wines under US $10 a bottle

i'd like to revive this thread i started in CH a long time ago. i'll post my own recos from time to time and would appreciate others' opinions whenever they find something drinkable. the only requirements are that it be under $10 and drinkable.

today we're drinking a 2008 monte oton garnacha (known around these parts as grenache) at $7.99 a bottle. very plummy spicy wine. not too complex or anything but just very drinkable on a friday evening.

Today we are drinking a Malbec... Graffigina reserve 2008. Very nice. If I remember right I got it for $9 at BevMo.

Just the recommendations, sans the repartee, from the original thread: http://forums.sulekha.com/forums/coffeehouse/wines-under-10-bottle-1061468.htm

---

i'd like to start a thread on sensational wines under US $10/bottle. tonight we are drinking a spanish wine - a 2006 tempranillo (a spanish red varietal) from the marques de riscal vineyard. got a bottle for US $6.99. amazingly plummy, fruity and easy drinking. goes very well with my wife's aglio e olio.

---

not super sensational but very drinkable -- pepperwood grove pinot noir at $5.49/bottle at my local priceclub.

---

My liquor store guy recommended me Rosemount Merlot South Eastern Australia 2008. It's 7/bottle and I picked up a case. No idea how it tastes though since I don't drink wine but just serve it to bishes and take it to friends' homes when we visit.

---

columbia crest two vines cabernet sauvignon; @ $6.99/bottle, this is an excellent buy. very nice. not very complex like the usual cabs, but very drinkable.

---

have you tried spice wines? the ones that are warmed up? my faves are sweet white or rose with alcohol content under 10%. otherwise, i almost always stick to 12.5% or less 'coz more concentration, imo, kills the flavor. and that eliminates most south american and mediterranean wines, so i rarely find anything decent under $10. i've also noted that cheaper wines dont last as long and turn vinegar within a day.

around ny, several liquor stores carry local wines from upstate and long island vineyards (pindar is a popular brand though a bit overrated here imo) and some are infact very good. last year i discovered an israeli red that was amazing.

---

I don't drink wine. I get yellowtail merlot to feed to the broads who visit. They're happy with it. 7/bottle I think. None of the guys in my group drink wine either. It's either vodka or scotch; beer in summer.

---

I like Mendoza Malbec -- recent vintages often go for under $10 at BevMo. Also a bunch of California / Australia Shirazes at that price point. I am not much of a white wine drinker, but like Coppola's 2006 Pinot Grigio for when my wife wants to drink wine. Highly recommend the Navarro Gewurtzraminer from just outside the Alexander Valley in California -- usually goes for about $15, but great. Navarro also does a very flavorful grape juice, if you don't feel like wine.

---

I normally keep a bunch of white zin's handy (berenger). Costco carries them at dirt cheap prices. These tend to be fruity, all occasion stuff- not exactly a wine enthusiast's dream, but seems to fit the bill for light socializing. The rest of my collection is merlots and cabs. Incidentally, would recommend wineries in the east bay- there are abt 20-30 of them. Closer than Napa/sonoma, but fairly decent quality. Would recommend Wente among the bigger ones and for dessert wines, Chouinard (this one is family run)

---

Most of the Chilean wines in the market are under $10. Many of the ones I've had were pretty good, but I can't recall the names. My jaw dropped when I saw the same wines retailing in India at $40+, thanks to the obscene import duties.

I used to pick up Redwood Creek Merlot from our local grocery store for some $6.99 -- damn good wine for that money. For outdoor cookouts, my fave was Foetzer's Chenin Blanc - just over $10. They also had a very nice Riesling that was always a hit with the ladies.

---

I am fond of Trader Joe's Charles Shaw Brands (Merlot, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon) which sell for $1.99 (Yea, Yea you can call me a $2 Hoochster :-)). Most times the quality is good and sometimes the quality is really good (thats when you go and buy a case).

---

Trader Joe has some nice Australian and Sout American wines for less than $10. Penmara is an Aussie brand, Casillero de Diablo is Chilean I think.
They also have a brand called Novella which has a sweet tasting white wine suitable for beginner drinkers.

---

Among wines sold in other stores, B.V.Coastal estates is a good value for money wine at $10. Francis Ford Coppola's winery has some nice tasting wines at $12-$15.

---

Thumbs up on the Coppola..
Another old reliable is a Kendall-Jackson..

2009 castano monastrell a spanish yecla wine. never had this yecla varietal before. it's a very dark but simple wine. plummy with coffee flavors. i picked up a couple of bottles at $9 each.

working through a bottle of dancing bull zinfandel. yummy. very plummy and goes very well with a simple meal of linguine with asparagus, salad greens, cherry tomatoes and a nice garlicky-lemony homemade dressing, and some fresh mozarella and tomatoes with basil leaves drizzled with some EVO.