How to shop for grocery store wines-and bonus food pairings!

It can be overwhelming when you don’t know what to look for! Here are some of my favorite wines that easily available almost everywhere! I’ve also added some pairing suggestions to make dinner planning easy! Cheers!

SAUVIGNON BLANC

Saver wine:

This is a classic Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand for ~$13/bottle. You can expect it to be crisp, refreshing with notes of lemon, lime and fresh cut grass.

Splurge wine:

One of my favorite producers in Napa. If you get a chance to visit the winery, I highly recommend it! This SB is from a warmer climate so you can still expect fresh citrus notes as well as tangerine and pineapple. I found this bottle for $20.

FOOD PAIRING:

SB is a very acidic wine, meaning it makes your mouth water! It pairs very well with acidic foods such as lemon, tomato and vinegar. It is important to keep the dish light as this is a pretty light wine-I’d recommend chicken or white fish.

CHARDONNAY

Saver Wine:

This beautiful organic wine is a steal for $11! This wine has notes of green apple, pear, and pineapple. It’s partially oaked so it will have notes of toasted almonds and a creamy texture while still maintaining the fresh crispness.

Splurge wine:

Another stunning Napa producer! I love every wine from Duckhorn! You can expect nice tropical notes of pineapple and star fruit. A creamy, rounded texture with notes of Creme brûlée! I found this for $30.

FOOD PAIRING:

Since this wine is a little bit fuller bodied and richer, it does well with a little richer dishes. My favorite pairing is with Salmon. It would also do really well with a creamy sauce such as Alfredo.

ROSÉ

I’m a big fan of this producer from the Languedoc region in France. It’s light and floral with notes of strawberry and white peach. And of course the stunning bottle! This one goes for approximately $12/ bottle!

FOOD PAIRING:

This wine would pair perfectly with a strawberry and goat cheese salad, And light cheeses such as mozzarella, Swiss and havarti.

PINOT NOIR:

Saver Wine:

I love this Pinot from Monterey! Biodynamically farmed, killer price for $15. Notes of cherry, strawberry and cranberry. It’s light bodied with medium tannin (dryness on the finish).

Splurge Wine:

Stunning producer! And beautiful bright and fruit forward Pinot from the Santa Lucia Highlands. You can expect notes of cherry, cola, and vanilla. It’s silky smooth and I found it for $20.

FOOD PAIRING:

Some of my favorite pairings with Pinot Noir include: Salmon, Pork Loin, Pizza, and Carnitas tacos.

CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Saver wine:

Love this Cab from Paso Robles. With notes of blackberry, plum, black cherry, vanilla, cedar and baking spices. Very well balanced with a fuller body and nice tannin structure. I found this beauty for $14.

Splurge Wine:

This classic producer makes some lovely Cabernets! You can expect notes of black berry, black plum and sage. Stunning structure with a long finish! Found this one for $30.

FOOD PAIRING:

My favorite pairing with Cabernet is a big, juicy steak! It goes well with red meats such as ribs, beef tenderloin and bacon.

SPARKLING WINE:

Saver Wine:

These delicious Napa made bubbles are created in the traditional champagne method so you can expect smooth bubbles with nice citrus notes and a slight yeasty note. Fun fact: this winery was established by the famed Möet and Chandon who produces the highly esteemed Dom Perignon! You can find this one for only $18/bottle!

Splurge Wine:

This is the real stuff from Champagne! This is such a crowd pleasing bottle of bubbles and you can’t go wrong with this producer. You can find this one for $30.

FOOD PAIRING

Champagne goes really well with fried food! Try it with fried chicken or French fries! Also a very classic pairing is with oysters.

OTHER WINES:

RIESLING:

This was the first wine I ever loved and I still love it! Beautiful Riesling from Washington. Notes of lemon, lime, white flowers, slate and petrol.

FOOD PAIRINGS:

Riesling is such a foodie wine because of of its fresh acidity. But it’s special power is that it goes well with spicy food!

BEAUJOLAIS

This is a fun one! Not only will you impress your friends when you pronounce it correctly- (bow-zhuh-lay) it’s a nice light red with notes of cherry, strawberry and sometime hints of banana or bubblegum! It is good served chilled too! Find this one for $13!

FOOD PAIRING:

BoJo pairs really nicely with chicken, pork and fish.

MALBEC:

There’s some really great value in Argentina Malbec! If you like rich, full bodied wines with notes of blackberry and black pepper, but yet silky and smooth, this is your wine! You can find this beauty for $20!

FOOD PAIRING:

Malbec pairs really well with any beef dish. Pair it with something rich and heart like beef stew.

I hope you enjoyed this guide! Of course there are many more enjoyable grocery store wines! Feel free to reach out with any questions! Cheers!

Love, Cas