightly fruity from the grape leaves. The brine demands acid, which the Pinot provides but brings in a somewhat riper element. The wine’s nose veers into dark fresh cherry fruit and baking spice with a slight sage underbrush. On the palate, the tannins are a bit swarthy—for a Pinot—not in a bad way. The acid is perky. The wine’s slightly nubbly tannins conspire with the quinoa’s al dente crunch. All of it ushers towards a bit of a vanilla Coke finish. Quick Tip: some pairings work best when you sip the wine while you have a bite of food in your mouth, whereas I think this works brilliantly with the wine as a chaser to dolma, rounding the movement out like a coda. Pairings can be addressed as two things simultaneously but also as things following each other in a harmonious sequence. Pair this pairing with a sundown hike picnic—or if hiking isn’t a thing for you, simply enjoy en plein air. MINI VEGETABLE SAMOSAS + 2020 VIGNOBLES LACHTEAU VOUVRAY The samosas are scrumptious little bites. The dough is perhaps more chewy than some would call sophisticated, but I like it. The filling has a somewhat spicy vegetable filling backed by potatoes, perked up with peas and given identity by spices unidentified by the label. Still, I think some peppers and cumin are happening. The Vouvray is off-dry, given evidence by the weighted body and enforced by the honeyed notes. Fresh green apple and slight allspice notes follow. The acidity is on point. The subtle sweetness goes with the slight spiciness of the samosas, and both bring medium oomph—nothing is too spicy or too sweet. Perfect pairing for a supes cas night in watching The Bear. DINER MAC N CHEESE + 2020 GEORGES DUBŒUF BEAUJOLAIS-VILLAGES Say what you will about the unsophistication of mac and cheese. Say what you will about Dubœuf. And I will say that these both deliver more than expected. The mac’s cheesiness is richly distributed throughout and on top for texture-heads to chomp through. It’s just rich enough but not overly so… The Beaujolais-Villages has a texture vibing with the fat and protein of the mac, with friendly acid ballasting it all. It is far removed from the Nouveau wines that Dubœuf is infamous for. It has dark red cherry. It has earth. It has just a touch of tannic grip and perhaps a slightly cordial-esque finish—was there partial carbonic on this, or is that just Gamay’s fun-loving ways? Whichever way, pair both or either one with a classic book like “The Great Gatsby” because you ARE more sophisticated than people might think when they see you eating microwave mac with Dubœuf. CACIO E PEPE GNOCCHI + 2021 AIME LA VIE! SYRAH-GRENACHE ROSÉ The recent cacio-fication of every food product is a trend I’m on board with, and these gnocchi are no exception, even if they are maybe a tad chewwwwy. You can heat them up in no time at midnight if you please, you winner you. They give toothsome texture with cream and pepper—and honestly, so long as I can tap a little sea salt on top, sometimes that is all I need. They call for something to cut the fat and mirror the pepper, which this watermelon pink wine does quite nicely for around eight bucks. It’s not the most sublime rosé on earth, but it is very pleasant (especially for the price point) and, like the pasta, gets the job done—really fun and pleasantly melon and red fruit forward. A tingle of white pepper and wet stone hangs around the mid-palate, with a slightly chalky finish hinting at a rosebud or so. Pair with you just watched “Barbie” and need fun food and pink wine pronto. CHILI & LIME FLAVORED ROLLED CORN TORTILLA CHIPS DIPPED IN EVERYTHING AND THE ELOTE DIP + CAMPO AZUL GRAN CLASICO REPOSADO TEQUILA Much like the cacio-fication of everything, the elote-typing of food is a trend I’m highly down with. The “elote” part refers to a cob slathered in mayo, sour cream (or Mexican crema), chili powder, lime, and cotija…más o minus. Ideally, served from a cart at the swap meet. Although that is maybe just the Los Angeles in me talking—I’m not sure where and how elote shows up elsewhere. But I do know it to be the slathered cob. This Everything dip changes out mayo and co. for yogurt, adding a really refreshing element. The chips (a Taki’s imitation, let’s be real) are addictively spicy, though if you don’t love spice, you can do corn on corn with the Elote Corn Chip Dippers. It all makes me want party drinks, and Trader Joe’s actually offers fun, cheap boozy booze, including this tequila. Please don’t hate me, fancy tequila lovers—I, too, live for a bespoke bottle of añejo and know this is not that. On the other hand, for the price point, it has a touch of complexity (although I think I detect a hint of added caramel to up the notes that would come from oak?)—and if you are adding a big cube and/or some soda and a lime squeeze, yeah I’d say worth it—especially paired with party noshes like this chip n’ dip. Pair with your least pretentious friend and a gossip sesh. CAULIFLOWER TEMPURA + SIMPLER WINES WHITE SPARKLING BLEND These come with a sauce to stir onto the heated cauliflower, but honestly, I like it better with the sauce on the side. All in all, the cauliflower, with or without the sauce, was a delight. The crisp. The chew. The spice. The sauce’s abundance of sweetness—all of it calls for bubbles because bubbles Swiffer through anything that is overly over. I first tried Simpler Times bubbles, I think, for my annual canned wine article, and OMG, I FORGOT TO PITCH CANNED THINGS THIS SUMMER! Please let this serve as a symbol of my apologies. I’ll get back at it next summer, I promise. Anyway, this dish, it is crispy and crunchy. This wine is bubbly and dry citrus-fruity with a bit of white rose floral. Together this pairing takes you through a variety of flavors and textures. And not to beat a dead microwaveable meal, but the approachability and ease of the two is undeniable. Pair with endless doom-scrolling alternated with uplifting cat memes. DARK CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CUPS + 2021 FAMIGLIA BIANCHI MALBEC It’s that classic PBJ pairing, but better because wine. And chocolate! The cups are dark chocolate—that slight bitterness contrasts the sweetness beautifully. The textural snap between the chocolate (provided you eat them out of the fridge, which, if you aren’t, please remedy that) and the pleasantly crumbly peanut butter innards are great, but add in the liquid factor and… Is this Malbec richly fruity, bordering on jam? A touch. But it also dials in the earth, building on the dark chocolate. The nose is plum-tastic with a bit of vanilla. The palate brings mixed fruit jam and acid + alcohol but also some nostalgic raspberry jam vibes. Altogether it is your very adult lunchbox's peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Pair with listening to songs that remind you of your youth or whenever you were packing PBJ. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Want to read more from Ellen? 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