Wine can often feel intimidating. There are terms to learn, regional differences to memorize, and various grapes to be aware of. Styles are nuanced and flavors are often subtle. It’s all a lot to take in and, frankly, can sometimes feel clogged with marketing bullshit and snobbish gatekeeping.
We say, “forget that noise.” Wine should be fun, drinkable, and, with any luck, affordable. The rest is ancillary. At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is whether or not you actually dig what’s in your glass.
To help you get into wine without breaking the bank, we’re calling out ten bottles that all clock in under $10. These aren’t spectacular bottles — no need to exaggerate. But they do taste good while being very reasonably priced. That’s a pretty solid one-two punch. They’re also all fairly findable coast-to-coast or you can get them delivered by simply clicking on their prices.
Let’s dive in!
Yellow Tail Shiraz
ABV: 13.5%
Average Price: $5
The Wine:
This 100 percent Shiraz from Australia is the gold-standard of cheap-yet-quaffable red wine. This is the sort of wine that acts as a gateway for a lot of people, due to its wide-ranging accessibility at nearly every grocery store and liquor store across the nation.
Tasting Notes:
Red berry fruit mingles with a hint of anise-leaning-towards-licorice. A note of vanilla lingers in the background, as hints of cinnamon-forward spice add a nice depth to the sip.
Bottom Line:
Look, it’s five dollars a bottle. It’s not going to wow anyone, but it’ll certainly get you tipsy while offering a little something in the body of juice without any astringent alcohol.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling
ABV: 12%
Average Price: $6
The Wine:
This Washington State Riesling is a classic Pacific Northwest wine. The crisp body of this wine is dialed-in to amp up the clarity of the fruit, with an easy sense of the old-school German Reisling varietal.
Tasting Notes:
Citrus, dry, and mellow all come to mind. There’s a fruit orchard feel to the juice with a focus on stone fruits, pears, and plenty of grapefruit zest. The wine comes into focus with the citrus and a nice sense of apricots.
Bottom Line:
Pair this with a flight of raw oysters or a Dungeness crab salad. It really does shine as a raw seafood accompaniment.
Trapiche Malbec
ABV: 13%
Average Price: $7
The Wine:
This Argentine Malbec is a big, chewy wine. The grapes are all pulled from vineyards around the Andean foothills of Mendoza. The wine is built to be paired with the heavy, fiery proteins Argentina became famous for.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a real plumminess to this wine. The fruit leans more towards a ripe red cherry as the body maintains balance and heft. The end of the sip has a minerality to it that’s part mossy and part mushroom, with a final note of oaky vanilla.
Bottom Line:
If you’re eating steak and/or mushrooms, this is the wine for you. Again, it’s not going to be mind-blowing. But it’ll be perfectly satisfying.
La Vieille Ferme Rosé
ABV: 13.5%
Average Price: $7
The Wine:
This rosé from the Rhône river valley in France is a light, almost airy addition to any wine cabinet. The juice is a blend of late summer harvested Cinsault, Grenache, and Syrah berries. The end result is French sunshine in a bottle.
Tasting Notes:
There’s sharp citrus that’s punctuated by wildflowers and stone fruit. The fruit is peachy and vibrant, with a nice acidic underbelly to even things out. A note of cherry arrives late, rounding out the sip.
Bottom Line:
This is almost too easy to drink. Make sure it’s deeply chilled and enjoy it with a light meal or cheese course. Or just because.
Apothic Cab
ABV: 13.5%
Average Price: $8
The Wine:
This California Cabernet is a good value with a solid drinkability. There’s a real body to this wine that doesn’t overpower, making it a solid middle-of-the-road drinker.
Tasting Notes:
Blackberry jam, dark chocolate, and vanilla all mingle on your senses. An oaky sense helps tie the whole sip together and bring about a dry-yet-full-bodied finish.
Bottom Line:
This is a very easy wine to drink with dinner or after work. It doesn’t ask too much of your palate while delivering on familiar and tasty flavors.
Dark Horse Pinot Noir
ABV: 13.5%
Average Price: $8
The Wine:
This California Pinot has no business being this tasty at this low price point. Winemaker Beth Liston finds some of the best fruit in Modesto to create this powerhouse bottle of wine while still keeping the price low for you. It’s a great balancing act.
Tasting Notes:
Fruit — red berries in particular — really lead the way on this sip. That fruit marries mild notes of spicy oak and fresh vanilla pods. The velvet body pops with dried flowers as the fruit embraces your senses.
Bottom Line:
This is one of those bottles that feels like it should cost $20. Since it’s less than $10, you can easily buy two without hesitation.
Gnarly Head Cabernet
ABV: 14.5%
Average Price: $8
The Wine:
This California red from Lodi is a masterful blend from several local vineyards. Each vineyard’s grapes are chosen to add an extra layer of depth to the final product, which is very easy-drinking.
Tasting Notes:
Berry jams and Christmas spice mix with dried herbs and florals. The sip really leans into the dark fruit jams and black pepper spice with a nice hint of oak. The body is dry-yet-welcoming with a svelte texture.
Bottom Line:
This is a really solid pairing wine for meaty Italian pasta, pizza, or even some backyard BBQ.
Robert Mondavi Private Selection Chardonnay
ABV: 13.5%
Average Price: $8.50
The Wine:
This award-winning California Chardonnay is a solid bottle at a great price. This could easily be a $20 bottle given the quality of the juice, but it’s not. Advantage, you.
Tasting Notes:
Tropical fruit, apples, pears, and creamy butter balance nicely on this one. The apples and pears take on a baked quality with a note of cinnamon and more of that butter coming to the surface of the sip. A note of citrus cuts through the creamier side and leads towards an oaky yet still buttery finish.
Bottom Line:
Again, this is a really solid bottle for a steal. Make sure to really cool this one down and then pair it with a nice seafood feast.
Cupcake Light Hearted Chardonnay
ABV: 8%
Average Price: $9.50
The Wine:
This new line from Cupcake out in Calfornia aims to lower the caloric intake of your average wine without sacrificing the flavors. And we have to say: it holds up.
That’s not to say this is a perfect wine. It’s solid, affordable, and a nice break from the heftier ABVs on this list.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a very clear sense of acidic pineapple, pear, and creamy-but-slightly sour Greek yogurt up front. A hint of nuttiness and vanilla come through with a whisper of oak as the fruit and yogurt dominate the palate.
Bottom Line:
This is a nice change of pace while still being clearly a Chardonnay that hasn’t sacrificed any flavors.
Campo Viejo Rioja Tempranillo
ABV: 13.5%
Average Price: $9.50
The Wine:
This Spanish wine is a very easy sipper that charms as much as it satisfies. The Tempranillo grape grown in Rioja creates a deep red that doesn’t overpower your palate while still giving you plenty to ponder.
Tasting Notes:
Red berries, spicy oak, vanilla, and dry sweet grass greet you. The taste leans into the vanilla, oak, and berries while adding a layer of dark cacao near the end. The finish is long, velvety, and marries the dark chocolate to the spices and vanilla nicely.
Bottom Line:
This is a great entry point into the wider world of fine Spanish wines, especially those from Rioja. This is also an easy pairing wine that goes well with most meals, big and small.
