whackyjacky

The WS and Cigar Aficionado have been known to manufacture ratings in the 90s in exchange for full page advert contracts. It's a Marvin Shanken thing. If the wine is a non-advertizing small producer you can trust the #s more.

darthbimmer

Based on recommendations here I bought a bottle of Apothic Red a few weeks ago and opened it tonight. It's surprisingly rich and sweet. It goes well with junk food or for sipping while watching TV. It's tasty, but in the same way that Coke is tasty. I'm not saying it's bad... it's just not a typical red wine.

RBirns

Been drinking some Gato Negro cabernet-merlot blend lately. Surprisingly good, embarrassingly cheap. Around $5 a bottle, or around $12 for a 3L box (equiv. 4 bottles). Dry, good body, surprising character. Better than many $10 wines. Trust me. I usually can't stand ultra-cheap wines, but this one is different. You would never guess it's so cheap.

Bago'peanuts

Apothic Red has some flavor that I haven't tasted in most red blends. Can anyone identify it? Perhaps something akin to vanilla? I admit my palate is burned out for the most part - I blame it on too many hot peppers that wiped out my taste buds, but that's only because I can't think of a better excuse.

Miesque

First time stumbling into this thread. I am very much Francophile when it comes to wine but came across the Sterling Meritage by accident a about 2 years ago and I consider it my "domestic" wine for steak/filet. I can sometimes find it for $8-10/bottle after sales/case discount and I think for the price and widespread availability. Its a great "Its Wednesday and I want to have NY Strip/Filet Mignon for dinner with some potatoes/veggies"

Miesque

World Market usually has this wine (although as we all know their wine inventories do fluctuate a good deal). A good find for a $7-8 bottle of wine and its good if you are somewhere you don't have a cork screw


Actually while we are on Cotes du Ventoux, World Market sometimes has the Delas version of this for about $12 and that and their Cotes du Rhone are nice wine for the price.

Bago'peanuts

This week I've discovered Third Wheel California Red Table wine. Priced at $6.99 from Total Wines. I think it's a great choice for an everyday red blend.

flitcraft

If you live on the Left Coast of the US and have a Grocery Outlet in your vicinity, you should check out their capacious wine selection. I guarantee, you'll find it hard to buy wine anywhere else once you get hooked on it. Their selection changes daily, and you may have to kiss a few frogs to find the princes, but oh, the winners! I've gotten plenty of wines that sold for 30 and up on the winery websites for 5 bucks or less. And there's definitely something for everyone there, including lots of the sweetish reds that we don't prefer but lots of folks on this site do.

My last batch of wines included a 3 liter box of Cultivate's Copa Cabana Chilean Cab/Carmenere blend for 3.99 a box (yup--that kicks 2 Buck Chuck's butt price-wise and absolutely quality-wise), a Vertikal Spatlese Riesling for 3.99, Robert Oatley Rose of Sangiovese at 3.99, Wolf Blass Presidential Shiraz for 4.99, and Deep Sea Chardonnay at 3.99.

Seriously, they had a really killer cab for 10 bucks that I had a hard time pulling the trigger on because who wants to spend that kind of cash for a cab at Grocery Outlet, even if it did sell for 30 bucks elsewhere? That's the kind of spoiled you get at GO...

dfwtravelgirl

Parducci Pinot Noir

whackyjacky

Buy all the Wolf-Blass you can get your hands on. A good price would be $14.99 NOT 4.99.

Gaucho100K

Two Malbecs from Argentina well within this threads price range.....

Aniello 006 Malbec, Patagonia
Aguijon de Abeja Malbec, Mendoza

Bago'peanuts

Thanks for the suggestions Gaucho! I've only visited the vineyards on the left side of the Andes and it's great to have something to try on the opposite side.

Lately I've been enjoying Wildhaven Blazing Red 2012, from Columbia Valley, Washington. I think I paid just under $12 at Total Wine.

Bago'peanuts

For the past couple of months this one has been priced at $5.99 at Trader Joes. Def worth a try if you like the red blends on the sturdy side.

Gaucho100K

On the subject of Total Wine, its my experience that they do have an OK selection of entry level Malbecs (mostly private labels).... you may be able to find a few that are worth a try.

slawecki

we are in lisbon at the moment. the whites under $7, and the reds under $15 are very fine.

the markup at the restaurant is very small. worth the trip.