Via iStockphoto / @kenzdizzle TikTok
A woman realized her Trader Joe's wine was low ABV after two hefty pours. Her hilarious has viewers cracking up.
Some mistakes happen after a few glasses of wine, but for one Trader Joe’s shopper it happened before she even opened it.
TikTok user Kenz (@kendizzle) was trying to unwind with a bottle, but after two glasses and zero buzz, she took a closer look at the label to realize that a third glass might not get her bleary-eyed like she hoped.
“Do my eyes deceive me?” she exclaims, reading aloud the label “low ABV, made to sip and savor.”
She has some words for Trader Joe’s.
Trader Joe’s Shopper’s Wine Mixup
In a TikTok video that’s garnered more than 17,600 views, Kenz rallies a community to explain how she feels bamboozled about an important detail: Her wine’s alcohol content.
“I don’t know what to say,” she begins. “I’ve been drinking juice?!”
Pointing again to the low ABV label, she’s makes a dramatic gesture, reminding everyone how sober she feels.
Low ABV stands for alcohol by volume, meaning the percentage of a beverage that is alcohol. And while Kenz had been sipping away, she’d missed the part where her wine contained less alcohol than she expected. The worst part was she didn’t realize until she poured her second “hefty” glass.
“Someone will be hearing from me!” she says with a groan. “I don’t know if it’s going to be Trader or if it’s going to be Joe.”
That someone, apparently, is the internet. And many agreed, poking fun at her predicament, adding that she ultimately bought overpriced juice.
“There’s Trader Joe’s and then there’s Traitor Joe’s,” one commenter said, noting Kenz’ betrayal.
“Now we know the placebo effect doesn’t work with wine,” another TikTok user wrote.
Some didn’t sympathize.
“I don’t even think it’s that devastating,” one user added.
In the video, Kenz admits her reaction might be melodramatic, but the disappointment is very real. After all, she wasn’t expecting a wine-tasting lesson. She just wanted to unwind on a Friday evening in her fluffy pink robe.
What Is Low-ABV Wine, Anyway?
Kenz proves that not every bottle of wine packs the same punch.
For context, a traditional table wine often has around 11% to 15% of alcohol by volume, according to NIAAA wine alcohol-content guidance, meaning that Kenz could have gotten the buzz she wanted in an average glass of wine.
Low-ABV wines are designed to offer a wine-drinking experience with less alcohol, and, sometimes, fewer calories. Some are made from naturally lower-alcohol wines, while others undergo processes that reduce alcohol content, still maintaining the integrity of the wine-making.
Most importantly, low-ABV doesn’t necessarily mean alcohol-free.
For people counting calories, concerned about alcohol intake, or just like the taste of wine but don’t want a buzz, a low-ABV beverage could be a selling point. For someone expecting a typical glass of wine after a stressful week, it could, however, come as a surprise.
Trader Joe’s Hefty Wine Selection
Trader Joe’s has offered lower-alcohol wine and beer options for a while, and online discussion boards reveal that some shoppers enjoy them for their flavor and in some cases as low-calorie and affordable options. However, the price may not be what one would expect.
Low-ABV wines aren’t necessarily cheaper.
At Trader Joe’s some of them are about the same price as a typical bottle of wine or even more expensive (in terms of TJ’s famously inexpensive options). Trader Joe’s even has a wine podcast to walk through some of its offerings and the stories behind the labels.
That means shoppers looking for a bargain—or a buzz—may want to double-check the label before checking out at the register.
To Drink Or Not To Drink Low-ABV Wine
It’s worth pointing out that low-ABV wine isn’t inherently a bad product.
However, Kenz’ video highlights an important distinction on why people buy wine: They’re concerned about their buzz, whether they want one or want to dodge it.
We can all take a lesson out of her glass—it’s always best to read the label before buying any random bottle off the shelf.
BroBible reached out to Kenz to see if she went back for a bottle with a more appropriate ABV for her drinking pleasure. This story will be updated if we hear back.