This week in our Best Wines series, we’re looking at the best wines under $10. There are plenty of reasons to buy these wines, such as hanging out with your old college friends, a girls’ trip, employee white elephant exchange, or a “thank you for watching my dog over the weekend”. Cheap wines can be great. Budget friendly wines can win over a crowd. Wines under $10 can be a great investment if you’re buying for a crowd and don’t want to blow your whole budget. There are some great wines at this price point and so many to leave in the wine aisle. It’s hard to know which to pick. Here are some suggestions in each category; red, white, Rosé, and sparkling.
Red
French Blends like the Kirkland Cotes du Rhone are the best at this level. Best bang for your buck and it’s not well known enough to look cheap. It’s an old school looking bottle. With notes of chocolate, oak, plum, vanilla, and dark berries, enjoy in the dead of winter with steak, burritos, or beef stew. Costco is a wonderful place to grab a few under $10 bottles since they have a whole line of their own Kirkland wines. There is another one that I love; the KS Rioja. Oak, vanilla, tobacco and cherry and raspberry notes (Hint: you don’t need a Costco membership to purchase alcohol there, but you’ll want one once you pass all the other cool stuff they have.)
White
You can get some great Pinot Grigios at this price and in fact, I wouldn’t recommend buying any Pinot Grigios above $25. There are a few exceptions but stick to around $15. If you’re having a girl’s weekend, grab a few bottles of the AVA Grace Pinot Grigio. The bottles are so pretty! Young and fresh, this wine will remind you live in the moment with your ride-or-die. Pair with a Neapolitan pizza or a light summer salad. Honeymoon Viognier – a bit bubbly, light, and refreshing, perfect for summer nights, enjoy with a salad or light appetizers. Our head of brand and web design, Courtney, loves the Espiral Vinho Verde from Trader Joe's.
Rosé
Rosés can be a great buy at this price. Rosé bottles are always transparent, giving you a clear view of the wine’s color. This helps you to make realistic assumptions about the taste of the wine, even if you have never tasted this particular one. Light pink will be just that; light and minerally. Grapefruit and strawberry will be the leading tasting notes. The darker you go, the fuller the taste will be. If you want a good one to pair with your summer BBQ, get a deep salmon pink. Full, rich and savory, you’ll taste berry jam, and black pepper. Look for a French Grenache; the Kirkland Cote de Provence, or Claude Val 2020 Rosé. Enjoy with a beautifully cooked salmon or your favorite summer veggie pasta dish.
Sparkling
Unless you’re buying it to throw in your mimosa, skip sparkling wine at this price point. You’ll just end up wasting your money and lose the trust of your party guests. If, however, you want some pretty bottles for the table before you add them to the orange juice, try the Gancia Asti Moscato. It’s light and not too acidic or fizzy and tastes of honey, citrus, pear, and apples.
These wines are obviously not the only bottles at this price that you should try. I picked wines that were common enough that they would be widely available. Comment below on your own favorite wines so we can experience all the best!
Love Honeymoon Viognier and Spiral! Good taste lady!