First a caveat:

I like Zinfandel, Cabernet and Shiraz. I tend to prefer wines that have less oak and are on the relatively sweeter/fruity end of "dry" and these two are not quite sweet/fuity as I can go for.

So for under $12 my current favorite is
Gnarly Head Zinfandel 2005 which I have seen online for $6.99 and is $8.99 locally.
This wine blog did not like the 2004 but YMMV:
http://purplelipswinelog.blogspot.co...l-2004_07.html
The Las Vegas Journal Review liked it somewhat more:
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_ho...g/2128124.html
I also Like Chilean Santa Rita Cabernet 2005 which I got for $59.99 a case online, free shipping, no tax.

In the more expensive $15 category I like Seghesio Zinfandel, any year.

For $25-30 my favorite wines are Rombauer Zinfandel of any vintage, Rombauer Cabernet of any vintage and Penfolds Bin 28 any vintage in that order.

Over that $ Someone else is paying :-)

If anyone has a suggestion for a less expensive replacement for my Rombauer Zinfandel, my wallet and I will thank you.