# Recommend a good "cheap" wine. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 27, 2003, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-cheap-wine/151346 "2003-01-27T22:28:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![OrthodoxAgnostic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3e96dc/32.png) [@OrthodoxAgnostic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OrthodoxAgnostic)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-cheap-wine/151346/21 "2003-01-30T04:33:04Z")
I have HEARD that Fat Bastad isnt bad. …(hard to believe, but yeah its a real wine brand) …you can find it in the wine dept. of any larger grocery chain. They make all the varieties…i think it runs aroun 10 to 15 bucks but dont take my word…i dont drink…but I had to check out the wine dept when i had heard about it. 😃 ps…not a good idea to use for a dinner date 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Geoduck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c37758/32.png) [@Geoduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geoduck)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-cheap-wine/151346/22 "2003-01-30T06:03:16Z")
If you like rich reds, we have been enjoying a Spanish “Dragon” wine–about $7 at Trader Joe’s and $10 elsewhere. Just let it air out for an hour prior to drinking and you will be rewarded. ---
**Author:** ![techchick68](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@techchick68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/techchick68)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-cheap-wine/151346/23 "2003-01-30T06:26:08Z")
I like Venange wines. Their White Zinfendel is very good and I am currently enjoying a Chardonnay as I type this. They aren’t as cheap as some of the really cheap wines, about $8 for a 1.5 liter bottle. But a good value in my book and I just recently started to enjoy wine. It’s clearly not something you want to take to a party as a hostess gift but for a mellow evening at home, it rates good in my book. [http://www.cwine.com/index.jsp?link=ourbrands/Vendange/Vendange.htm](http://www.cwine.com/index.jsp?link=ourbrands/Vendange/Vendange.htm) ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-cheap-wine/151346/24 "2003-01-30T06:32:54Z")
I’m not really a wine drinker, but according to a couple I know who are: Ballatore sp.? is a sparkling white that they claim is excellent. At about $5-6 bucks a pop…sounds okay to me. As for myself, Jose’ Cuervo Especial Gold…makes an excellent agave “wine”.😉 ---
**Author:** ![burundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@burundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burundi)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-cheap-wine/151346/25 "2003-01-30T14:09:52Z")
Yellow Tail wines are great! And cheap. Go Aussies! I also like Our Daily Red. It’s a red table wine, nicely dry, costs about $7. The cool thing is that it’s sulfite-free. I love red wine, but more than a glass of it gives me nasty headaches. I’ve found that if I drink sulfite-free wines, the headache is much, much less nasty. ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-cheap-wine/151346/26 "2003-01-30T14:27:57Z")
Louis Jadoux Bougalais is excellent for 8.99. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-cheap-wine/151346/27 "2003-01-30T14:44:20Z")
It’s hard to say, because I don’t know where you are and what sorts of wines your local shops stock. I guess you could go for a national brand, like Gallo Hearty Burgundy, the college dorm favorite. Our household standby is a Marques de Caceres rioja, a Spanish red that goes for $11.95 a bottle here in Brooklyn, and which we buy by the (discounted) case, which brings the price down to just under ten bucks. Spanish reds are a good choice for us because we cook a lot of Mediterranean food, lotsa spices and garlic, and a rioja can stand up to that, without being too heavy to pair with chicken or pork or veal. ---
**Author:** ![Breezy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b3f665/32.png) [@Breezy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Breezy)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-cheap-wine/151346/28 "2003-01-30T15:27:24Z")
I really like any kind of Reisling wine. It’s mild, and kind of sweet. The 2 brands I usually buy are Kendall-Jackson and Geyser Peak. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-cheap-wine/151346/29 "2003-01-30T16:36:56Z")
Beringer White Zin (if you can stand white zin) hasn’t been mentioned, and is dependably good for (who said it - wonderful phrase) wine wussies. Its also made in such quantities that even someone who has never been past the beer in the liquor store can lay their hands on it easily. ---
**Author:** ![grettle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/aeb1de/32.png) [@grettle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grettle)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-cheap-wine/151346/30 "2003-01-30T16:41:08Z")
Rabbit Ridge Cabernet ---
**Author:** ![meeker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b782af/32.png) [@meeker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meeker)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-cheap-wine/151346/31 "2003-01-30T17:00:08Z")
I second the recommendations on Yellow Tail Shiraz and the Rosemont Estates wines. Of the Rosemont wines, I’ve tried both the shiraz and the shiraz/cab blends, both very enjoyable. My default table red is the Concha Y Toro Cab/Merlot blend, pretty darned good, especially at $9 for a magnum. As for whites, I have tried the Fat Bastard label, and I do really like their chardonnay. I did buy the first bottle for novelty, but was surprised that it was actually good. My default cheap swill table wine is Cavit Pinot Grigio – dirt cheap, and very drinkable. ---
**Author:** ![Big\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e4f/32.png) [@Big\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Big_G)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-cheap-wine/151346/32 "2003-01-30T17:35:44Z")
I just had a really good German reisling that was only $5 or so. I can’t remember the brand, but it looked like there were quite a few different brands of German reisling all in the $5 price range. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-cheap-wine/151346/33 "2003-01-30T18:38:06Z")
I’m partial to California Cabs. My everyday wine is Estancia, which I find for between 11.99 and 14.99. ---
**Author:** ![jellen92](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@jellen92](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jellen92)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-cheap-wine/151346/34 "2003-01-30T18:44:54Z")
My favorite is Yellow Tail Shiraz… the Cabernet Sauvignon is great too. The best part is, they are usually under $7!! ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-cheap-wine/151346/35 "2003-01-30T18:54:44Z")
Jacob’s Creek runs about $10/bottle, and it’s pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-cheap-wine/151346/36 "2003-01-30T18:58:17Z")
Another vote for the Charles Shaw $2 bottles. Quite possibly the cheapest decently drinkable wine I’ve ever had. If you want to go a bit more expensive, I’d recommend Clos du Bois Cabernet Sauvignon. I can usually find it for ~$12, and it’s very good. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-cheap-wine/151346/37 "2003-01-31T01:05:18Z")
My brother recently sent me the following list. Perhaps it will help. The Top 15 Names for Wal-Mart Wine: Box O’ Grapes Chateau du Crack Chardonnay White Trashfindel Big Red Gulp Grape Expectations Domaine Wal-Mart “Merde du Pays” Sam’s Dog 20/20 Chef Boyardeaux Trucker’s Choice Blue Light Special Nun Chateau des Moines Mogen Darryl I Can’t Believe It’s Not Vinegar! World Championship Wriesling and the Number 1 Name for Wal-Mart Wine… Nasti Spumanti ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-cheap-wine/151346/38 "2003-01-31T04:35:25Z")
\ You know, the kind of wines that say on the label: “Serve Before Friday”…They also say “Serve Chilled.” I have yet to see a wino come in to a liquor store and say: “Pardon me, but this (expletive deleted) is TEPID! Could you put it in the cooler for a couple of hours? I’ll be out front here, pissing on your wall…” \ ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-cheap-wine/151346/39 "2003-01-31T12:31:46Z")
White Concord and Blackberry I truly wish Manny’s still made the Blackberry Cream Sherry ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-cheap-wine/151346/40 "2003-01-31T14:45:55Z")
I look for official regional designations on the label. For instance, if I’m buying Chianti, I look for not only the name Chianti, but also the official Italian governmental designation DOGC, which means that the wine is guaranteed to have been grown and vinted in the region specified. For California wine I look for regional appelations such as “Sonoma”, or 'Central Coast", rather than just “California”. Almost all great, legendary wines carry these distinguishing marks, including those costing hundreds of dollars a bottle. Yet even at the lowest prices I still find them to be noticeably better, and often no more expensive than, their less distinguished competitors. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-cheap-wine/151346.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-good-cheap-wine/151346.md?page=3)