Recommendation on a good cheap wine

[kenny]

Charle's Shaw, aka 2-Buck Chuck because it used to be $1.99 per bottle, releases a wonderful light red each year just before Thanksgiving.
It is a small run that sells out by January.
It should be enjoyed immediately as it does not keep in the bottle.
It is sometimes a Gamay Beaujolais, a Beaujolais Nouveau or a Nouveau Table Wine meaning there is more than one variety of grape in the mix.
IIRC, some years it's Australian, French or Californian.

Every year I buy a case or two.
It is light-bodied, fragrant and fruity, but not wimpy, pathetic or watery.
It has a bit of mysterie notes like licorice and cinnamon, with a wonderful bouquet of fragrances and flavors.

This year it is the best I can remember.
Here in California all 2-Buck Chuck varieties are now $2.49 … still a great bargain.
It may be a buck higher in your state, like NY.
Other varieties/vintages of Charles Shaw are hit or miss and can occasionally be horrid, but the wine below is lovely.
A case of 12 bottles will only set you back $30.

If you are accustomed to fine wines at $25+ per bottle, don't bother.

 

[Sakuracherry]

Hello Kenny. I remember that you recommended those to me last year. When I went to the TJ wine store in Union Square, they did not have your favorites. Maybe I'll go stop by after finals. Do you think those are good for mulled wine as well?

 

[kenny]

Hello Kenny. I remember that you recommended those to me last year. When I went to the TJ wine store in Union Square, they did not have your favorites. Maybe I'll go stop by after finals. Do you think those are good for mulled wine as well?

Don't wait.
Drop out of school and run to Trader Joe's now.

I had to google mulled wines and it said usually claret or port are used.
Port has a higher alcohol content than this wine, at 11.5% so people familiar with mulled wines may find it to be not as strong as they expect.
But Claret is the British term for Bordeaux wine.
Bordeaux is a region of France so perhaps this wine would work.
Flavor-wise I'd guess it would be a good match for the other ingredients in mulled wine.

You'll have to mull it over.
Invite me over for the taste test.

 

[Sakuracherry]

My local TJ sells mulling spice, but they do not carry wine You're welcome to stop by for a taste if you're ever in NYC I'm going to compare those TJ wines to Whole Foods ones!

 

[kenny]

My local TJ sells mulling spice, but they do not carry wine You're welcome to stop by for a taste if you're ever in NYC I'm going to compare those TJ wines to Whole Foods ones!

Yeah, alcohol sales are controlled by the 50 states and their motivations/rules are all over the map.

I'd be happy if you could recommend your favorite good-value wines from Whole Foods … if under $10.
I'll give expensive wine as a present but never buy it for myself.

 

[Sakuracherry]

Three Wishes Cabernet is pretty decent. I haven't tried any other Three Wishes for a long time. My favorite table wines that you can get from Whole Foods are Sauvignon Blanc from Sterling Vineyards and Sauvignon Blanc and Pino Noir from Beaulieu Vineyard. You can get any of them for $10. I rarely drink expensive wine, either. I enjoy finding good table wines.

 

[kenny]

Thanks.

You might look for Crane Lake Petite Sirah … under $5 here in California.

 

[Sakuracherry]

I'll definitely look for that wine when I go into the store next time. Red wine tastes better in winter

 

[monarch64]

Thanks.

You might look for Crane Lake Petite Sirah … under $5 here in California.

I'm a big fan of Crane Lake reds. Crane Lake makes one of the few vegan wines available. (They use an animal product in the "fining" process most of the time.) Their Malbec has been my favorite so far, but I'll have to try the Petite Sirah based on your recommendation.

I do not live near a Trader Joe's anymore, sadly. However, we do have Aldi and they also offer an under $5 line of wines called Winking Owl. We buy it by the case for parties and just to have on hand to offer guests. It's usually $2.69/bottle here in Indiana.

Indiana has a bunch of wineries. I live closest to Oliver and Butler, used to work right next to the Oliver tasting room. Fortunately I'm not a big fan of their wines (maybe a Camelot Meade in the summer)--that Soft Red stuff is just terrible but people LOVE IT.

 

[NOYFB]

What's your definition of "cheap", dollar wise?

 

[erinl]

What type of wine do you like?

Personally, I will drink wine that costs less than 12 bucks a bottles and not feel guilty, pricewise. What do you consider cheap?

One of my favorites off the top of my head is Altovinum's 2010 Evodia Grenache. It may be completely sold out, but it went for 8-9 bucks a bottle. I also have some favorites from the 90 points plus label. They are pretty big at the grocery stores here in Illinois/Chicago.

Edited for correctness!

 

[PintoBean]

Papi sauvignon blanc

 

[Nyc2chigal]

You can't go wrong with Yellowtail!!!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I am perfectly happy with cheap wine, especially after the first glass.

 

[chemgirl]

As usual I am so jealous of everyone's cheap wine.

I'm in Ontario so cheap wine is anything for $9. Nothing cheaper even direct from local wineries.

Beer cannot be sold for less than $1 per unit!

The trouble with government run alcohol sales.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

My local TJ sells mulling spice, but they do not carry wine You're welcome to stop by for a taste if you're ever in NYC I'm going to compare those TJ wines to Whole Foods ones!

TJs sells wine here and I had heard they had great cheap wines and their wine person recommended a specific wine to me for a wine tasting party and the wine ended up being voted one of the two worst ones there! lol

 

[jaysonsmom]

You can't go wrong with Yellowtail!!!

Yup! that's the cheap wine of choice at our place. Yellow Tail Shiraz, one 750ml bottle from Costco is $8.99.

There's another create wine from Chile (Concha y Toro wine company) that is also great around same price as the 750ml Yellow Tail....I'll have to go find the name.

 

[ame]

Erm. I like Riunite Lambrusco if I drink any.

 

[amc80]

My favorite wine is the Menage a Trois California Red. It's about $8 a bottle. I recently saw that they have a Malbec and gave that a try, but didn't care for it.

 

[KaeKae]

Kenny,
I picked up some of that two (and a half) buck Chuck yesterday. I'll let you know what I think

One wine I've found myself buying regularly this year is Apothic Red. I find it here in the $8-10 range.

 

[partgypsy]

You can't go wrong with Yellowtail!!!

Yup! that's the cheap wine of choice at our place. Yellow Tail Shiraz, one 750ml bottle from Costco is $8.99.

There's another create wine from Chile (Concha y Toro wine company) that is also great around same price as the 750ml Yellow Tail....I'll have to go find the name.

I like those too, and also I like the Rex Goliath wines, especially good value if you get the big bottles

Someone mentioned the 3 wishes. I enjoyed those until I hit 2 separate bottles that were off, so I've been taking a break. I would try out the TJ brands but there is not one in our town, and don't typically want to drive to another town just to get groceries.

 

[pregcurious]

I agree on Charles Shaw. It;s the best cheap wine out there.

 

[Enerchi]

Cheap wines---> The Barefoot brands are all very decent for the $8 - $10 price point. Just enjoyed a Zinfandel and it was very smooth, low tanins, medium body and red/berry fruit forward.

Their Chardonnay is very good as is their Merlot.

 

[minousbijoux]

Cheap wines---> The Barefoot brands are all very decent for the $8 - $10 price point. Just enjoyed a Zinfandel and it was very smooth, low tanins, medium body and red/berry fruit forward.

Their Chardonnay is very good as is their Merlot.

Wow, Miss E, you surely sound like you know what you're talking about!

 

[monarch64]

Cheap wines---> The Barefoot brands are all very decent for the $8 - $10 price point. Just enjoyed a Zinfandel and it was very smooth, low tanins, medium body and red/berry fruit forward.

Their Chardonnay is very good as is their Merlot.

Oh wow... I think Barefoot wines are undrinkable! Even tastebuds vary.

I lean towards fuller bodied, dryer wines, though. When someone shows up at my door with a bottle of Barefoot Moscato I'm always inwardly cringing. IT'S SO SWEET!

 

[Enerchi]

Cheap wines---> The Barefoot brands are all very decent for the $8 - $10 price point. Just enjoyed a Zinfandel and it was very smooth, low tanins, medium body and red/berry fruit forward.

Their Chardonnay is very good as is their Merlot.

Oh wow... I think Barefoot wines are undrinkable! Even tastebuds vary.

I lean towards fuller bodied, dryer wines, though. When someone shows up at my door with a bottle of Barefoot Moscato I'm always inwardly cringing. IT'S SO SWEET!

They are not my "go to" wine of choice but in a pinch... I'll consume it My red wine preference is usually a Malbec or a Roija from Spain and lately have been trying out a few Carmenere's from Chili. I have a pretty open mind to wine! If it comes in a glass --- I'll try it! hahaha!!