In my last few posts I’ve shown some pricer wines. That was a reflection of the holiday season and those being my most recent tastings. This post is much more grounded in the kind of wine we are seeking on a daily basis – affordable and often red wine.
The Wine: Meet Cocobon($7). Red wines are a good outlet for extra juice from a variety of red grapes but don’t think red wine is only ‘left over’ juice. Some wineries focus on making red wines and the results can be very impressive. This puts us the consumer in a good position with a little bit of research to locate both affordable and exceptional red wine blends. This is a generic ‘California’ Red Wine, meaning its juice comes a variety of appellations across the state. Zinfandel is the most dominant grape comprising 61% of the blend and 4% Petite Sirah on the low end.
The Experience: This wine was featured at our holiday party/wine tasting. It was the first wine we tasted, so we all had fresh palates. Universally this wine was well received as an everyday wine. There were no complaints or negative remarks. On the nose I was picking up sweet red fruit and a hint of mango. The wine is 13.9% alcohol, so your first impressions will be with a sweeter wine and won’t find much heat from alcohol or much in the way of tannins. Oak and vanilla are very apparent from the first sip followed by darker berry notes showing themselves. Although Zinfandel makes of the largest part of the blend, the 12% Merlot seems to best describe this wine. It’s the bottle you open on a Tuesday to go with your pasta dinner. Nothing special. Nor will you feel gipped on your $7 investment.
The Bottom Line: Worth-A-Buy: This wine is a definite table wine which will draw nice praise from an average wine drinker. For the tpyical consumer looking for a typical bottle of wine, this bottle’s for you. Worth a buy.
Question: Are your daily drinkers always the same or do you choose different wines?
Wine Dork Info:
- Grape Varietals: 61% Zinfandel, 17% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot, 6% Petite Verdot, 4% Petite Sirah
- Alcohol: 13.9%
- Barrel Aging: Six months American oak
- Fermentation: cold, 100% malolactic.
- pH: 3.52
- Tantic Acid: 5.7 g/L
- SO2: 77 ppm
- Residual Sugar: 12 g/L



Jan 21, 2011 @ 11:33:38
I agree with this review’s remarks. I bought a bottle of this last weekend for the first time. When I first tasted it, it almost seemed bland. I’m accustomed to red wines — of which I don’t drink a lot — having a much more impactful flavor. Strong. Not always something I like, actually, because I like my wine like I like my music: mellow and folksy.
But then as I kept drinking the wine, I liked it more and more. I liked how smooth it was…how mellow. How very, very drinkable. (Seriously, we killed that bottle in no-time-flat and wept because there was no more.)
And I really liked the notes at the end, which seemed to me to be kind of cherry-ish.
For $7 it was a really good wine, actually, but I mean that in the sense of: “Good wine…and it was only $7!” I’m hitting Trader Joe’s again this weekend to stock up….
Feb 18, 2011 @ 14:50:44
Good Luck finding any more at your local TJ’s.
We bought the last 3 bottles at ours.
It tastes like a hearty Pinot Noir, with a Cocoa finish, lots of cherry, rolls off the tongue.
Could easily sell for $30 at a winery.
Feb 19, 2011 @ 12:40:11
I think this would be a VERY fruit and sugar driven if it were Pinot, and I just don’t think those grapes are capable of such. But it is a smooth drinking wine, indeed. Thanks for your notes!
Aug 20, 2011 @ 11:35:16
I had a feeling that sugar may have been left in it to bring up the fruit as it seemed to lack some of the complexity that I would expect from this blend. But who can complain for $7- I really enjoyed it.
Mar 04, 2011 @ 07:37:57
This was a great buy. We finished the bottle and went back to TJ’s to buy another but they were sold out. I put in an order and a month later when they were finally able to get it delivered, I bought a case and shared a bottle with a friend. He and his wife are hitting TJ’s up for a case. I love this wine. For anyone that is just starting out with reds, I recommend this one.
Mar 07, 2011 @ 21:47:55
@ Terrence, thanks for the comment! I think it’s a good red table wine. It’s agreeable to most and would go really well with an everyday pasta or meat dish. It’s not a bad wine to have a few laying around. If you happen to forget about a bottle or two for a year or more, please give us an update how the wine tastes down the road!
Mar 07, 2011 @ 16:27:22
What a great wine to have over dinner.. when you enternaining friends or over dinner.it’s the perfect choice..very smooth.. .My better half shipped a few bottles to me in Florida.. I had to hide them from all my friends. I would recommend it anytime.
Mar 07, 2011 @ 21:49:57
@Carline, your comment hits the nail on the head when I was writing this review, it’s a great wine to have around for any occassion. As far as I know it’s still available at TJs’ warehouses, so keep having them sent down to you while they last, stock up!
Mar 12, 2011 @ 17:07:09
I just went and bought up what was left on the shelves. I liked it better the second day it was open a little better than the first. but it was exactly my kind of wine. light, smooth, yum. i have a hard time finding a bottle i like under $15. so happy to have found this!
Mar 13, 2011 @ 10:38:04
@Heather – glad you liked the wine! I’m going to have to confirm the availability of this wine, it seems shelves are getting thin these days… I hope my site is able to point you in the direction of other good wines for under $15. Do try the Benefactor Cellars’ Red Wine, $5 and (personally think) better than Cocobon. Share your thoughts!
Apr 12, 2011 @ 20:10:01
I just picked up this wine about a week and half ago, fell in love with the taste! I just couldn’t believe the taste that was flowing over my taste buds. It was so smooth with hints of black cherry and chocolate. I am not the type that falls head over heels for certain wines, but OMG is this one good, so good I went back this week and picked up 4 more bottles! By far this is my favorite wine to swish around my mouth! Added plus to this wine no headaches!!
Apr 15, 2011 @ 19:53:51
Had this wine pointed out to me by the wine guy at my local TJs and just loved it. Went back tonight to get more and they were sold out. I’ll be stalking the place waiting for more. I love it’s smoothness and the hint of chocolate.
Apr 17, 2011 @ 17:55:50
@Lisa, good luck finding this wine! It’s been the most viewed wine on my site; it’s a definite homerun with A LOT of people! Try neighboring TJ’s. Thanks for stopping by! -Matt
May 11, 2011 @ 11:32:13
After the first bottle I went out and got a case,since then I always have at least 6 bottles in the house at a recent party it was a big hit and the price is right for something that is os drinkable and so delicious on the palate. I don’t know anybody that doesn’t like chocolate or cherries let alone both.
May 30, 2011 @ 19:05:23
@TomS, You are not alone in liking this wine. The comments section seem to indicate this was a smash hit. I enjoyed it, too. A good bottle of everyday wine or a great ‘second-bottle’.
@Don, in the SF Bay Area this wine is sold out, but it seems to be purchased all over the country even until today. So ask the ‘Wine Helms’ at your Trader Joe’s about how you can procure some more. In any matter, they are a great person to get on a first name basis with.
May 21, 2011 @ 13:13:06
Bunko Night wine tasting extravaganza. We all bring a bottle in a bag. They get a number. We drink and rate the bag of goodness. Results please. Surprise. Bag rated numero uno was this bottle of affordable velvet. As with any wine I like, it is now sold out. Or they change the formulated goodness… Sigh. But congrats to Georgetta Dane, winemaker on the back of the bottle.
May 25, 2011 @ 21:36:00
I just went to TJ’s to stock up on this lovely wine and they were sold out,but 3 cases arrive tomorrow. I have already got one case on hold maybe I’ll take them all. THey told me it could be the end.
May 27, 2011 @ 15:58:59
We just opened this and enjoyed it with cheese pierogies and homemade tomato sauce. It has a lot of fruit but isn’t overly hot/alcoholic. Great sipper/eveyday drinker. We’re headed back to our local TJs (Raleigh, NC) in the hopes of finding a half-dozen or so more. Nice!
May 30, 2011 @ 19:14:01
@Rick, you’re right on target with the kind of food this wine goes really well with. Great everyday wine for everyday food. Buy it if you see it, I’m hearing it’s out on the West Coast…
May 30, 2011 @ 22:23:43
I picked up a bottle this afternoon to have something with my home made pizza tonight. I wasn’t expecting much, but it’s always fun to try something new and inexpensive.
After the first glass I knew I would rush back to TJs and buy what’s left. It’s truly enjoyable for the price. At my local stores they are selling for $5.99+tax and listed with 13.5% alcohol. When I got there at 8pm, I was able to get the last 5 bottles, then off to the store in San Mateo to pick up two more cases. For now, the San Carlos/San Mateo stores are wiped out, but they say they will order more and plan to have bottles again in a few days.
May 31, 2011 @ 20:23:05
@ Jan, it sounds we do our shopping at the same Trader Joe’s! This wine is a slammin hit. Get it while you can or before they change vintages, perhaps not as good.
@TomS, this wine was probably a TJ’s exclusive, so that’s why you can’t find it online. Either they had too many grapes of their own, or saw the opportunity to make some extra dough buy getting more grapes and using their facility to make this wine. Either way, they clearly made a good choice!
May 31, 2011 @ 07:12:25
Well the case never showed last Thursday,I went on the web to tey and find the purveyor but they did not list this one for sale at their site.Ah well I still have a couple left.
Jun 26, 2011 @ 17:08:34
Jun 28, 2011 @ 00:39:01
I worked at trader joes for over four years, needless to say I’ve tasted alot of their wine. This wine may be seven dollars but it drinks like a 15 dollar bottle of wine. Full body flavored. Very bold. I love it and can’t wait to get more. Great buy for your eveyday drinkers. I will say that this bottle will go up in price next season and most likely won’t be at traders over the next years due to the rise in price. Enjoy it while u can
Jun 29, 2011 @ 21:25:43
@Jeremy, this is the new TJ’s cult wine. Look through the comments, as I tell everyone, stock up!
Jul 02, 2011 @ 12:39:42
It’s back they just got 4 cases on Thursday-maybe the last of it. I took 2 cases.
Jul 17, 2011 @ 19:05:53
Ok. I am married to Earthquake Cabernet. But, for Heaven’s sake, one cannot drink a $15 bottle every night (at least this one can’t.) I grabbed this, thinking, another one bites the dust, BUT, I am crazy about it. I’ve a pretty educated palette, live in NZ, drink wine in OZ, too, and this wine is beyond great. I’ll be ordering as many cases as I can grab to put away…although “away” in this house means we won’t drink it tonight!
Aug 13, 2011 @ 17:40:18
I moved here from the Southeast in April and I picked this wine out at random on my first visit to TJ’s on my first day in California. I have been in love with ever since. I’ve enjoyed it to movies and books, in silence and with music playing and one time I even contemplated a glass whilst a car alarm ceaselessly went off nearby. Every person with whom I’ve shared a glass were simply amazed by its utterly sweet and juicy taste and it’s been a staple of many good idle times of this summer.
Sep 25, 2011 @ 09:01:52
Bought one bottle and am hooked. This wine is flavorful, smooth and great overall taste. Have been looking almost daily and weekly for its return to our local Trader Joes. Excellent wine with excellent taste!
Oct 03, 2011 @ 06:33:10
Love, love this wine!! Have just been told by TJ that it is no longer available!!! Any ideas from anyone out there where I can get more!
Oct 07, 2011 @ 10:13:45
TJ’s buys all of the production and they’re just temporarily out. It’ll be back soon.
Oct 07, 2011 @ 11:17:36
I picked up several bottles today in San Carlos. They still have more left.
Oct 20, 2011 @ 17:52:20
They have it in Costa Mesa. SO GOOD!!!
Nov 06, 2011 @ 01:24:30
I just opened the bottle few minutes ago, and I really like the taste.
Dec 04, 2011 @ 15:20:10
Cheryl
For a dark red wine I was expecting it to be very dry. I was pleasantly surprised when it had just the right sweetness to balance the wine. This one will definately be one of my favorites.
Dec 07, 2011 @ 20:19:48
I bought my first bottle of 09′ when one of the guys in TJ’s told me how much he enjoyed it. I went back and purchased the last 4 bottles. Then I placed an order for 3 cases. It never showed. Turns out the 09′ was all gone. Waited for the 10′ to show up. That took around 6 weeks from the time I placed my order. They received 8 cases so I took 4 of them. The other 4 in the store were gone in no time. They had placed another order for 100 cases and received 50 so I took another 4 cases. I have been a member of wine clubs and drink all price points. This is truly a great everyday wine and I enjoy sharing it with friends. Everybody has enjoyed it. The 10′ is close to the 09′ however maybe not as much of that chocolate taste as the 09′ but still a must buy. I will add more to my collection soon.
Dec 13, 2011 @ 08:28:44
I received this wine as a bday gift and ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT! I already put in an order at TJ and a wonderful wine shop in Westerville, Ohio called Mesa, for 2 cases, and plan on giving them as holiday gifts so others can have the same instant love affair as I did! Great wine, and wonderfully priced! I would pay much more for it but am happy not to!
Dec 14, 2011 @ 17:43:40
Woe is me Matt, woe is me. I made the Cocobon transition late but I have four bottles, only four bottles to last until there is more to try. Yes, it will be a little different but I expect totally worth having as my TJ wine chick told me. I found this blog when I was searching for something to post to Face Book about Cocobon and cry over spilled grapes to all of my FB friends. I’m looking forward to your reviews on other TJ wines, I’ll be taking notes to take along!
2010 Cocobon California Red Wine « Trader Joe's Wine Notes
Dec 15, 2011 @ 14:24:19
Dec 29, 2011 @ 16:53:01
Loved the 2009 Cocoban. Great little bottle to go with your evening meal. I thought it was a good value at the price. Drank more like some $15+ priced bottles. No Trader Joe’s in my neck of the woods. Will hope for the best at my next Ann Arbor ,Mi. excursion.
The Cult of Cocobon « Trader Joe's Wine Notes
Dec 29, 2011 @ 20:31:04
Jan 16, 2012 @ 17:14:24
Agree! I had less than lofty expectations for this wine simply due to the price but my local Trader Joe’s staff member turned me on to it. I continue to keep it stocked in my meager wine cellar and recommend it to friends.
Feb 24, 2012 @ 19:32:29
Absolutely love this wine
have turned my coworkers on to it..our Trader Joe’swas sold out!
Mar 26, 2012 @ 18:25:39
My wife and I are vegetarians, and we love this wine. Personally, I believe carnivores just don’t get wines that are this light on tannins. It’s not that Cocobon is overly sweet–it just that it has zero astringency. My wife and I never drink tannin-heavy wines like Cabernets because, seriously, what use would we have for them? They’re perfect with beef and other fatty meats, but for a vegetarian, there’s nothing you might eat that can stand up to the tannins. Ten or so years of vegetarianism completely changes your palette, and suddenly wines like this make perfect sense. It’s just a difference in style and palette, really. This is a great wine to accompany many tomato-based veggie dishes. Cocoa is the predominant flavor and it goes so well with a spicy sauce like a putanesca. If you want a wine to accompany meat, Cocobon will taste flabby and bland and overly sweet. With a good vegetarian meal, it’s rich, perfect and delicious. Imagine this one with a mushroom-based dish. Perfect.
Mar 27, 2012 @ 22:44:52
@Bob, you should also be looking into Pinot Noirs. I cook mainly vegetarian food and more often than not have Pinot or a Rhone wine. Cocobon to me resembles soda too much. I prefer earthier wines. Report back in after you try some Pinots from TJs! -Matt
Apr 17, 2012 @ 11:34:59
Matt
The 2010 vintage is just as good and I snapped up a case to stow away with a few of my 2009′s. You folks need to buy them out, this is good stuff… I asked the wife to PLEASE, just pull the cork, add 2 long straws and join me, feel like we are kids again with this one! TJ’s are the best and their price points are great too!
Thanks TJ’s
Jun 07, 2012 @ 14:09:13
great wine,
I am just doing some research on red wines from California .
Mar 27, 2013 @ 10:59:20
We appreciate you for writing articles like these to keep up
education. Please make sure to look over my blog and follow
it, too!
Mar 27, 2013 @ 11:58:12
Well Folks,
All but one 2009 and one 2010 are left from 2 cases each, I’m sad because those two years were the best. I just purchased a case of 2011 and it is very good too but a bit off from the 2009 & 2010 in a way that I would say is a little dryer to the back, not as sweet but finish is still very mellow and smooth. I will be going back to TJ’s this week for a back-up case. Thanks TJ for keeping the price in check, very much appreciated…
V/R
Kent
May 05, 2013 @ 17:29:48
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