Renegade Lemonade Brings Southern Hot Toddy to Trader Joe’s Nationwide

From a Georgia basement to a national fall debut, the founders’ cinnamon brown sugar recipe inspires a limited-release private-label wine launching October 5.

DALLAS, GA, UNITED STATES, September 28, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Renegade Lemonade, the Georgia-founded wine company started by husband-and-wife team Brady and Alex Reiter, is bringing its take on a cold-weather classic to Trader Joe’s. Created in collaboration with Renegade Lemonade, the cinnamon brown sugar Hot Toddy will join Trader Joe’s fall private-label lineup beginning October 5, with a limited release at Trader Joe’s stores nationwide that sell wine, while supplies last.

The seasonal release pairs wine made from 100% lemons with cinnamon and brown sugar, bringing a citrus twist to the familiar hot toddy. Bottled at 12% alcohol by volume, it turns the founders’ original at-home recipe into a ready-made seasonal offering under the Trader Joe’s label.

The idea began in 2022 with a practical question: How could a wine associated with summer find a place at the table in winter? The Reiters developed a hot toddy recipe using Renegade Lemonade wine, cinnamon and brown sugar. What started as a way to introduce customers to a warm serving option has now grown into a nationwide retail collaboration.

“We created this recipe because we believed lemon wine deserved a place beyond summer,” said Brady Reiter, co-founder and CEO of Renegade Lemonade. “Now that idea is becoming a Trader Joe’s seasonal release. For Alex and me, seeing something we built from our basement reach this stage is a moment we’ll never forget.”

Renegade Lemonade began in Dallas, Georgia, in 2020, when the Reiters started experimenting with making wine from lemons during the pandemic. The business grew from those basement experiments into a wine brand built around an unconventional ingredient and the belief that wine can be approachable, playful and made for sharing.

“There are years of work behind this bottle,” Reiter said. “We’re grateful to Trader Joe’s for the opportunity, and to everyone who has supported us along the way. We’re excited to share a little of our Georgia story with people across the country.”

For shoppers who miss the limited release, the original recipe offers an at-home alternative: combine one bottle of Renegade Lemonade wine, two tablespoons of light brown sugar and one cinnamon stick in a small slow cooker for two to three hours. The full recipe is available at https://renegadelemonadewine.com/pages/drink-recipes.

About Renegade Lemonade

Founded in 2020 by Brady and Alex Reiter, Renegade Lemonade is a Dallas, Georgia-based company making wine from 100% lemons. Its wines bring the founders’ “fun wine, not fine wine” approach to everyday gatherings and celebrations. Learn more at https://renegadelemonadewine.com.

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Alexandra Reiter
Renegade Lemonade
+1 678-464-3944
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