Super Bargain Wines for Tough Times



By John ~ September 5th, 2008.

As gas prices climb higher and higher and your employer balks at that long-overdue pay raise, have you started looking for wines on sale at reasonable prices? Sure you have, but remember there is a big difference between a cheap wine and a bargain wine.

A wine is only a bargain if it’s a good wine yet its price is much less than wines of similar quality. We believe that a wine is a super bargain only if it is of excellent quality (4-star quality or higher) and its price is less than or equal to one-half of wines of the same varietal and the same quality level (5 bangs-for-your-buck).

Out of the thousands of wines we have tasted over the years, below is a list of those super bargain wines with a price less than or equal to $10. We have listed the vintage that established this wine as a super bargain for us (and the price we paid for it at that time), but we believe you can confidently purchase their current vintage and expect an excellent wine drinking experience.

VINTAGE WINERY LOCATION VARIETAL/TYPE PRICE QUALITY QPR
2000 Columbia Crest Gr Est Washington Cab Sauv $8.00 5 5
2004 Castle Rock Washington Cab Sauv $8.00 4 5
2005 Concannon Central Coast California Cab Sauv $9.00 4 5
2005 Columbia Crest Gr Est Washington Merlot $9.00 4 5
2004 Penfolds Koonunga Hill AUSTRALIA Shiraz-Cab $7.99 4 5
2005 Milton Park (Thorn-Clarke) AUSTRALIA Shiraz $6.99 4 5
2003 Columbia Crest Two Vines Washington Shiraz $6.67 4 5
2006 Atlas Cumbres ARGENTINA Malbec $9.99 4 5
2001 Ste. Chapelle Idaho Riesling $5.00 4 5
2006 Yalumba Unwooded AUSTRALIA Chardonnay $10.16 4 5
2007 Nobilo Reg Collection
Marlborough
NEW ZEALAND Sauv Blanc $8.75 4 5
2006 Matua Valley Marlborough NEW ZEALAND Sauv Blanc $7.99 4 5
2001 Hogue Washington Chenin Blanc $5.00 4 5
2005 Michele Chiarlo Nivole ITALY Moscato d’Asti $9.95 4 5
NV Jonesy Old Tawny Port AUSTRALIA Port $7.99 4 5
NV Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut Cava SPAIN Sparkling Wine $9.09 4.5 5

In the coming months, we will give you similar lists of super bargain wines at varying price levels.


Filed under: American Wine, Argentine Wine, Australian Wine, Cabernet Sauvignon, California Wine, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Five-Bangs For Your Buck Wines, Idaho Wine, Italian Wine, Malbec, Merlot, Moscato/Muscat, New Zealand Wine, Port, Red Wine, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz/Syrah, Spanish Wine, Sparkling Wine, Washington State Wine, White Wine, Wines Under $10

Reader's Comments

  1. Dr. Debs | September 6th, 2008 at 12:00 pm

    Great list, John. Columbia Crest, Nobilo, and Matua are three of those names that I just know are probably going to deliver good QPR when I see them on the shelf. And that Nivole is one of my guilty pleasures.

    It’s been years since I had a bottle of Freixenet, but I’ve got one in the closet. This makes me want to put it in the fridge and have it soon!

    Thanks.