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Good wines around $10 (1 Viewer)

jamny

jamny

Footballguy
We drink about 7 or 8 bottles of wine a week. A bottle with dinner and a few extra on weekends. That's an expensive habit but we've found some good ones in the $10 range. I rarely pay more than $15. I'd like to start putting some better ones on the side but we're not there yet.

Here are some I like:

DaVinci - Get this out of the way. Yes, as generic as it comes but a good $10 drinker.

Banfi Chianti Superiore - You'll find a ton of Banfi wines. I like this one.

Monte Antico - A good one with food. Has a twist-off which is nice sometimes.

Stemmari Nero D'Avola - Great with pizza or something a little spicy. I was very psyched when I saw a magnum of this and they discontinued it a week later.

Masciarelli Montepulciano d'Abruzzo - This is low end but works for a 2nd or 3rd bottle. Like $9 a bottle

Rocca delle Macìe Chianti Classico - worth a couple of extra bucks. ($16)

Cantele Salice Salentino Riserva - something a little different

Cantina Zaccagnini - love this one. Wife finds it a little smoky but she has problems with that.

carpineto dogajolo - wife's favorite

I'll add more. As you can see we drink mostly Italians. Some French and Cali and I get into some Malbecs and Tempranillo's. French wimes are tougher in the $10 range. Any other recs in this range?

 
I'm sure I'll be ridiculed for this . . .

Bota Box makes a damn drinkable Old Vine Zinfandel.

It's in the $17-20 range for a box that contains three liters (4 bottles).

 
Jack White said:
I'm sure I'll be ridiculed for this . . .

Bota Box makes a damn drinkable Old Vine Zinfandel.

It's in the $17-20 range for a box that contains three liters (4 bottles).
Click to expand...
You are welcome here. This is not a wine snob thread.

 
A couple Spanish wines that I like a lot around the $10 range are Las Rocas Garnacha and Red Guitar Old Vine Tempranillo Garnacha.

 
simey said:
A couple Spanish wines that I like a lot around the $10 range are Las Rocas Garnacha and Red Guitar Old Vine Tempranillo Garnacha.
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yep. Garnacha is a great buy in the $10-$15 range.

not sure if you like whites Jamny, but if you do then Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc/Voignier is a winner at about $12. it's pretty widely distributed IIRC.

 
re: age of vines:

terms like like "Old Vine," "Ancient Vine," "Century Vine," etc. are marketing terms. the TTB doesn't provide parameters or labels for age of vineyards.

personal opinion: anything planted pre-Prohibition would qualify as an "old vine".

 
With summer coming up Vino Verde is a nice hot weather poolside sipper. The light effervescence and low alcohol content make it a good choice on a hot afternoon.

Marques de Caceres is another nice hot weather white.

I'm starting to see some nice NZ Sauv Blancs break the $10 barrier, too

 
also a fan of the pine ridge viognier/chenin blanc blend.

seven deadly zins

menage a trois blends

i also like the value from italian and french wines

 
MC Gas Money said:
Jack White said:
I'm sure I'll be ridiculed for this . . .

Bota Box makes a damn drinkable Old Vine Zinfandel.

It's in the $17-20 range for a box that contains three liters (4 bottles).
Click to expand...
What effect does the age of the vine have?
Click to expand...
Like I said, I'm not a big wine guy. That just happens to be a cheap wine that I can drink on occasion when I need a change of pace from beer (I also rotate in single malt scotch, gin and tequila).

I found this online:

Much is made of the term ‘old vines’ when it comes to Zinfandel. You see it on websites, in reviews, and in sales pitches for the wines. Quite often it appears on the label or as part of the name. “Oooh, this Zin is so good. It must come from really old vines*,” is what many wine drinkers have been trained to say.

Is vine age always a virtue? Think about how often you see ‘old vines’ used when talking about Chardonnay. Little to none. Same with Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and many others. (The only other grapes that seem to be discussed in terms of vine age are the old Mediterranean varieties of Mourvedre, Grenache, and Carignane).

So why with Zinfandel? What does the age of the vine have to do with quality?

Many varieties that we know and love (Chardonnay and Cabernet are prime examples) have about a 30-50 year range of peak vine age before they start to slow down. But more importantly, the quality of the grapes does not continue to escalate as Chardonnay and Cabernet vines go into old age. There are incredible examples of top quality Cabernet being made from vineyards under ten years old. But some varieties seem to increase in quality while decreasing in yield as the vine ages. These varieties are the few where the term “Old Vine” comes into importance because it honestly translates to increased quality.

Think of the lifespan of a Zinfandel vine as equivalent to that of a healthy human being (many of the oldest zinfandel vines are over 100 years old). For the first ten years of its life, it is a child — sassy and young and full of vigor and rather uncontrolled. You can see this in the younger vine plantings throughout California. They have shoots popping out every which way. They constantly need tending, and if left to their own devices it would be a Lord of the Flies situation, with them taking over the vineyard in quick order.

Enter the teenage years of a Zinfandel vine, and like human teens they are a bit out of control while they figure out their role in life. (In terms of yield, many of these young vines are churning out 5-8 tons per acre). But with the right coddling and advice (forced upon it by pruning) it starts to figure out its place in the world.

As a Zinfandel vine enters “middle age” is settles into a pattern of consistency and higher quality (like us humans do between 30 and 50 years old). For many vines these are the golden years, pumping out great grapes without needing as much attention as when they were younger. A well tended 30-50 year old Zinfandel is prized for this combination of consistency and productivity.

Once a vine gets to be about 75 years old, it starts producing drastically lower yields (maybe one or two tons to the acre, naturally) and that fruit is of truly incredible quality. Darker, richer, spicier, and packed with all the goodness you are looking for in Zin. These are the wise old men of the vineyard, the elders. For example, the Ridge Geyserville vineyard, a field blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Carignane, and others contains vines planted only thirty years after the Civil War. In Contra Costa County, just east of San Francisco, the sandy soils kept phylloxera at bay and allows Cline to make their Ancient Vines Zinfandel from parcels over 100 years old (by far, without any doubt, the most affordable wine from vines of such age).

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Don Quixote said:
Alamos Malbec is pretty good for $10.
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Ha that's literally what I'm drinking right now. My favorites:

Apothic red

Klinker brick zin

Headsnapper radiant red

 
Jack White said:
I'm sure I'll be ridiculed for this . . .

Bota Box makes a damn drinkable Old Vine Zinfandel.

It's in the $17-20 range for a box that contains three liters (4 bottles).
Click to expand...
This is hands down my favorite box wine. Always have some in the house.

My add to the thread is Marietta Old Vine Red. Usually in the $12-14 range. I've never served this to company once where they didn't ask what it was they were drinking,

 
:whitestar:

As I'm sure just about everyone in here already knows, Trader Joe's is a great place to find good, cheap wines. Check out their tasting desk (if your state/county allows it) for some nice weekly samples.

 
Big House is a very good box wine, it is also available in bottles but the value of the box is the way to go. I've only had their reds so can't speak to their whites.

 
Recently had the Apothic Red and liked it enough to get another bottle.

Many of the wines I pick up have been mentioned but I will add Boggle to the list.

Side note, I'd rather drink wine than just about anything these days but it seems I end up pouring too much out. I'm a have a glass or 2 on the weekend type. So even at $10-$12 it seems like not a very good value pick. Maybe a box wine? Do they keep better?

 
Papa Georgio said:
Recently had the Apothic Red and liked it enough to get another bottle.

Many of the wines I pick up have been mentioned but I will add Boggle to the list.

Side note, I'd rather drink wine than just about anything these days but it seems I end up pouring too much out. I'm a have a glass or 2 on the weekend type. So even at $10-$12 it seems like not a very good value pick. Maybe a box wine? Do they keep better?
Click to expand...
Get a bigger glass.

 
OC Zed said:
:whitestar:

As I'm sure just about everyone in here already knows, Trader Joe's is a great place to find good, cheap wines. Check out their tasting desk (if your state/county allows it) for some nice weekly samples.
Click to expand...
They have a chianti called D'Aquino that is a very good value.

 
Someone asked for a Riesling...

Kung Fu Girl Riesling is probably closer to the $15 mark, but I really like it. Not overly sweet.

 
Papa Georgio said:
Recently had the Apothic Red and liked it enough to get another bottle.

Many of the wines I pick up have been mentioned but I will add Boggle to the list.

Side note, I'd rather drink wine than just about anything these days but it seems I end up pouring too much out. I'm a have a glass or 2 on the weekend type. So even at $10-$12 it seems like not a very good value pick. Maybe a box wine? Do they keep better?
Click to expand...
you can store it in the fridge for a few days with the cork back in. Just remember to bring it back to temp before you drink it the next time

 
Some very drinkable cheap cabs:

M Montgomery Estate

337

Los Vascos

I generally see them on sale for 12 or less. The Los Vascos reserve is particularly good and can be found for 15 or so on some occasions. Los Vascos and M also have nice Chardonnays.

Best thing I've found is to go to a liquor store that posts wine reviews next to the wines. You'd be surprised how many cheap (under $20) wines get rated 90+. Also, in general you'll find better cheap wines from California, South America and Spain. French and Italian wine is mostly just more expensive for similar products.

 
Is this where we go to find a headache in a bottle? J/K, Mrs. DM and I are steady 7-10 bottle/week consumers and this thread will come in handy. Meiomi Pinot can be had for $15-17 when you buy 6 or more of any wine at the local grocery store. Summation is a solid blend by Kendall-Jackson that gets in the rotation as well. That said, we had a 2011 Cakebread CS last night that puts all those listed already to shame. :snobby:

 
My wife drinks a lot of Chateau Ste. Michelle whites and really likes them. Especially the sauvignon blanc and riesling. And the occasional pinot gris.

I will echo what cosjobs said about New Zealand sauvignon blancs. Lots of really good wines at this price level.

 
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