You may wonder whether quality wines can be found that cost less than $10 a bottle. They can indeed. Many well-made wines priced in the single digits offer great taste along with great value.
When buying a wine in this price range, bear in mind that well-made wines have certain characteristics regardless of what they cost.
A well-made wine should offer a balance of the elements from which it is made. For a white wine, it may be its taste and the level of acidity that assures freshness. In red wines, it may be the amount of tannin; too much can leave your mouth dry and exhausted, while too little is much like drinking Kool-Aid.
When considering wines costing less than $10, remember that most are priced based on the cost incurred in their production. Some producers, when bottling $10-and-under wines, substitute less expensive processes to keep the cost down. And some do it better than others.
15 VALUE WINES UNDER $10
- 2007 Cline Cellars Zinfandel, California
- 2007 Rex Goliath Pinot Noir, California
- 2007 Cycles Gladiator Chardonnay, California
- 2008 Snoqualmie Vineyards Riesling, Washington state
- 2008 Conde de Velazquez Sauvignon Blanc, Chile
- 2008 Oroya Tierra de Castilla, Spain
- 2007 Avalon Winery Cabernet Sauvignon, California
- 2007 Trivento Bodega Malbec, Argentina
- 2007 Bogle Vineyards Merlot, California
- 2008 Lindemans Bin 65 Chardonnay, Australia
- 2007 Gnarly Head Vineyards Zinfandel, California
- 2007 Penfolds Rawsons Retreat Cabernet Sauvignon, Australia
- 2007 Concha y Toro Casillero del Diablo Carmenere, Chile
- 2008 Yali Winery Sauvignon Blanc, Chile
- 2007 Cline Cellars Merlot, California
15 SPLURGE WINES UNDER $15
- 2007 Cellar No. 8 Cabernet Sauvignon, California
- 2007 Ravenswood Vintners Blend Zinfandel, California
- 2007 Jacob’s Creek Winery Shiraz, Australia
- 2007 Concannon Vineyards Syrah, California
- 2007 Bodega Norton Malbec, Argentina
- 2007 Angeline Winery Pinot Noir, California
- 2007 d’Arenberg Stump Jump (Grenache, Shiraz, Mourvedre), Australia
- 2007 337 Cabernet Sauvignon, California
- 2008 Voga Pinot Grigio, Italy
- 2008 Geyser Peak Sauvignon Blanc, California
- 2008 Hess Monterey Chardonnay, California
- 2007 Mark West Winery Pinot Noir, California
- 2007 Paul Jaboulet Parallele 45 Cotes du Rhone, France
- 2007 Castello del Poggio Moscato, Italy
- 2007 Il Conte Moscato, Italy