Some nice Madeiras are within that budget. The Rare Wine Company Historic Series New York Malmsey and the Boston Bual. You might also find the Broadbent 10 year old Malmsey. Also a wider variety of Port is available. Tawnys include the 10 year old Kopke, Niepoort, Delaforce, Quinta Noval. Noval also recently released its Black which is a nice reserve ruby. Ficklin makes some nice port-like domestic wines.
I’ve enjoyed Monbazillac, particularly Ch. Haut -Theulet. They are admittedly Sauternes-like, but less cloying, with more apricot notes. This particular one is certainly in your price range ($27 or so for 500ml).
I’ve always been interested in why people recommend Monbazillac. At first I thought it was because of the price, but you can certainly get very good sauternes for a similar price (Doisy vedrines, doisy daene are $20/375mL and are generally great). Do you tend to like the lighter Monbazillac style better?
Actually my experience is just with this particular Monbazillac, and just in 2002 and 2005, so I should have been more specific. I liked the 02 better than the 02 Rieussec that I had. I haven’t yet been able to compare the 05 with other 05 sauternes. For this wine it’s not a lighter issue, as it seems quite concentrated, but perhaps a little less syrupy. By the way, I do quite enjoy the Doisy’s and nairac (although the latter seems hard to get now).
+1.
Richard, your OP screams for this wine.
Richard, in your stated price range seek-out the 2000 Royal Tokaji Wine Company - red label 5 puttonyos. Absolutely electric!
Have you tried the '05 Paon? I have one in my cellar, but haven’t tasted it yet. If you have tried it, what did you think about it?
My only experience was with the 04.
I’ve had mixed results with Monbazillac and Jurancon. Seems like a vintage/producer specific call. I enjoy them both with adequate balancing acidity.
Brian, thanks for the specific recco on the Tokay. I’ve had the 05 QdC and Ste Catherine but the Paons are still sitting. My Paon experiences have mostly been with 2000 - 2002. 05 is kind of an odd vintage for Baumard in that there’s tons of concentration but the sweetness (so far) seems a bit more prominent.
RT
Cool. Thanks, Richard. 
yes, and Kracher also has a Beerenauslese that’s in the price range.
Eric:
I have been looking for some Madeiras to try. Thanks!!
Back to Sauternes, I’m a big fan of the 2003 Chateau La Tour Blanche. It may not meet the ‘strip the enamal off your teeth acidity test.’ However, it is damn good.
Although most are stressing imports, two beautiful desert whites to ponder:
Trentadue Viognier Port $22, and
Justin Deborah’s Delight, $30 (an orange muscat).
Bruce,
The Trentadue Viognier Port sounds fascinating. I see the 05 and 06 available. Any thoughts on vintages, or other suppliers?
I know I’ve had the '05, and I have a bottle of the '06 in my cellar. I haven’t had it is a while, but I used to be in a Trentadue Ports club where all I got shipped were their desert wines. I recall it was not overly sweet.
I found this write up of it on another site:
"Winemakers Tasting Notes: The Viognier Port program started in 2000 at Trentadue as an experiment and quickly became a favorite wine in their tasting room. The grapes are grown on the Slusser ranch of the famous Russian River Valley. To reach optimal ripeness grapes were left on the vines until the harvest sugars reached 27-29 brix. At that ripeness, the Viognier grapes fully express their wonderful aromas of white peach, Bosc pears and leechee fruit. The grapes were pressed whole cluster and fermented cold in stainless steel tanks. The grape brandy was added and the fermentation stopped mid-way with residual sugar of 10.5%. After relatively short aging, the wine was lightly filtered and bottled. Trentadue’s Viognier Port is a “fun” wine with silky, sweet but balanced with the acid mouth feel without being too “sticky” sweet. The aromas and flavors are delicate and enticing, making this wine a great dessert treat at the end of a meal. Enjoy chilled.
Varietal: 100% Viognier
Appellation: Russian River Valley
Production: 1,157 cases (bottle size 375 ml)"
Haven’t tried the Trentadue Vigonier Port but a few years ago I visited and tried their PSirah Port and Chocolate Merlot Port. Both not in the strike zone.
RT
Richard:
I was never a fan of the Chocolate Port (except perhaps poured over ice cream), but the Petite Sirah and Zinfandel Ports usually get rave reviews.
The PSirah Port was well made and tasty for its genre (which causes me to stretch a bit). I slightly preferred the Ports from a little place down the road in Glen Ellen - Wellington, but this was all 7 years ago or so.
RT
Bummer. Trentadue winery doesn’t ship to Connecticut or Tennessee. Why can’t I pick a reasonable state?
There are many, many great wines that fit your budget but at this particular point in time the ones that I’ve been buying are the Navarro Late Harvest Cluster Select Select wines and the 2005 Pinon Cuvee Botrytis.