December 31, 2012 - Fearlessly Archived - Still a fun read, price & availability may have changed.

What happens to Chardonnay grape juice that's not allowed to ferment into wine? If it's lucky, it becomes Trader Joe's Sparkling White Chardonnay Grape Juice.

We start with Chardonnay grapes grown in the central and northern regions of Spain. The grapes are picked at the moment of peak ripeness – this precise picking program ensures that the resulting juice is neither too tart nor too sweet. The freshly-picked grapes are pressed, just as they would be if they were to be made into wine. It's at this point that the process changes. Rather than continue on to fermentation, the juice is bottled and combined with carbonated water to create a non-alcoholic sparkler that's ideal for all kinds of celebrations.

Sparkling White Chardonnay Grape Juice comes in an elegant bottle with a Champagne-style cork, so those celebrations will enjoy the same sense of ceremony you'd get with a bottle of sparkling wine, without the alcohol. It also comes with the attractively low price of $2.49 for each 750 ml bottle, making festivities even more festive.