Trader Joe's Wine Shop
Category: Beer, Wine & Spirits [Edit]
Neighborhood: Manhattan/East Village138 E 14th St
(between 4th Ave & Irving Pl)
New York, NY 10003 (212) 529-6326
- Nearest Transit:
3rd Ave-14th St (L)
Union Square (4, 5, 6, L, N, Q, R, W)
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
3 reviews
Neighborhood: Manhattan/Midtown East
"Really good liquor store. I've been on the hunt for a rye called "Hudson Baby Bourbon Whiskey" that was slated to be in stores by June…" read more »
77 Reviews for Trader Joe's Wine Shop
I don't care if it is cheap wine. There are about a million options & you can find some good stuff if you are willing to experiment. The staff is super friendly & it is impossible to leave empty-handed!!
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Most people know how much I loathe TJ's. But the wine shop is pretty good. (I have not actually tried TJ brand wine.) You can get decent bottlese for well under 10$, and some really good deals on the fancier stuff. Save your money here on the wine, and then go to a normal grocery store!
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I love love LOVE Trader Joe's. I was super sad leaving DC because I thought Joe could no longer be the love of my life. Now that he's here I can have two main squeezes - Duane AND Joe. Love it.
The line is always long. But fear not! For it moves. Oh it moves like a drunk chick on the dance floor. Before you know it, ta da, you're up at the counter. But be warned, they will card you. Be prepared (not scared!).
They also have a section with refrigerated wines, perfect for those grab-and-go whites. And, of course, there's the lovely what's it up to... three buck Chuck? Aw Charles Shaw. We love you too. They've got a nice spread from Chuck up to much-better-but-not-tooooo-much-pricier-than-Chuck varieties. This is definitely one of my favorite wine shops when I want something decent that preferably won't break the bank to boot.
Gracias Joe, mi amor.
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Man! I wish we had one of these in Philly, but unfortunately due to PA's strict liquor laws we confined to buying our wine from horrible state stores. They had a great selection of wines for less than half the price that I would pay at hom. I got sent here for a special errand to get the 2 buck chuck which my mother heard about on 20/20. Actually, it was $3 but I have to say it was pretty good!
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F**k Chuck - good wines are available here, too. A particularly nice cache of Italian Wines, a huge California section (it's Cally-owned, after all) and a decent French selection which could be a lot larger. Sommeliers would frown at only 2 Chateauneuf-du-Pape's.
As for the checkout, there are 5 or 6 continuously staffed registers. On New Years Eve, it took only 4 minutes to get to the front of the line. So if you don't have 4 minutes, please go away.
If you're having a party, a case of different bottles almost never runs more than $100. Unfortunately, you'll have to hail a cab to haul your case home, since their delivery service is outrageously expensive and only covers about a mile.
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I love wine; I love Trader Joe's. Wine shop + Trader Joe's = Je'taime. This store is highly organized and the staff is very well versed in wine selections. You will definitely get a sweet bang for your buck here.
If you want to drink on the cheap, this is the first place to look. Bottles will start from around three clams and are actually pretty tasty! Also, it's nice to select a reasonably priced wine and just experiment. Wine prices do increase upwards and there's an extensive selection from various regions.
A word of warning, though: This store tends to get extremely crowded since it is not a huge space and lots of other wine enthusiasts and shoppers (not to mention NYU'ers because it's right smack next to a dormitory) flock to this place. Depending on the night (hello Friday and Saturday nights) you will probably also find yourself waiting on a line because the store is too crowded. Fret not, you won't have to wait too long and you'll be out in a snap.
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On New Year's Eve Eve there was a line to get INTO the Trader Joe's Wine Shop. You heard me. Can I get a "W-W-T-F?"
Not only that, but it was a line that was seriously 15 deep. Again...WTF??? And, for those of you who were wondering, in addition to the guy at Magnolia, you may now add the TJ's wine bouncer to the list of bouncers who...aren't bouncers.
That being said, considering I had invited people over to my place as of 30 hours before midnight 2008, I was kinda in a crunch. Yes, last minute. Yes, impromptu. Yes, HELLA fun (post-fete assessment). Anyway, back to circa 30 hours before midnight 2008... I asked myself -- where to acquire loads of affordable bubbly that will still be well-stocked at this time? TJ'S Wine Shop, that's where.
That's right, y'all, in a pinch it works. And, yes, for you people I stood in line IN THE RAIN OUTSIDE OF THE TJ'S STORE to get you some imbibification tools. You love me, I know.
Once inside, you might have to bring a buddy to stand in the 25 person deep line that snakes its way around the perimeter of the shop, but you'll come out having successfully acquired something fairly decent. That's all I have to say. And I mean...if you can find a white wine that tastes good with Sour Patch Kids (or, as those fancypants Tina and Rod say, "offsets and enhances the flavor of the Sour Patch Kids"), then all the better.
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PROS: They manage to bring some pretty good (drinkable and even somewhat enjoyable) values for the dollar. No offense too all of those who like the $2.99 stuff when I exclude it from the "drinkable" group, but that stuff wasn't meant to be enjoyed...if you can swallow that and continue to do so, all power to you, I'm definitely wishing I had those skills. Anyhow,
Nicely organized store, by California varieties as well as country listings. Friendly staff is a nice factor, of course. Really impressive Australian D'Arenberg selections. NEW Sparkling Vouvray for $10! Really convenient freezer section featuring some of their more interesting wines: $6.99 Prosecco that isn't nasty...a really interesting Austrian Gruner Vetlliner. What else? Very nice Epicuro label Italian wines (Aglianico is my favorite) for $4.99--plummy, earthy with sweet dark fruit and spice. Great deal on a LBV Port ($12.99). The Portuguese Vinho Verde for $3.99 is surprisingly drinkable, with nice green fruit and good acidity...enjoy with food of course. The wines above are really really nice for the price. I'd like to see more of these wines that TJ's contracts out to smaller producers who deserve the business.
CONS:
Argentina selections are sadly underrepresented. Instead of going for Santa Julia (Whole foods carries this label in many states), which offers absurdly tasty, complete wines for around $4.99, they offer Amaicha and La Boca (both horrendous). The California wines are good, but sadly this doesn't impress since most are from major producers whose wines you can find at most liquor stores anyway for similar prices (Rosenblum, etc.)
ATTN my dear Trader Joe's...PLEASE consider offering those amazing value wines you distribute only on the west coast....the Che Storia Barbaresco for around $12.99, Penfold's Winemaker's Reserve Shiraz (about $11), and even the small farmer produced Petit Sirah "Inheritance" from Lodi (about $10)...all KNOCKOUT SELECTIONS you'd have to tase customers from trampling your east coast stores over.
The selection just isn't all that. Sorry, a few interesting wines come up for the value, certainly. In general though, I'd recommend visiting better wine stores. It's a shame, but TJ's Wine Store could get many more regulars if they could somehow get some of those West Coast products and maybe uphold the golden standard their grocery store has achieved in terms of incredible quality for value. I'd love to work for these guys as a buyer.
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Trader Joe's Wine Shop=pure heaven. Not only do they have a great selection of nice wines that are not overly marked up, they also have the infamous 3 buck chuck, for when you've got to drink on a budget (or drink mass amounts). Even better, they have a system. I'm not sure what exactly it is, but their lines move quickly and I've only experienced the friendliest cashier service. My only complaint is the distance between this place and my apartment. It's definitely worth the travel time, though.
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TWO BUCK CHUCK!!!
Need I say More? Na! You guys know the deal by now...
Cheers TJ Wine Shop!!!
And keep on carding me because it feels good;)
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I believe Trader Joe's wine shop was put on this earth just for me.
I'm a big wine lush, and anywhere I can walk out with 4 bottles of decent wine for under $20 is a win situation.
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Huge wine selection, runs the gamut from 2-buck chuck to who-knows-what, but haven't had a bad wine from them yet! They have a lot of registers, but the lines still seem to go on forever! It is a great place to experiment with new wines from new regions but I must admit, there have been times when I've said "eff-it!" and leave. But, it's on the way sometimes and that helps. =)
This place is out of my way, but I always pick up half a dozen bottles if I make it somewhere around there. Soooo much better than the stuff at the local liquor stuff. And way better prices!
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I'd rather drink my own urine after eating asparagus for a week.
_____
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Where the heck else can you get a decent Cava (Spanish sparkling wine) or Proseco for $5.99 or $6.99. Where else can you get a bottle of Port for $5.99 or cream Sherry for $3.99? I'll tell you where...nowhere. I go there for us and an elderly neighbor and have to bring a huge shopping cart to carry home the booty.
God, I hope they expand to sell booze one day.
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When my wine habit started to get a little out of control, I decided to make more visits to Trader Joe's Wine Shop where I can get great wine at great prices.
In the last few years I have become a bit of a wine snob and the best thing about TJWS is that it sells wines that meet my standards (as well as those of my friends who drink wine with me) at prices that are very reasonable. I also like the Top 50 list. These are little blue cards designating certain wines as part of the "Top 50." I have yet to buy a Top 50 pick that I do not like so this is a nice way to try grapes that you might not know well.
"...pop corks of the best grapes. Make the best cd's and the best tapes..."
Aside from my homage to my favorite rapper of all time, this place is a gift from God that would make the Greeks and Romans envious of the the selection of grapes.
I would consider this the Target of wine stores, for those of us who'd rather skip the education and the nuances of a traditional wine shop, this place is like striking gold in SF in 1849 (everybody wants in). While you don't come here for the total wine service and experience, you do come here for rock bottom prices on tasty wines. Those of you "ballers" probably wouldn't be happy here as wines vary from $2.50 to $20 on average and while the "Moet and Alize keep me pissy," I'd rather keep my "pockets laced" because it's "All About the Benjamins".
This hick's recommendation: when you see there's a line that snakes around the majority of the store, skip perusing the middle aisle, and just jump in line and do your shopping as you wait. Another knock is that this place doesn't have all the varieties that other TJWS's have outside of NYC. I don't care, it's a gigantic step up from Franzia at a cheaper price.
*Bonus: check out Goats Do Roam. Their South African red wine is quite good for the price.
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I live in alphabet city just above houston, and i walk here and back to get my wine, passing several decent wine shops on the way. it's worth it. and don't listen to wine snobs that talk trash about the trader joe's blend (the only bad thing i'll say about it is that back on the west coast, it's 2-buck-chuck, not 3). for $2.99, it beats the hell out of carlo rossi or franzia, and in my opinion, it blows away the rotgut normal people are paying $10 a bottle for at the overpriced markets in the area. It's a decent wine. not great, but definitely better than...er, not good. anyway, they have a huge selection here of generally good to very good wines for extremely reasonable prices. well worth the trip here and back.
but some of the others are right, they really should expand this to include booze and beer, so you can get this all in one spot without having to brave the bumber car exeperience next door. nothing like grabbing a few bottles of chuck and a handle of "vodka of the gods" for under $20.
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Three words: Three Buck Chuck.
Like a 40oz, but classy!
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Great wine at great prices! It's just a bit crowded at times. You can't beat $3 wine though!
This is a fine place to get perfectly acceptable middle of the road wines. I wouldn't stop here on the way to a party, or buy a gift here, or pick up something for a special occasion, but for my own personal consumption, sure.
Personal favorites include the Ca del Solo Big House Red and whatever Vinho Verde is on offer.
I generally avoid the Charles Shaw section like the plague unless I'm going to be cooking with it or making a big batch of mulled wine or sangria or something.
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I walked in the other day and walked right the ____ out when I saw that the line started at the entrance and wrapped all the way around the store... Yeah it's the holiday season and people are all out buying cheap wine for those parties you're going to... hey people! Don't be so Cheap! Yes the wine is priced right for your friends and those Monday's through Thursdays you're drinking bottles of wine but is this your Saturday wine selection?
OK OK OK... I'm not this hard on TJ's wine shop, they are actually REALLY great, the people are fantastic and you can get some deals on the under 14$ bottle variety. I wish they would help out their port selection, which is really terrible though. The delivery service can be good savior when buying some cases but I don't make it a point to come here too often because of the crowds near weekends.
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Recommended for: Cheap but good booze.
Service 4.5, Selection 3.5, Quality 4.
When I heard that Trader Joe's sold wine I thought "oh cool, a section in their store". But low and behold, they have an entire store dedicated to wine, just a few stores down!
Walking in, I saw a line wrapping around the entire store, so I knew I would find what I am looking for. The staff here is eager to assist you whether its carrying things, getting a cart (cause you are going to buy more than you thought) or making recommendations for your event. I knew what I wanted, cheap red and white, and headed to the cooler, which was unfortunately small, waaay smaller than I thought it would be.
They do have a nice selection of wines, and reasonably priced to. Though oddly enough, as I stated in my Union Square Wine & Spirits review, the champagne here was more expensive than there!!!! Shocking, yes! But, their bottle/cork openers were cheaper so for $3 got one there.
I'd definitely stop by here if in the neighborhood and didn't want to carry; but like everything, know where to shop for what. Some places may surprise you... and TJWines was a great find I'll keep in my mental rolodex for the next event!
Sean Approved: Definitely Yes!
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I love wine so, so much it hurts. Really. I like really excellent wine too, but moderate wines are great also, especially because I don't really have one of those things -- "jobs" -- right now, so like, $3 wine makes me happy. I'm not going to give it to my mother for Christmas, but I will drink it. You're a snob to not.
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It's good. If you don't know much about wine, but you like to drink wine. This place is good for you because they have a large selection of moderately priced wine. So, when you ask for recommendations based on your layman explanation of what you like, they'll actually recommend you something decent. And since they can pick from so many, you feel pretty good with what they picked. I would recommend this place to anyone who just likes to drink wine and doesn't really care about the finer points. That's me, and pretty much most of my friends. Yes, definitely go here.
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Joe's carries Bonny Doon wines, my favorite. You'd be surprised - amongst the 2/3-buck Chuck there are actually some great wines to be had.
Ask for the Big House Red or White, each around $8 or the Vin De Glaciere, a fabulous dessert wine for about $11.
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My new favorite place! My boyfriend and I stumbled in here after our dinner at The Cottage on Irving Place and stocked up with 6 bottles to cart all the way back up to the UES via the M15 on 1st Ave. The 2 buck chuck Chardonney is nice... I didn't really enjoy the sauvignon blanc. Then we also picked up a few 'better' bottles that we've had at restaurants for $50 bucks and picked up here for $20. The lines weren't long - good thing since we were carrying a lot! It was a delightful surprise to see quality, variety, and cheap prices.
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Hurrah for $2 buck Chuck! Well, in New York it's more like $4 buck Chuck, but that's still not bad for a decent bottle of wine. Just be sure to come on your lunch hour; I wouldn't recommend tackling this line after work.
Awesome, aaaawsome place with an enormous collection of affordable wines!! Whether you want a $3 cheap wine or a $25+ bottle, this is the place.
Note 1: What a smart idea to separate the wine section from the rest of Trader Joe's. The lines here are much more tolerable than the outrageously long ones at its next door counterpart.
Note 2: If you're not sure which bottles to try, they have labeled the store's "TOP 50" selections, along with "Crew's Recommendation" wines.
Note 3: They host free tasting of two selected wines (usually red and white each) every Tues and Thurs from 3pm to 7pm.
Note 4: They do delivery with a charge of $10 and up, depending on the location. I say you take a cab instead...
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I have concluded that "Joe" must have been really tipsy when he traded for these crappy selections of Wines.... we would all be a little tipsy right now.
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I picked up four bottles of wine for about $19 bucks. It can't get any better than that- and I just had a glass, which was pretty damn good.
- Free tastings
- HUGE variety
- CHEAP
- And the line wasn't too bad.... next door is MUCH worse.
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The Black Mountain pinot noir is in the list of top wines for a reason. And for only six bucks bottle, I can drink like a rich lady on a temp's salary.
And the "Two Buck" Chuck for $3 ain't bad either.
The staff is super friendly and not at all pretentious.
Any kind of wine for whatever price you want to pay.
Worth the crowded walk.
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there is a god.
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I love this place! For a wine lover, there could be no better place. With it's very inexpensive wine, the average person (poor) is able to find great wines starting at $3.99!!! They have some great wines too that are more pricey, yet cheaper than the local wine shop.
If you don't have that much money and you really love to experiment with wine, this is the place to go! They have tons of variety and don't be scared off by the line that may appear long. It's totally worth the wait and moves very quickly. When you do arrive at the register, the employees are courteous and make the experience even better.
Another major bonus is that they use PAPER bags and if you bring them back to reuse, you get a raffle ticket! I appreciate a place that will give you an incentive to help the environment, which we should be doing anyway!!!
Happy and safe drinking!
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I do not have any idea about wine, but do believe my nose and tongue..
the only reason I do love Trader Joe's Wine Store is..
I can drink Wine like Beer!
that's all!!
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My absolute favorite place to buy wine in the city - because:
1. Its cheap!
2. Lots of variety
3. Fabulous Quality
4. Super friendly staff that will help choose and make great recommendations
5. Free tastings!
6. very welcoming and non-pretentious even the greeenest of wine newbies are welcome here!
LOVE TJ WINE!!
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Whats not to like about this place. First let me say, everyone that works there that I've ever talked to is so unbelievably nice, they must treat their employees very well. Their selections range from extremely cheap (3 dollars!) to quasi higher end stuff. It is the prefect place to get your everyday drinking wine and not bankrupt yourself. I'm actually gonna be stopping by there in about an hour!
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YES! YES! YES! I love TJ's Wine Shop! The wine is cheap cheap and good good. If you go here you'll probably see me.
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$3 a bottle for great wine. No need to build yourself a cellar, or pay any more. The Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are personal favorites. Buy it, drink it, enjoy it. Simple!
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I couldn't believe how inexpensive everything was. This is New York City. Everything is very expensive, by design. When Wal-Mart said they were coming to NYC, local merchants and "the public" were up in arms, as if Wal-Mart was going to burn gay baby harp seals in Union Square for profit. This place is "Wal-Mart cheap". I actually had to double check the prices on items a few times, because I thought someone made a mistake, they were just too low. No mistake. I am now a Trader Joe's believer.
So, if you are going to have a party or maybe you are just a drunk and need to stock up on some vino, this spot is an excellent place to start.
I'm told during weekends this place is a 'mad house', so if you can go on a week day. When I go after work, about 5pm, the place is almost empty. I'm in and out in less than 20 minutes.
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