Good wine, pasta and poultry buys at Whole Foods

The Don Simon Tempranillo, front, is a smooth red wine from Spain.

By Victor E. Sasson

Editor

Antibiotic-free chicken drumsticks for $1 a pound.

Red wine from Spain for $3.99 a bottle.

Organic 100% whole-wheat pasta from Italy for $1.39 a pound.

I found these good deals on Thursday at Whole Foods Market in Paramus. 

The drumsticks, from vegetarian-fed chickens, are on sale through Oct. 29, and come in packages weighing 4 pounds to 5 pounds.

The whole-wheat pasta matches the price at Trader Joe's, but comes as linguine and shells, two shapes not available there. 

With a price like this, why would anyone buy crappy chicken from Perdue?

Cases of wine were displayed under signs offering reds, whites and a rose for "under $7.99" and  "under $9.99."

I bought two bottles of Spanish red wine for $3.99 each and a bottle of California pinot noir for $4.99.

I screwed opened a bottle of tempranillo from Spain, and had a glass with my dinner of Trader Joe's Organic Whole Wheat Spaghetti with marinara sauce, sardines, anchovies, sweet peppers, onions, garlic and fresh tomatoes.

Sweet Potato and Apple Soup.

The wine was smooth and free of harsh tannins.

I'll drink to that.

As usual, Whole Foods offered about a dozen soups. 

I tried an 8-ounce cup of Sweet Potato and Apple Soup ($3.49), and I'm not sure that combination really works.