How Are Trader Joe's Margarita Wine Cocktails Made?

Taco Tuesday is a whole lot easier at Trader Joe's. Not only will you find everything you need in the frozen section — conveniently organized so that the chicken enchiladas and beef birria are right there under the salsa and jarred jalapeños — but you'll also find giant bottles of pre-made margaritas. Sold at just $14, these cocktails come in the flavors of strawberry and original lime. But, rather than being made from the usual, and all too often over-sweetened, margarita mix, Trader Joe's shook this version up with a 100% de agave wine.

What's agave wine? Agave wine is similar to tequila in that it's made from the same Blue Weber agave plant. Most of the processing is similar, too. But, rather than distilling the agave after it's been cooked, extracted, and fermented, the agave is actually filtered and fortified. This gives agave wine a similar flavor to tequila at a much lower ABV. The 100% de agave wine used in Trader Joe's margaritas is the highest quality made, giving them about the same alcohol per volume as a glass of wine.

Seeing the rise in popularity of low and no alcohol cocktails, Trader Joe's has found a way to provide a friendly alternative to its canned Everything But The Bartender classic lime margaritas — and there's all kinds of ways you can serve these wine cocktails up. Only, with these margaritas, you won't be left regretting that extra pour the next morning.

Eeryone has made the mistake of partaking in one too many margaritas  — and each of you can share in the regretful feeling that comes over you the morning afterwards. Trader Joe's margarita wine cocktails are an answer to your prayers. While you should always drink responsibly, the alcohol per volume (ALC) on these bottles sits right at 13.9%. That's just about the sweet spot between a glass of wine, which can range anywhere from 5-25% ALC. Compared to a traditional margarita, which averages 33% ALC, you could drink twice as many. Talk about girl math.

It's not just about how much you drink, it's also about the quality. Fortunately, these cocktails are smooth enough to serve up just as they are. Poured over ice into a salt-rimmed glass, you get the pleasure of a refreshing margarita and a nice, light buzz without the sting you'd get if it were made with a strong tequila. That's all thanks to the 100% de agave. Still, if you do want a bit of that heat, there's no reason why you can't add some spice — it's actually an easy way to elevate your mocktails. Drop a few sliced jalapeños into your glass and coat the rim with Tajín, and you'll be golden.

Not everybody enjoys spicy, of course. So you can also rim your glass with sugar if you want something sweet. Either way, there won't be any regrets in the morning.