I get that no one should try to build a cellar from $15 white wine. To say they don’t have any character or that you can’t learn from them… tougher position to take there…
Is Costco an option?
CS Substance has been mentioned
There’s usually a Crianza Rioja in that range
NZ Pinot Noir
Usually a Chianti
I usually like Kirkland brand reds. Gigondas, CA reds, etc
Grocery store: Las Rocas Garnacha
Look for Cline Zinfandel
I would think seeking out Jorge Ordonez imported wines would be a good option. They should be in your market and some of his lower priced Spanish reds are big and rich!
If you really want to throw down $50, then the 2015 Austin Hope [below] is what you’re looking for.
Grab a bottle for Thanksgiving.
But here are some other ideas:
Big Opulent Cabernet
Mollydooker Maitre D’
$20-$25
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/mollydooker+maitre/1/usa
Scattered Peaks
$30-$45
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/scattered+peaks/1/usa
Mollydooker Gigglepot
$35-$45
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/gigglepot/1/usa
2015 Austin Hope
$40-$50
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/austin+hope/1/usa
Leaner More Classic Cabernet
Miguel Torres Gran Coronas Reserva
$17-$22
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/torres+gran+coronas+reserve/1/usa
Powers Champoux
$24-$40
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/powers+champoux/1/usa
Wynns Black Label
$25-$45
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/wynns+black/1/usa
Philip Togni Tanbark Hill
$30-$70
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/tanbark+hill/1/usa
.
2014 Rio Madre Rioja: made from 100% Graciano; mid-weight; dark red fruit; nicely balanced, wonderful quaffer that way over-delivers for $8.99 (14% etoh)
’15 Faiveley Bourgogne Rouge: lithe with bright red fruit; $16.98
Colosi Nero d’Avola: pretty consistent across vintages; dark red fruit with some earthy and herbal notes; usually pick up between $9-11
I have heard (but have not tested) that the varietal wines at Trader Joes are very well made for the price, and I suspect the price would be in the $10-15 range. Worth picking up a bottle next time you are in one?
I tried with Trader Joes a number of years ago. They weren’t on the east coast at the time, so first time I was out west and able to fine one, I picked up some of their wine. Really wanted to like it. Opened a bottle and poured a glass for my wife and myself. Spit it into the sink as fast as I could. It was like Meiomi Pinot Noir.
I’ve heard that some are better, but it’s not something I ever checked into again.
Costco gets some good reviews - WS gave the Kirkland Cab 90 points. Not sure of the price point but might be an option.
Ans someone up thread mentioned Grocery Outlet. Probably 99 percent of their wine is crap but you never know - from time to time they load up on something that they got on clearance from a distributor or importer or winery that was cash-strapped. Supermarkets elsewhere get similar deals. You really have to know what you’re looking for and I wouldn’t send someone who was trying to learn, but I’ve discovered astonishingly good wines in off beat places like GO and Albertson’s.
Let me make one more suggestion here before adding: It’s hopeless, you’re doomed - soon you will be buying a helicopter to fly into Screaming Eagle! Save some of your monthly budget for Berserker Day on January 27 and pick up some of the deals on the low end. There are some nice ones to be had.
I used to buy my secretary several wines every year in that price range. The best I found (also bought these kind of wines for office parties) were from southern France, although there are good ones from Spain, Portugal and Italy as well. One importer has really has a lot of great wines in this price range (at least when one buys in case quantities) is Peter Weygandt (Weygandt Metzler) who has a wonderful store in this area - Weygandtwines.com
See if his wines are available in your area or contact Warren at this store and see if he can ship to you. My favorite is a wine by Charvin, who makes more expensive wines, but also a delicious wine in your price range.
For a white, try an Ugni Blanc called Domaine du Pouy.
Our very own Cameron Hughes (www.chwine.com) has great values, and if you hit the right sale…
Domaine Lafage Novellum Chardonnay hits way above it’s price point
Many Chilean Cabs (see this weekend’s Lettie Teague piece in the Wall Street Journal.)
Bogle wines are cheap and often pretty good.
Sometimes flash sites like Last Bottle, WTSO and Cinderella wine have good wines at that price point, particularly for Whites that are one or two vintages removed from the current Winery offering.
this
Wow thanks everyone for all the comments and recommendations! I have made a list and have looked up every wine mentioned on vivino and put them on my wishlist. How does everyone keep track of and manage so many different types of wine??? This is a bit overwhelming!
Truth is most don’t. You’ll find that most have one or two favorite regions, and perhaps a few secondary faves, not many outside the business pretend to know much about them all. The great thing about the board is that someone here has expertise on pretty much every wine region in the world. You can learn a lot just by reading.
Agreed.
About 90% of my “cellar” comes from three regions: Bordeaux, Northern Rhone, Loire. My top five holdings are all near or over 100 bottles each (Sociando, Baudry, Levet, Lanessan, Gonon). I’m probably more narrow-banded than many here, but I like what I like. And Clay, it takes some time to figure that out, but the exploration is the fun part. Yea, some duds along the way, and still, but always educational and generally enjoyable. I am smart enough to know that I cannot master all regions, so have sorta shied away from Burgundy and Italy, which are top choices for many here.
Yes it is overwhelming.
CellarTracker is a great tool for keeping tabs on what you have, what you’ve drunk, and things on your wish list.
Know that most people’s tastes will change over time. I started much as you and started on a lot of big inexpensive wines, rosemount diamond shiraz and the like… but as I learned more, moved away from wine as a cocktail and discovered the interaction of wine with food, my taste moved to other preferences and more complex and food friendly styles, many mentioned above.
Taste a lot. Try new things. Taste with and without food. Keep a diary (or cellartracker) on what you like or dont like.
Burgundy is a minefield. All roads lead to burgundy.
Go to tastings. Have fun. Dont drink and drive. Wear sunscreen, but make sure it is coral safe sunscreen.
Portugal used to be a real go-to place for big, deep, full-bodied reds at bargain prices that still had character and interest and a sense of place. The Douro and more recently Dao. But over recent years I have seen prices for the better wines from those areas move up from $12-15 to $18-25 or even more at times. I think there are still good buys to be found there but probably hard to average $15, more like a $20 average.
Really, as many have indicated, it’s just not a good idea to try to hit a $10-12 average price on reds. Just drink less wine and move up to an average of $16-20. If you don’t want to spend more than $10 on reds you don’t want good reds.
+1
Jaboulet Secrets du Rhône. Should be about $11 or so. Tough to beat at that price.