Trumpeter (Argentina, from the Rutini family in Mendoza)

Both the Syrah-Malbec and the Malbec.

I am not sure if they are available in the States and at which price. In Germany there is only one trader who brings the Malbec for below 10 Euro.

My favorite cheap wine is Crane Lake Sangiovese. It's made in California, and costs $3.33 per bottle (750 ml). I think it tastes better than most red wines that cost three times as much.

:D

That's funny!!

Peter Lehmann Clancy's Red - (Shiraz-Cab blend) - goes down pretty easy... about $11 or so at Costco. And the past couple vintages of Sebastiani Sonoma County Cabernet have been terrific, also under $12 at Costco. Not sure about the current release though.

Where do you live? I haven't seen these at the Costco in So. Idaho. I'll check more closely next week. Thanks.

Phil

fav red wine
 

Marietta Vineyards - Old Vine Red
A blend table wine - $10.99 at Trader Joes and same price at other stores too. We buy it buy the case it's so good. Recently at a party, we brought it and some folks who work Southebys Auction, auctioning wine, wrote down the name!

It was $4.64 at Wild Oats Market where I saw it. That means it only tastes better than red wines that cost twice as much. :D I passed, but I did bring home 3 other bottles under $6. I admit I'll buy a lot of wines under $10 looking for hidden gems, but don't find many.

Well, I guess that's the trick - every Costco seems to stock its wine department a little differently. I live in Boston and for the past two or three years I have seen these two wines consistently at various Costco stores around Boston, and also at Costco stores in Northern Virginia. But I also recently spotted a Penfolds Magill Estate Shiraz (single vineyard) at a Virginia Costco. This is a wine that Penfolds has generally not exported before, so I was very surprised to see it in Va., and I went searching for it at Costco stores back home in Boston to no avail. So it's a little bit of a crapshoot, I guess. I read somewhere recently that Costco is the largest wine buyer in the country...

The first time I went to a Costco in a state that allows grocery stores to sell wine, I was astounded at the breadth and depth of their selection. I'm not a member right now, but I sometimes go with friends and can usually find a great deal. Their buyers have good instincts!

I was wrong about the Elena Zinfandel I recommended earlier: It's actually the Old Vine Reserve. Yum!

I see I never got back on this one. It was horrid! I seldom pour a bottle of wine down the drain, but I couldn't think of any way to use this and neither Mrs B nor I could not finish the first glass.

On a more positive note, BV Jr has recommended La Crema Pinot Noir several times but I didn't want to pay the $16 any time I spotted it. On the way home last night, I found it on the markdown shelf at Winn-Dixie for $10.24. It was quite nice, maybe a little bland, but nothing offensive either. Still, I don't suppose it qualifies at under $12.

Ummm.... It's called "Funky Llama". What did you expect, other than something that tasted like a funky llama? :p :D

On a serious note, I try to avoid the "let's slap an animal on the label and see how it sells" wines, after a period of succumbing to the marketing. I am much happier with my picks now.

My expectations were incredibly low. I subscribe to the same belief that cute animals on the label are meant to boost sales to suckers.

The truth is, my son needed a part for a science fair project and asked me to pick up a bottle with a plastic cork. Label aside, I was suckered in by the bright yellow plastic cork which I thought would impress his teachers who appear to be the sort that buy wine with cute animals on the label.

Final results:

1) BV Jr #3 got an A.
2) BV Sr will never drink another bottle of wine with a cute animal on the label, but wouldn't hesitate to use the cork and pour out the wine.
3) BV Sr will not order Funky Llama cutlet off any menu, under the assumption it will not taste like chicken.

Looks like an excellent learning opportunity was had by all. :D

KWV's Roodeberg is a good one.

I'm a big fan of Red Guitar. I believe it's a tempranillo or a spanish blend of some sort. I can find it for under $10/bottle.
In general, I've found the best cheap reds to be from Chile, South Africa or Spain. Not as well known so they haven't been overpriced yet.