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Hitting that ten-dollar sweet spot is never more important than during the holidays. You, fabulous host that you are, want to serve your family and friends something worthy of their companionship, but you also enjoy paying your rent or mortgage on time and don't want to faint when that Visa bill comes a-callin' in January. Never fear, the Ten Spot is here. Below are some of our very favorite inexpensive wines here at Girl Meets Grape, each of which is widely available nationally at outlets like BevMo, Costco, Trader Joe's, or others. You can also try a quick search on the web to find retailers near your zip code that may carry these products, too. Cheers!
Look for all new Girl Meets Grape wine tips at Shine!
1) Cava, Segura Viudas, "Aria" Brut - $8 / bottle
Spain is king for inexpensive bubbles that won't give you a killer headache. This widely available cava from Penedes is always a sure bet, and it's loads better than that other Spanish bubbly, the black-bottled Freixenet, which is, technically speaking, yucky.
2) Piper-Sonoma Brut - $10 / bottle
This is the California sparkling wine product made by the Champagne house of Piper-Heidseick. It's not earth-shattering, but makes a perfectly tasty glass of bubbles for toasting. Better than it has to be at this price!
3) Giesen, Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough, New Zealand '06) - $9
I have always found Giesen's wines to overdeliver for the price. Lovers of crisp, green sauvignon blanc like Cloudy Bay will appreciate this value. It's a great party wine, too, as sauvignon blanc is quite versatile for a variety of cheeses and appetizers.
4) Pine Ridge, Chenin Blanc / Viognier (Napa, CA '06) - $10
The little blend that could! Viognier and Chenin Blanc are two widely under-appreciated grapes that Pine Ridge is smartly blending up into one tasty, crowd-pleasing bottle. A yummy alternative to chardonnay, with ripe melon and peach flavors without being at all sweet.
5) Chalone, Chardonnay (Monterey, CA '06) - $10
The Monterery peninsula is perfect for growing cool-cimate chardonnay -- this wine from Chalone packs a lot of chardonnay flavors without overdoing the oak; nicely balanced at the price and consistently good vintage to vintage. Beats the pants off bland, grocery store chardonnays that cost a buck or two less.
6) Red Diamond, Merlot (Washington State '03) - $8
Forget those generic merlots from California...this blend from our neighbor to the north way overdelivers for the price. It's real merlot, velvety-textured and crowd-pleasing -- an easy party choice.
7) Borsao, Grenache / Tempranillo (Campo de Borja, Spain '05) - $7
Importer Jorge Ordonez keeps it real by offering classic grapes from Spain without the hefty price tag. Buy it while it's still cheap and de-lishus.
8) Altos, Malbec "Las Hormigas" (Mendoza, Argentina '05) - $9
I love love love this wine because it offers substantial texture for cab enthusiasts but nice plum fruit aromas for people who prefer a softer red. It's a very versatile wine, and quite well-made for ten bucks. Winner!
9) Jip Jip Rocks, Shiraz (Limestone Coast, Australia '06) - $10
Again, the secret is out on this one as I just discovered that evil old Wine Spectator magazine rated this one of their recent "Smart Buys." For once, those snotty dudes have it right, as this is amazing shiraz for the price.... Filled with boysenberry and eucalytpus aromas, it's outright yummy. Cannot emphasize enough that this is ten million times tastier than, uh, that cute yellow kangaroo wine, which is the Aussie product for American suckers.
10) Rosenblum, Zinfandel "Vintners' Cuvée" (CA '06) - $10
From some zinfandel specialists operating in an old airline hangar in the East Bay comes this basic zinfandel blend. (They make a dizzying array of other, place-specific zins, too, from all over California.) Rosenblum's passion for the grape sets this zin above the rest at this price, and as always, zinfandel is an easy party wine...higher in alcohol, soft and fruity, and drinkable on its own without food.
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