Trader Joe’s Employees Just Leaked Info on a New $10 California Red Wine That’s Perfect for Thanksgiving

Have you wandered into a Trader Joe’s recently? The aisles are brimming with seasonal regulars, like our favorite frozen dessert, the makings for this incredibly easy two-ingredient appetizer, and rows and rows of really good wine. (The holiday merriment even spilled over to the store’s sample station, which was offering tiny cups of Thanksgiving Stuffing Seasoned Popcorn last time I visited.)

Now Trader Joe’s has a particularly solid wine selection all year round, especially if you’re looking to spend around $10 or less. Come late fall, the grocer really starts to let things … flow. (My mother still brings up this 2020 Diamond Reserve.) While that bottle has come and gone, in the latest episode of the Inside Trader Joe’s Podcast, which dropped earlier this week, cohosts and TJ’s employees Tara Miller and Matt Sloan chat with four wine experts (who also work at Trader Joe’s) about the new and exciting wines worth picking up ahead of the holidays. Number one on their list: a new limited-edition California red named Super Happy.

The name Super Happy is as cheerful as it is revealing. This California red comes from the Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara County, explains James, a category manager for wine, beer, and spirits at Trader Joe’s. The vineyards in this part of the state are known for producing high-quality red wines, and this one promises to be no different. “It’s essentially Sangiovese,” a red wine grape that’s popular in the Tuscan region of Italy (and often found in Chianti), “plus Cabernet and a little Malbec blended together,” he says. 

The “Super Tuscan wine,” as James calls it, is deep ruby in color and boasts big, rich flavors, according to the Trader Joe’s website and Matt, who sampled it during the taping of the podcast. “That’s great, grippy, toothy tannins,” he says. Tara agreed, adding, “People will be super happy with that wine.”

While the website currently lists the wine as “not available,” at least one shopper has already spotted it in stores late last month. We recommend wandering past the wine section on your next grocery run or calling your local TJ’s ahead of time if you’re making a special trip. Happy searching!

Find it in stores: Super Happy Cabernet Sauvignon Sangiovese & Malbec, $9.99 for 750 mL at Trader Joe’s

Have you spotted this wine at your local Trader Joe’s? Tell us about it in the comments below.