@Stephanie, Ha! Thanks. Glad you liked the post-its. I still feel very much in the novice category myself. Wine is sort of like God—the more you learn the more you realize you don’t know!
We LOVE Barefoot Zinfandel! One of the best…and only $4.99/bottle. We LOVE Smoking Loon Merlot and we also really enjoy quite a few wines from Trader Joes!
@Nini Lettner, Thanks, Nini!! I haven’t tried the Barefoot Zin, I’ll give it a try.And I don’t think we’ve had the Smoking Loon Merlot. We’ve had the Viognier and Cab. another one to try. ah yes, so many wines, so little time!!
Linda Dubin
Make a trip to Frugal’s and grab a few bottles. Definitely worth it. :-)
@Linda Dubin, I have never heard of it. And i think you get the distinction (unless I missed one) of recommending the first Malbec. They seem to be really sexy right now.
Thanks, Linda!!
Fran Carpenter
Randy, Two of my favorites besides what you mentioned are Little Black Dress merlot and cab, and Red Guitar for a good inexpensive red table wine. I think they are under ten bucks! If not, you all might try them on Sundays!
@pedro, No, it has not been mentioned. Nice. Again, unfortunately, I live in Tennessee—no wine in our grocery stores!
I wonder if you can find the Santa Rita 120 Cab anywhere else?
Annie
I’m a big fan of the red ménage y trois. I recently tried Rex Goliath cab and Pinot and they were both excellent. They were 2 for 10$ at harris teeter. Not too shabby. Also Verdi champagne is good at about 6$.
@Randy Elrod, well, originally I was referring to the Bogle since I had it on-hand already. But just stopped by the wine store and found several of your recommendations. The Cupcake Petite Syrah, Bohemian Highway Merlot and the Yalumba Viognier. So, now I’m in a quandary as to what to try first! My wine guy also suggested a new California red they’re carrying called Apothic Red – the Winemaker’s Blend. It was $8.99 so I’ll give it a try. Have you had it?
@Randy Elrod, it was all they had – but I love petite syrah so hopefully this will be good. I’m planning on just sipping a glass later without food. I had a late lunch so I just ended up snacking on hummus for dinner. I may go with a cheese nibble or two… I have a Gruyere and a goat cheese brie and simple crackers.
@Terri Ware, A Sparkling Wine from New Mexico! I think I’m running the Phoenix Marathon in Jan. We’ll have to give a bottle of that a try. Your cousin Chris LOVES sparking wine. Thanks, Terri!
Terri Ware
@Randy Elrod, Check out their website. It should be available in your area.
@Randy Elrod, Well would you believe I received my Food and Wine Magazine this evening and there is an article, “What Sommeliers Know Best”? Gruet is listed under their “Best Sparkling-Wine Values” section. Check it out.
Thanks Randy – I always wondered about the Cupcake wines (knock off of Cakebread?). But now I’ll try them. The Two Vines as well.
Here’s my fav under $10.00 (though you may have to go to Costco for the savings)
Red Diamond: Merlot and Cab – $8.99
Bogle: Merlot $8.99 (The Syrah is amazing but it’s $11.99)
Cycles Gladiator: Petit Syrah, Merlot and Cab $8.99-9.99
Gato Negro: Shiraz, Cab/Merlot, $5.99
Luna di Luna: Cab/Merlot, Shiraz $8.99 (fun bright colored bottles)
I’ll be honest; I can’t remember how much this cost me, but it was in the $10 range or less. I went to visit family this summer and took Oklahoma wines and beers with me to share and as a thank you for letting me stay with them.
Personally, I’m a fan of whites, and especially sweet wines. Stone Bluff Cellars, in Haskell Oklahoma makes a delightful white they call “V” that is utterly delightful. It’s sweet, light, fruity, and just very nice to drink. It makes a wonderful dessert wine, I’d think.
If you live in Oklahoma, check them out. If you live near Oklahoma, make a trip to an OK liquor store to check them out. You may need to call first to make sure that the store is carrying them, but oh, it was so nice.
They have other wines, also, including “LuLu”, a fruity red that had a tang to it (to my taste, anyway) and others I didn’t try. http://www.stonebluffcellars.com/ (No, I don’t work for them. I just really liked “V”, and the bottle (the bright cobalt blue) is really pretty, too.)
@Heather, I love dessert wines, one of my favs is the Royal Tokaji. Definitely not under $10, but exquisite with Bleu Cheese. Yum! Thanks for the link. I’ll check it out!
42 responses to “My Top Ten Wines For Under $10—A “Wine For Novices” TWO Minute Video”
Thank you for this helpful synopsis (I love the way that you did the video w/ the post-it notes on each bottle – brilliant!).
I long to be a wine connoisseur, but – in truth – I fall into the “wine novice” category. ;)
@Stephanie, Ha! Thanks. Glad you liked the post-its. I still feel very much in the novice category myself. Wine is sort of like God—the more you learn the more you realize you don’t know!
What a great post! Thanks for the tips!
We LOVE Barefoot Zinfandel! One of the best…and only $4.99/bottle. We LOVE Smoking Loon Merlot and we also really enjoy quite a few wines from Trader Joes!
@Nini Lettner, Thanks, Nini!! I haven’t tried the Barefoot Zin, I’ll give it a try.And I don’t think we’ve had the Smoking Loon Merlot. We’ve had the Viognier and Cab. another one to try. ah yes, so many wines, so little time!!
Make a trip to Frugal’s and grab a few bottles. Definitely worth it. :-)
@Linda Dubin, Will do!!!!!
Right now, it’s Alamos Malbec. $7.99 and delicious.
@Linda Dubin, I have never heard of it. And i think you get the distinction (unless I missed one) of recommending the first Malbec. They seem to be really sexy right now.
Thanks, Linda!!
Randy, Two of my favorites besides what you mentioned are Little Black Dress merlot and cab, and Red Guitar for a good inexpensive red table wine. I think they are under ten bucks! If not, you all might try them on Sundays!
@Fran Carpenter, Ha. I’ll be sure to check them out. They can actually go up to $14.99 before I really, really call them Sunday wines. Ha!
Great vid Randy. Our recent fav has been “Darby and Joan” cab, which I believe costed us 9.99…
@Tyler ward, Thanks, Tyler. I’ll certainly try it. Where do you pick it up?
Don’t know if its been mentioned yet, Santa Rita 120 Cab is a favorite. Can get it at Trader Joe’s for about $7.99.
@pedro, No, it has not been mentioned. Nice. Again, unfortunately, I live in Tennessee—no wine in our grocery stores!
I wonder if you can find the Santa Rita 120 Cab anywhere else?
I’m a big fan of the red ménage y trois. I recently tried Rex Goliath cab and Pinot and they were both excellent. They were 2 for 10$ at harris teeter. Not too shabby. Also Verdi champagne is good at about 6$.
What are the Sunday wines?? :))
@Annie, Ha!! I wish our Harris Teeter sold wine. Another downer for living in Tennessee. No wines in our grocery stores…yet.
Sunday wines? Hmmm….I sense another video…They are innumerable…but I definitely have some favs…
Stay tuned.
@Annie, And that’s two votes for ménage y trois.
I’m opening one tonight!
@Deb Barnett, Which one??
@Randy Elrod, well, originally I was referring to the Bogle since I had it on-hand already. But just stopped by the wine store and found several of your recommendations. The Cupcake Petite Syrah, Bohemian Highway Merlot and the Yalumba Viognier. So, now I’m in a quandary as to what to try first! My wine guy also suggested a new California red they’re carrying called Apothic Red – the Winemaker’s Blend. It was $8.99 so I’ll give it a try. Have you had it?
@Deb Barnett, Ah. i haven’t had the Cupcake Petite Syrah—only the Cab & Sauvignon Blanc & Chard. I’ll be interested in what you think of the Petite.
What is your food for the evening? That will determine the wine.
No I haven’t had the Apothic— let me know what you think.
@Randy Elrod, it was all they had – but I love petite syrah so hopefully this will be good. I’m planning on just sipping a glass later without food. I had a late lunch so I just ended up snacking on hummus for dinner. I may go with a cheese nibble or two… I have a Gruyere and a goat cheese brie and simple crackers.
@Deb Barnett, Oh, i LOVE Gruyere. Enjoy. let me know about the wine.
Technically not under $10, at least not anywhere I’ve seen, is Gruet Sparkling Wine from NM (yes, New Mexico)! Close to $10, however.
@Terri Ware, A Sparkling Wine from New Mexico! I think I’m running the Phoenix Marathon in Jan. We’ll have to give a bottle of that a try. Your cousin Chris LOVES sparking wine. Thanks, Terri!
@Randy Elrod, Check out their website. It should be available in your area.
Hopefully we’ll see you in January.
@Terri Ware, Awesome. The marathon is the 16th.
@Randy Elrod, Well would you believe I received my Food and Wine Magazine this evening and there is an article, “What Sommeliers Know Best”? Gruet is listed under their “Best Sparkling-Wine Values” section. Check it out.
@Terri Ware, Yes, I will definitely check out that article. You obviously have great taste! Have you tasted Suzanne Phifer’s wine “DateNight” yet?
Irony Old Vine Zin (91 points – Wilfred Wong) I was getting this at BevMo for $8.99 or so. Good, complex…lots of flavor.
@Ken Stewart, I LOVE Zin, and it is really hard to find a good Zin (or Pinot) for under $10.
I’ll give it a try!!!
@Randy Elrod, Every once in a while I can find the Cline Ancient Vine Zine for 10.99. I first tried it at the Cline Vineyard in Sonoma. So tasty.
@Randy Elrod, Oops, bad news. Bevmo is now listing it at $15.99…still a must try, but disqualified from the under $10 discussion.
@Ken Stewart, Yes, the inexpensive wines go up in price fast after a few people discover them.
Bogle Merlot – very smooth. $9.99 at the wine store next to Costco (if you live near Cool Springs area)
@Steph, You are the second person to say Bogle Merlot. Okay. That’s a keeper. I’m picking a bottle of that up soon!
Thanks Randy – I always wondered about the Cupcake wines (knock off of Cakebread?). But now I’ll try them. The Two Vines as well.
Here’s my fav under $10.00 (though you may have to go to Costco for the savings)
Red Diamond: Merlot and Cab – $8.99
Bogle: Merlot $8.99 (The Syrah is amazing but it’s $11.99)
Cycles Gladiator: Petit Syrah, Merlot and Cab $8.99-9.99
Gato Negro: Shiraz, Cab/Merlot, $5.99
Luna di Luna: Cab/Merlot, Shiraz $8.99 (fun bright colored bottles)
@Deb Barnett, Hmmm. Good question. If they are a knockoff of Cakebread which incidentally is one of my fav Chards.
You’ve given me 5 new wines to try. Awesome!! Yes, I love Costco!!
I’ll be honest; I can’t remember how much this cost me, but it was in the $10 range or less. I went to visit family this summer and took Oklahoma wines and beers with me to share and as a thank you for letting me stay with them.
Personally, I’m a fan of whites, and especially sweet wines. Stone Bluff Cellars, in Haskell Oklahoma makes a delightful white they call “V” that is utterly delightful. It’s sweet, light, fruity, and just very nice to drink. It makes a wonderful dessert wine, I’d think.
If you live in Oklahoma, check them out. If you live near Oklahoma, make a trip to an OK liquor store to check them out. You may need to call first to make sure that the store is carrying them, but oh, it was so nice.
They have other wines, also, including “LuLu”, a fruity red that had a tang to it (to my taste, anyway) and others I didn’t try. http://www.stonebluffcellars.com/ (No, I don’t work for them. I just really liked “V”, and the bottle (the bright cobalt blue) is really pretty, too.)
@Heather, I love dessert wines, one of my favs is the Royal Tokaji. Definitely not under $10, but exquisite with Bleu Cheese. Yum! Thanks for the link. I’ll check it out!
Menage a trois red table wine!
@Terri Ware, Yes, we love Menage a trois! (The wine, of course)