On September 19, 2007 the New York Times wine writer asked readers to respond on-line to his
query about their favorite wines at $10 and less. Thinking that this might be a treasure trove of information from around the world, I
copied the responses of the first 200 or so, corrected the spellings of the wines, found the relevant additional information for each such
as country of origin, checked their suggested retail prices, and availability at Spec’s (* denotes that it sold at Spec’s). Other than
eliminating redundancies, cheap white Zinfandels, wines well beyond $10, ones that are only available in supermarkets in Europe, obvious
jokes, and editing tasting notes, the information is basically unfiltered. This is the wisdom of the masses on a particular day, sort like
Zagat. This does not reflect my tastes and prejudices, but I thought that this could be useful, both for me and other thirsty and
relatively cheap, if even somewhat discriminating, wine drinkers. Again, the tasting notes are from the respondents, not me.
Wines that were mentioned by more than one respondent, it is underlined and the number of mentions is shown. Surprising to me, Coppolo
Rosso was noted seven times. This has not been one of my favorites in the past. I guess I should give it another try. And, maybe even
the Almaden, too.
Reds
Cabernet Sauvignon
•Black Box Cabernet Sauvignon* - $17 for 3 liters - box - California
•Black Swan Cabernet Sauvignon* - $7 – Australia
•Bogle Cabernet Sauvignon* - $9 – California – 3 mentions
•BonTerra Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon - $12.50 – California
•Columbia Crest Two Vines Cabernet Sauvignon* - $7 – Washington – "full-bodied, though requires a lot of breathing; the
same wineries Estate bottled for a dollar more is not as good" – 2 mentions
•Concannon Central Coast Cabernet Sauvignon 2004* – $7.50 – California
•Crane Lake Cabernet Sauvignon – $4 – California – "has replaced 2 Buck Chuck as our very inexpensive red wine"; "great
for a week night glass of wine"
•Cycles Gladiator Cabernet* - $8 – California
•Delicato Cabernet Sauvignon – $5 – California
•Five Rivers Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 – $9 – California – a Fetzer label
•Hawk Crest Cabernet Sauvignon - $13 – California
•Jacob’s Creek Cabernet Sauvignon* – $6 – Australia
•Los Vascos Cabernet Sauvignon – $8 – Chile – 2 mentions
•Napa Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon - $9 – California
•Paringa Cabernet Sauvignon* - $9 – Australia
•Pepperwood Cabernet Sauvignon* – $6 – California
•Red Diamond Cabernet Sauvignon* – $8 – California – "very drinkable, smooth, but undistinguished"
•Smoking Loon Cabernet Sauvignon* - $7 – Australia
•Trinity Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon – $7 – California
•Turning Leaf Cabernet Sauvignon* – $8 – California
•Walnut Crest Cabernet Sauvignon* - $6.50 – Chile – 2 mentions
Malbec
•Antigua Cava Malbec 2004 – $7 – Argentina
•Finca Los Primos Malbec – $10 – Argentina
•Los Cardos Malbec* – $8 – Argentina – 2 mentions
•Norton Malbec* - $7 – Argentina – 2 mentions
•Punto Final Mendoza Malbec* – $11.5 – Argentina
•Terrazas Malbec* - $8.50 – Argentina
Merlot
•Bogle Merlot* - $8 – California
•Black Box Merlot* – $21 for 3 liters – box – California
•Columbia Crest Two Vines Merlot 2002* – $7 – Washington – "more than just an astounding value; Wine Spectator
rates it an 88 (very good). It has aged just enough to be mellow while still retaining a refreshing fruitiness.
It has an almost velvet texture belying its low price."
•Concha y Torro Sunrise Merlot* – $7 – Chile – 2 mentions
•Crane Lake Merlot – $4 – California
•Cycles Gladiator Merlot* - $8 – California
•Dallas Conte Merlot – $8 – Chile
•Glass Mountain Merlot* – $7 – California – "secondary brand of Markham"
•McManis Merlot - $11 – California – "full and rich"
•Smoking Loon Merlot* – $7 – Australia
•Tisdale Vineyards Merlot* – $3.50 – California – "the absolute best from Napa Valley for under $10";
"just excellent"
•Walnut Crest Merlot* – $8.50 for 1.5 liters - Chile
Pinot Noir
•Black Mountain’s Pinot Noir - $5 – California – 2 mentions
•Free Range Pinot Noir - $29 for 3 liters – box – France, Languedoc
•Little Penguin Pinot Noir* – $7 – Australia
•Pepperwood Grove Pinot Noir – $6 – California
•Yellow Tail Pinot Noir 2006 – $7 – Australia
Shiraz / Syrah
•Bogle Petite Sirah 2004* - $10 – California
•Cycles Gladiator Syrah* - $8 – California
•Delicato Shiraz– $6 – California
•Fat Bastard Shiraz* – $8.50 – France
•Fisheye Shiraz – $7 – California
•Little Penguin Shiraz* – $7 – Australia
•Paringa Shiraz* - $9 – Australia
•Purple Moon Syrah* – $4 – California – 2 mentions
•Walnut Crest Shiraz* – $8.50 for 1.5 liters – Chile
•Yellow Tail Shiraz* – $6.50 – Australia
Zinfandel
•Beringer Zinfandel* – $8 – California
•Bogle Old Vine Zinfandel* - $10.50 – California
•Clos du Bois Zinfandel 2004* – $10 – California
•Gnarly Head Old Vines Zinfandel – $9.50 – California – "it has a tremendous fullness and flavor"
•Marietta Old Vine Zinfandel* – $11.50 – California – "really nice, big, fat reds"
•Rosenblum Cuvee XXVIII* – $9.50 – California
•Ravenswood Vintners Blend Zinfandel* - $8 – California
France - Other
•Chateau Belingard Bergerac Rouge 2006 – $8 - France
•Chateau D’Oupia 2004 – $9 – France, Minervois – "surprisingly great"; "natural with food"
•Le Grand Noir – $11 – France – "NOT the Pinot Noir"
•Louis Jadot Beaujolais Village– $8 – France – "has a terrific complex mineral flavor with lots of red fruit"
•Paul Autard Cotes Du Rhone 2005 - $10 – France, Rhone –"90 points from the Wine Spectator"
Italy - Other
•Bolla Valpolicella* – $7 – Italy
•Citra Montpulciano d’Abruzzo – $8.50 for 1.5 liters – Italy
•Citra Sangiovese – $5.50 – Italy
•Falesco Vitiano* – $10 – Italy – "as one of the absolute best in the world for under $10; A blend of Sangiovese,
Cabernet and Merlot, it is the vineyard’s bargain label"; "they’re also known for a nice Merlot at about $14 and a higher end blend
called Montiano for around $50"– 2 mentions
•Faunus Nero D’Avola – $10 - Italy
•Faunus Primativo – $9 – Italy
•Scarlatta Montepulciano d’Abruzzo – $10 – Italy
•Whole Foods 365 Chianti — $7 - Italy
Spain - Other
•Artazu Artazuri Garnacha* – $9 – Spain – "a Grenache from Spain; light and fruity,
a lovely bottle" – 2 mentions
•Borsao Campo de Borja* - $6 – Grenache / Tempranillo blend
•Castaño Monastrell - $8 – Spain – Mouvedre – "rich and earthy"
•Hoya de Cadenas Reserva 2004 – $10 – Spain – Tempranillo-based
•Panarroz Jumilla Red* – $9 – Mouvedre / Grenache / Syrah blend; "Outstanding!";
"earthy and interesting", "great color" – 2 mentions
•Protocolo Tinto* - $6 - Spain
•Tres Ojos Old Vines Garnacha - $7 – Spain – Grenache;
"with a little breathing it stands up as a great food red" – 2 mentions
•Viña Alarba Calatayud – $8.50 – Spain – Grenache; "great with barbecue"
Other / Blends
•Almaden Mountain Burgundy - $12.50 for 5 liters – box – California –" a great US wine; this is not Chateau Margaux
1961, but it is one hell of a good deal; their chemistry is so finely tuned that all boxes are the same;
you just can’t go wrong with this puppy"
•Banrock Station Cabernet Sauvignon / Shiraz* –$4.50 – Australia
•Bully Hill Winery Sweetwater Red* – $8 – New York, Finger Lakes – "great warm weather red, nice and fruity"
•Ca’ Del Solo Big House Red – $9 – California
•Cline Red Truck Red* – $7 – California – 2 mentions
•Concho y Toro Casillero del Diablo Carmenere* - $8.50 - Chile
•Concha y Toro Frontera Carmenere* - $10 for 1.5 liter – Chile – described as a good merlot with a finish
– 2 mentions
•Coppola Rosso* – $8.50 – California – "perfect everyday wine"; "fun, tannic, grapey Italian-like table wine at $7 or $8
a bottle" – 7 mentions
•Egri Bikaver* – $7 – Hungary – "name translates to ‘Bull’s Blood’"; "a very good dry red, although the quality
varies because it’s produced by a cooperative of small vineyards"
•Folie a Deux Menage a Trois Red* – $8 – California
•Goats Do Roam Red* – $8 – South Africa – 2 mentions
•Jest Red – $10 – California
•Ken Forrester Petit Pinotage – $10 – South Africa, Stellenbosch – meeting of fruit and leather
•M. Cosentino Ol’Red - $10 – California, from Napa, it’s a NV blend of Pinot Noir, Syrah, Zinfandel, Merlot, Mouvedre,
Petite Verdot, and others; made in the solera fashion and the vintages are from ‘97-’05 – "incredibly smooth, like liquid satin; nice fruit, but
not a bomb; pairs well with food or alone"
•Peace Red Blend* – $6.50 – Australia
•Yellow Tail Shiraz / Cabernet Sauvignon – $6.50 – Australia
•Yellow Tail Shiraz / Grenache* - $6.50 – Australia
Whites
Chardonnay
•Bogle Chardonnay* - $8 – California – "good for the price" – 2 mentions
•Clos Du Bois Chardonnay* - $9 – California
•Cline White Truck Chardonnay - $9 – California
•Columbia Crest Grand Estates Chardonnay* – $9 - Washington
•Columbia Crest Two Vines Chardonnay* - $7 - Washington
•Concho y Toro Xplorador Chardonnay* — $6 – Chile
•Forestville Reserve Chardonnay — $5 – Chile
•14 Hands Chardonnay – $12 – Washington
•Hawk Crest Chardonnay - $12 – California
•Kendall Jackson Vintners Chardonnay – $10 – California – "oaky, buttery finish"
•Lindemans Bin 65 Chardonnay – $5 – Australia – "consistently good year to year"
•Mondavi Woodbridge Chardonnay 2005* – $6.50 – California – "light, crisp, and just right as a baby step for people getting to know wines"
•Nathanson Creek Chardonnay – $7 for 1.5 liters – California
•Penmara Chardonnay - $4 – Australia
•Pindar Chardonnay – $7 – New York
•Purple Moon Chardonnay – $4 – California – "hard to go wrong; crisp and dry"
•Rodney Strong Chardonnay* - $10 – California
•Three Blind Moose Chardonnay – $8 – California
•Toasted Head Chardonnay – $13 – California – "wonderfully rich and oaky, and a fantastic deal"
Pinto Grigio
•Bocce Pinot Grigio* – $10 – California
•Fisheye Pinot Grigio – $6 – California
•San Giuseppe Pinot Grigio 2005 – $9 – Italy – "was a delight when served with shrimp, olive oil and pasta"
•Three Blind Moose Pinot Grigio* - $8 - California
Sauvignon Blanc
•Black Mountain Sauvignon Blanc – $8 – California
•Santa Rita Sauvignon Blanc – $7 – Chile
•Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc – $9 – New Zealand– 2 mentions
France - Other
•Cave La Romaines 2005 Cotes de Ventoux – $8 – France, Rhone – "let it breath; solid, Old World wine"
•Domaine de Beauregard Muscadet de Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie* - $11 – France, Loire – "light, easy to drink; I have been pushing this wine for 40 years as the best bargain ever"
•Jaboulet Parallel 45 Cotes du Rhone – $9.50 – France
•La Vielle Ferme Blanc Cote de Luberon 2006 – $6 – France
Spain - Other
•Marques de Caceres Rioja Blanco 2006 – $6.50 – Spain – "a full-bodied, dry wine and is great for summer and fall"
Germany - Other
•Duttweiler Mandelberg 2006 - $9 – Germany
Other / Blends
•Bonny Doon Big House White – $9 – California
•Casal Garcia Vinho Verde* – $6 – Portugal – 2 mentions
•Coppola Bianco – $8.50 – California
Sparkling
•Freixenet Carta Nevada Brut* – $7.50 – Spain – "eminently drinkable, and you don’t mind doing things with it
that you wouldn’t do with a $40 champagne, like adding a splash of Chambord or making sangria"
Boxes (these are also listed above)
•Almaden Mountain Burgundy - $12.50 for 5 liters – box – California – "a great US wine; this is not Chateau Margaux
1961, but it is one hell of a good deal; their chemistry is so finely tuned that all boxes are the same; you just can’t go wrong with this puppy; I
have heard that the Cabernet is better than this one."
•Black Box Cabernet Sauvignon* – $17 for 3 liters – box – California
•Black Box Merlot* – $21 for 3 liters – box – Australia
•Free Range Pinot Noir - $29 for 3 liters – box – France, Languedoc