Best Wines at Kroger in 2023 – Great Deals

Introduction

Kroger is a popular grocery store chain that many wine lovers prefer. The store features wines from all over the world, including popular regions such as Napa Valley, Bordeaux, and Tuscany.

Kroger’s wine selection ranges from affordable everyday options to high-end and rare vintages for special occasions.

Whether you’re looking for a crisp white wine to pair with seafood, a bold red to enjoy with steak, or a sweet wine to end your meal, Kroger has something for everyone.

In this article, we’ll explore some of the best wines at Kroger to help you make an informed decision on your next wine purchase.

Best White Wine at Kroger

Lets start with the best white wines that we liked the most:

Rue de Pearle Vouvray, France

This Chenin Blanc is more mineral driven than most of the white wines on this list – which means it’s my favorite!

It’s a natural pairing with seafood, and it shines with oysters, if you eat oysters, BUT one of my favorite food pairings of all time is Vouvray with Pad Thai.

Vouvray has aromas of honeycomb, citrus peel, pear, and minerals, and flavors honeydew melon, white peaches, and honeysuckle. It might not sound like it would pair with Thai food, but do yourself a favor and give this pairing a try.

19 Crimes Martha’s Chardonnay, Australia

In 1846 Jane Castings was convicted of receiving stolen cheese and bacon in Leicester, England. She was sent to Tasmania. The brand name 19 Crimes comes from the crimes for which you could be sent Down Under.

Now, Martha Stewart isn’t Australian, and I don’t think that insider trading was one of the original 19 crimes, but what you get here is a value priced Chardonnay that is light bodied, off dry, and fruity.

There are apple, citrus, and stone fruit flavors, and there’s some honeysuckle and vanilla notes too. Careful, after drinking this 16% ABV Chardonnay, you may be tempted to do some crimes yourself.

The slight sweetness makes this a good match for spicy Asian or Indian food. Hey wait, isn’t India Asian too?

Cavit Pinot Grigio, Italy

This light, crisp, and refreshing Italian dry white wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks to retain the characteristics of the fruit. It never sees an oak barrel.

Cavit Pinot Grigio has aromas of pear, green apple, grapefruit, and honey. On the palate, you’ll find citrus, pear, honeydew melon, and slight minerality to keep things interesting.

The crispness is a natural match for shellfish, and pairs well with herby rice dishes. It is also a good counterpoint to rich white sauces and works well with salads and savory snacks.

Oyster Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand

Here’s a typically in-your-face New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with zesty grapefruit, lemon, and tropical fruit notes.

It’s tart and crisp, and this zippy little number pairs well with seafood, or salads with a vinaigrette dressing. It works well with lighter fare, particularly if citrus or garlic flavors are incorporated. It also makes a wonderful counterpoint to earthy beets.

You will also want to try Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc with goat cheese, and if you don’t like this pairing, I will pray for the redemption of your soul.

Conundrum White, California

Pick up a bottle of this to bring to your book club, because everybody is going to love this.

Conundrum is a blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Viognier with honeydew melon, jasmine, and pear on the nose, while its palate has citrus zest, apricot, and pineapple.

Bartenura Moscato, Italy

This Moscato is fairly sweet, but the effervescence make it a light, easy drinking wine. These grapes grow at the foot of the Alps, and the aroma is full of summer fruit and summer flowers. Think peaches and honey, apples and pears, lemon and lime, elderflowers, orange blossoms, and roses.

You could enjoy it on a sunny patio, or after a meal.
Or if your friend brings over Thai takeout that is way too spicy, try it with this sweet sipper to take the edge off.

Kim Crawford Prosecco, Italy

Kim Crawford is a New Zealand winemaker, but he’s expanded his operations and this wine is made in the Veneto region of Italy. Only sparkling wines made there can be called Prosecco.

The effort has paid off, and this delicious sparkling wine smells like white flowers and lemon while tasting like honeydew melon and apples. It’s crisp and bright and outshines most of the other Prosecco offerings it shares a shelf with.

Bieler Père & Fils Sabine Rosé, France

To use overly technical wine terminology, this wine is a “porch pounder.”
Take a bottle, go sit on your porch, and you will see why.

Provence Rosé is light, dry, and mouth watering, and this is a shining example. The winemakers blend Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, with a smattering of Cabernet Sauvignon, Vermentino, Grenache Blanc, and Counoise, and each varietal is fermented individually using different yeast strains to enhance a particular element of each fruit.

The result is a delicious balance between floral, herbal, fruity, and tart. The aromatics of peach, strawberry and raspberry are balanced by summer flowers, tea and Provence herbs.

It pairs best with light seafood dishes or can be enjoyed on its own.

Serve it chilled, and play it smart by buying more than one bottle at a time.

Best Red Wine at Kroger

Although the choice is very tough, here is a list of the best red wines that we have tasted:

E. Guigal, Cotes du Rhone, France

Here’s a solid Côtes du Rhône from a classic producer. This southern Rhone blend of Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre spends 18 months aging in a foudre, which is a wooden vessel many, many times larger than a barrel.

This means that the influence of oak on the wine is minimal. What you get instead of an overdose of oak are aromatics and flavors of blackberries, spice, and black pepper. 
This is a great wine to bring to a dinner party where you don’t know what food will be served, because Côtes du Rhône wine is a food pairing all star.

Campo Viejo Reserva, Spain

Campo Viejo Reserva is a great introduction to Spanish Tempranillo wines from the Rioja region. It has an earthy taste that is characteristic of old-world wines.

The aroma is a combination of dark fruits, tobacco, and leather. On the palate, it has flavors of ripe blackberry, black cherry, plum, and vanilla from aging in American oak.

This wine pairs well with smoky grilled meats, particularly lamb seasoned with rosemary, thyme, and oregano. Vegetarians can enjoy it with pinto beans seasoned with the same spices or roasted butternut squash with sage butter.

Marqués de Cáceres Gran Reserva, Spain:

Marqués de Cáceres Gran Reserva is a premium upgrade to Campo Viejo Reserva, with longer aging that adds complexity and depth to its flavors.

It is also a Tempranillo wine from Rioja, with earthy aromas of tobacco, leather, and dark fruits.

On the palate, it has flavors of blackberry, black cherry, and plum, with hints of vanilla and spice from aging in oak barrels.

This wine pairs well with grilled meats, particularly lamb seasoned with herbs and spices. It also goes well with Manchego cheese made from sheep’s milk that has been aged for one year.

Louis M. Martini Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon, California

Here’s a rich, fruity, oaky Cabernet Sauvignon from California. Sonoma County has a cooler climate than the more famous (and pricey) Napa, and this allows the fruit to stand out. The wine is also fermented in stainless steel tanks to bring out the fruit notes.

You will find ripe, jammy flavors of plum and black currant complimented by oaky, strawberry, and cherry on the nose, and the kicker on the finish is the chocolate, vanilla, and spice.
The fruitiness of this bold wine make a nice counterpoint to big, rich, meaty dishes.

I think it’s the best Kroger Cabernet Sauvignon in that price range.

14 Hands Hot to Trot Columbia Valley Red Blend, Washington

This one’s a fruit forward party pleaser. It’s very approachable, which makes it a big seller at Kroger.

It’s blend of primarily Merlot, about 25% Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a minor smattering of other odds and ends, which results in a medium body, off dry wine.

Smells like cherry pie – tastes like cherry pie! There is also some other berries, red currants, and plums thrown in there, and there’s some black tea and baking spices.

There’s plenty of jammy fruitiness, and this wine only spends less than a year in neutral barrels, so there’s not a lot of oak influence.

Pair this wine with some barbecue slathered in sauce, or something off the grill, or if its cold outside, stay indoors with a comforting lasagna.

14 Hands winery is part of the Chateau Ste. Michelle family, and the wine is made in Washington State’s Columbia Valley.

Michael David Petite Petit

The red wine offerings on the Kroger shelves are dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, so I thought that I  might guide to something worthwhile that is off the beaten path.

Petite Sirah is called “Durif” in some parts of the world, and the “Petite” refers to the size of the grapes and not to the full bodied wines they make. This is a heavyweight wine – notice the elephants on the label. 

This is a blend of 85% Petite Sirah and 15% Petit Verdot, two French grapes grown in California’s Lodi region. Petit Verdot is often used to add color and acid.

It is a full bodied wine, with aromas of black cherry, and raspberry with hints of cola, chocolate and toasted oak.
And on the palate it has a rich texture filled with flavors of dark berry fruit as well as toasty oak and a touch of pepper.

Pair this wine with something big and bold like barbecue beef,  beef stew, or something in a mole sauce. Try it with aged Gouda, or with a dish that includes eggplant, mushrooms, or black beans.

A few little tips on trying this one: cool it off a little (65 deg F, 18 deg C) and don’t try to age it in your cellar. Look for the 2020 vintage.

Conclusion

As a wine lover, I have frequented many wine stores, and I can confidently say that Kroger’s selection rivals some of the best.

Personally, I have discovered some of my favorite wines at Kroger, and I highly recommend their collection to anyone looking for quality, variety, and affordability.

So next time you’re at Kroger, take some time to explore their wine section and discover your next favorite bottle. Cheers!