Previous, annual Top 10 Wines Under $10 lists
Top 10 Wines Under $10 For 2019
Top 10 Wines Under $10 For 2018
Top 10 Wines Under $10 For 2017
Top 10 Wines Under $10 For 2016
Top 10 Wines Under $10 For 2015
Top 5 Wines Under $10 For 2014
Wine might seem like an extravagance to some people.
It’s expensive, some might say.
It’s confusing.
There are so many grapes, so many different wine regions and subregions within each region.
Even simply trying to make sense out of the wine label can be confusing sometimes.
No wonder so many people are beer drinkers or only have wine on special occasions.
But wine doesn’t have to be this way.
Wine can be fun and accessible and easy to enjoy.
Great wines also don’t have to cost a lot of money.
These are some of the reasons why I started writing this weekly wine column (422 and counting) a little over eight years ago. I wanted to share my love of wine with other people and I’m continually grateful for the opportunity to do so each week.
I also wanted to break down the barriers that often seem to prevent people from enjoying wine on a regular basis.
And in many cases, I believe that starts with convincing people you don’t have to spend a fortune to find delicious wines.
That’s why I always look forward to this annual column about the best wines under $10 a bottle.
Coming up with the list some years is easier than others. This year was a challenge for several reasons.
Simply finding and buying wines was sometimes difficult due to the on-going worldwide pandemic.
The price of some wines has also gone up significantly based on my completely unscientific observations this past year. Maybe it’s due to tariffs. Maybe it’s due to demand, which I’ve heard is way up this past year. All I know is it was sometimes challenging to find wines for under $10 a bottle.
Fortunately, I was able to do so. And many of these wines were absolutely outstanding.
Technically, there are 12 wines on this list. I decided to group two wines together since they’re from the same wine region and have a lot in common. I also just couldn’t decide which wines to leave off the list so I keep all of them on here in the end and there’s a tie for 10th place. Besides, 12 wines come in a case so why not add two more wines this year?
Of the 12 wines on this list, seven are red, four are white and one is a rose. As for where the wines come from, seven are from France and the other five are from five different countries - Argentina, Italy, New Zealand, Spain and the United States (California to be precise).
Let me add that I have included links to previous wines columns below in which I wrote about many other, affordable wines from the same wine region so you can learn more about them and other bargains as well. In addition, many of these wines are widely available at many wine stores hopefully near you. Hope you enjoy.
TOP 10 WINES UNDER $10 FOR 2020
TIE 10) 2018 Cotes De Provence Racine Rose ($9.99 at Table & Vine in West Springfield)
TIE 10) 2019 Voga Pinot Grigio ($10 Suggested Retail Price)
9) Domaine Bousquet Cabernet Sauvignon ($20 SRP for 3 Liter Box)
8) 2019 Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc ($9.99 at Table & Vine)
7) 2018 Penya Rouge Grenache Carignan Syrah Mourvedre Cotes Catalanes ($9.99 at Table & Table).
6) 2018 Cave De Lugny La Cote Blanche Unoaked Chardonnay Macon Villages
5) 2018 Laya Almansa Red Wine ($8.99 at Table & Vine)
4) 2018 Bonterra Merlot ($8.99 at Table & Vine)
TIE 3) 2016 Chateau Castagnac Cuvee Tradition Bordeaux ($9.99 at Table & Vine)
TIE 3) 2016 Chateau Les Vallees Bordeaux ($8.99 at Table & Vine)
2) 2018 Domaine L’Enclos “Cotes de Gascogne” ($8.99 at Table & Vine)
1) 2016 Ninety Plus Cellars French Fusion Lot 21 ($9.99 at Table & Vine)
TOP 10 WINES UNDER $10 FOR 2020
WINE TASTING NOTES
TIE 10) 2018 Cotes De Provence Racine Rose
Region - Provence, France
Grapes - Blend of Cinsault, Grenache, Syrah
Tasting Notes - This captivating, complex Rose wine has a wine range of flavors. At first, the wine tastes slightly spicy with a hint of tart apple. A few minutes later as the wine starts the warm up, other soft flavors start to emerge, including a hint of sea salt and ocean mist. All the flavors also linger for close to half a minute after each sip. Really enjoy this rose wine from France’s Provence region, home to the best rose wines in the world.
TIE 10) 2019 Voga Pinot Grigio
Region - Venezie, Italy
Grapes - 100 percent Pinot Grigio
Tasting Notes - Made with Pinot Grigio grapes from Italy’s Venezie region (which is part of the Friuli Venezia Giulia), this crisp, clean, dry white wine packaged in a modern-looking capsule-like glass bottle just might make you rethink what’s possible for Pinot Grigio wines. Here, the flavors have a more mineral-like finish with a hint of sea salt. Yes, there are definitely hints of lemon and lime familiar to fans of Italian Pinot Grigio. But I was impressed by the range of flavors and their subtlety.
9) Domaine Bousquet Cabernet Sauvignon (Box Wine)
Location – Mendoza, Argentina
Grape – 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon
Tasting Notes – Who says you can’t find great wine in a box? Made completely with organic grapes from Argentina’s famed Mendoza region, Domaine Bousquet just might be one of the world’s best affordable wine producers. No matter what wine they make, Domaine Bousquet seems to hit it out of the park. The same is true with this outstanding, understated, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon. Here, the fruit flavors (blackberries, plums) are muted, dry and last a full 30 seconds after each taste. Highly recommend this outstanding wine, which costs only $5 a bottle if you purchase a 3 liter box, the equivalent of four bottles of wine.
8) 2019 Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc
Region - Marlborough, New Zealand
Grape - 100 percent Sauvignon Blanc
Tasting Notes - When it comes to Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand consistently produces some of the best, refreshing and affordable Sauvignon Blancs in the world. New Zealand’s Marlborough region on the northern tip of New Zealand’s south island in particular reigns supreme when it comes to crisp, refreshing white wines.
This particularly popular Sauvignon Blanc deserves all the attention it gets. In a taste test with the other New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs that cost less than $10 a bottle, I personally found that this one stood out with its crisp, signature fresh-cut grass flavors that made New Zealand’s Marlborough region famous. There’s also a slight hint of citrus and ripe green apple flavors as well. An absolutely delightful and thoroughly refreshing white wine.
7) 2018 Penya Rouge Grenache Carignan Syrah Mourvedre Cotes Catalanes
Region - Roussillon, Languedoc Roussillon, France
Grapes - 65 percent Grenache, 20 percent Carignan, 10 percent Mourvedre, 5 percent Syrah
Tasting Notes - One of my favorite, go-to red wines for under $10 a bottle, this wine consistently tastes terrific right from the start. You don’t have to open this spectacular wine and wait a few hours to taste all the delicious flavors. Everything is right there right away.
The first flavors I often notice are hints of ripe cherries and dried blackberries. And like many great, dry, red wines that easily cost twice as much, the flavors in the Penya linger on the tip of the tongue for nearly a minute. Truly a great wine at an outstanding price.
6) 2018 Cave De Lugny La Cote Blanche Unoaked Chardonnay Macon Villages
Region - Macon, Burgundy, France
Grapes - 100 percent Chardonnay
Tasting Notes - I wanted to point out that this wine’s from the village of Macon in Burgundy since Chardonnay wines from here have such a distinct, refreshing taste. One of the things I love about wines made with Chardonnay grapes is how well they express the soil they’re grown in. And that’s especially true when it comes to Chardonnays from Burgundy. Chardonnay grapes grown a few hundred yards apart often taste dramatically different from one field to the next. And this is especially true in the Burgundy’s southern region, where Macon is located.
Like many Chardonnays from Macon, this particular wine has a bright, light, refreshing taste with a hint of citrus. There’s also a slight hint of butter often associated with Chardonnays. But the butter flavors are much more subtle, much less pronounced. There’s also a wonderful dash of almond flavors which make this wine an ideal one for hot, hazy summer afternoons.
Region – Alamansa, Spain
Grapes – 70 percent Tintorera, 30 percent Monastrell
Tasting Notes – This is one of those wines dreams are made of – affordable, stylish and delicious. I’ve had this blended red wine from Spain before but it’s been a while. Boy, am I glad I tried this wine again.
Some wines take a while to warm up and reveal their secrets, sort of a like a shy party guest. This wine was the life of the party straight out of the bottle. I was blown away by its complex, subtle fruit flavors, which range from dried raspberries and blackberries to toasted almonds and dark chocolate.
The next day, those flavors were more subtle, more understated. In fact, I found the wine to be a bit too subdued the second day. Personally, I preferred the wine the day before, when it was bright and lively and thrilling to be around. And best of all, this wine costs less than $10 a bottle, making it an absolute steal at this price.
4) 2018 Bonterra Merlot
Region – Mendocino County, California
Grapes – 100 percent Merlot
Tasting Notes – Merlot wines at any price often get a bad rap. I blame the movie “Sideways.” That’s why I have made a point the past few years of highlighting several great Merlot wines, including six outstanding Merlots from California earlier this year. This incredible bargain from California deserves additional attention as well. Made entirely with organic grapes by one of the best bargain wine makers in California, this Bonterra merlot goes down smooth and easy right from the first sip. A beautiful blend of subtle, dry, soft berry flavors (including blackberry, raspberry and a hint of cherry) mixed with a hint of nuttiness and dark chocolate, this wine tastes great with everything from steak to salmon and perfect on its own.
TIE 3) 2016 Chateau Castagnac Cuvee Tradition Bordeaux
Region – Right Bank, Bordeaux, France
Grapes – Blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon
Tasting Notes – Like the other Bordeaux red wine recommended below, this wine is a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. I’m not sure what percentage of each grape is in the wine. But in general, Bordeaux blends from the Right Bank (meaning the north side of the Gironde River) are often predominantly made with Merlot grapes.
This red wine has an intense, luxurious flavor straight out of the bottle. There are also initial notes of licorice as well. Give this powerful wine time to breathe, meaning time to expose the wine to oxygen to release its flavors. In fact, if possible, save most of this wine for the second day. That’s when the wine really smooths out and becomes softer and silkier. The second day, hints of raspberry and rose petal flavors emerge in this smooth aromatic wine.
TIE 3) 2016 Chateau Les Vallees Bordeaux
Region – Bordeaux, France
Grapes – 70 percent Merlot, 30 percent Cabernet Sauvignon
Tasting Notes – This soft, subtle wine has the understated flavors you would expect from a Bordeaux wine made predominantly with Merlot grapes. According to the wine label, the grapes were grown in a blend of clay and limestone soil. Rocky, limestone soil consistently produces outstanding wines in my opinion. And this one’s a gem.
Let me add that this wine more than holds its own against wines that cost double or triple or even more. I tasted two bottle of this wine on four different occasions. And each time, this wine was an absolutely wonderful blend of soft, subtle fruit flavors (dried raspberries and blackberries) with an austere, long finish.
2) 2018 Domaine L’Enclos “Cotes de Gascogne”
Region – Gascony, France
Grapes – 50 percent Colombard, 50 percent Ugni Blanc
Tasting Notes – In a country filled with world-class wine regions, Gascony (or Gascogne as the French call this region) remains one of the most undiscovered gems when it comes to French wine. That might explain why so many fascinating wines from this region remain so remarkably affordable.
Dry and austere, this wine’s flavors cover a wide range - from fresh picked pears and peaches to hints of tart apple and sea salt. There’s also a crisp mineral-like hint to this wine, giving it a slightly rocky, chalky finish - two flavors I absolutely adore in a crisp, dry, white wine.
Let me add that all of these flavors gently wash over your taste buds like a passing breeze or the foam-like bubbles left on the sand by a gentle, ocean current. There’s nothing overpowering or over the top about this wine. And yet it’s flavors linger long after each sip, like the sound of a large, old church bell humming after the last peal.
And one more great thing about this wine - it still tastes vibrant and alive several days after opening the bottle - if you can wait that long to finish it.
1) 2016 Ninety Plus Cellars French Fusion Lot 21
Region - Languedoc, France
Grapes - 60 percent Syrah, 30 percent Grenache, 10 Mourvedre
Tasting Notes - This outstanding wine immediately grabbed by attention the first time I tasted it a few weeks ago. Straight out of the bottle, this easy-drinking, dry red wine has a smooth, luxurious silky finish. Flavors range from ripe blackberries to dried raspberries with a hint of almonds and dark chocolate. This wine is bold yet subtle, intense but not overpowering - a beautiful combination which makes this wine perfect for slowly savoring for several hours.
Let me add that this wine tastes just as great the second day, when the flavors are just as pronounced and fascinating and complex. Just don’t wait too long to finish this wine since I noticed a definitely difference the third day after the wine was open, which is typical for almost all red wines.
One more thing about my favorite wine of the year for under $10. I’m not surprised that three of the French red wines on this list (this one along with both number three wines) feature grapes from the outstanding 2016 vintage in France. There’s also definitely something to be said for red wines that are several years older like this wine. Many wines need time to mature, time to evolve. And right now, this wine tastes terrific and proves without a doubt that you can find great wine without spending a fortune.
Cheers!
Wine Press by Ken Ross appears on Masslive.com every Monday and in The Republican’s weekend section every Thursday.
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December 29, 2020 at 02:00AM
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