Fans of the Ten Spot (wines that cost less than ten bucks yet taste yummy), will love the popular five-cent sale at BevMo, the relatively new player on the retail wine scene that has become a huge market force in California and Arizona. During this sale, the second bottle of featured wines can be purchased for only five additional cents. 

If you don't live near a BevMo, buying wine online at www.bevmo.com is also a great source for bargains, provided you live in one of the states that allows its residents to receive wines purchased across state boundaries. Confused yet?  The federal government is considering changing some of these archaic shipping laws, so that wineries and retailers like BevMo can easily get their products into all fifty states.  For now, BevMo will only ship to:  CA, AL, AZ, ID, IL, IA, LA, MO, NB, NV, NH, NM, NC, ND, OH, OR, TX, VA, WV, WS, WY or DC.  

BevMo's in-house wine reviewer, Wilfred Wong, seems like a nice enough guy; his tasting notes online are usually well-written and helpful to the average consumer, but he's hardly objective! Below are my picks for BevMo "Ten Spot" wines, with the price I paid during their most recent five cent sale...which basically means that although I had to buy two, they were each half price, so they were more like five bucks! Bargains, I love them.  :)

(Check out BevMo's website and become a subscriber to find out when this fun sale will happen, as it pertains both to online and in-store purchases.) 

1)  Chardonnay, Pierre Dupond  (Vin de Pays, France 2006) - $5.02

I really liked this little country chardonnay...clean, bright lemon aromas with a touch of oak; not profound wine, but good for everyday chardonnay choice.

2)  Vinho Verde, Gazela (Portugal, MV) - $4.02

Vinho Verde is a region in Portugal known mostly for its refreshing, low-alcohol slightly spritzy white wines. This one from Gazela is a mix of vintages, much like some Champagnes can be. The result is a great choice for outdoor party wine on a super hot day.  

3)  Merlot, Hogue Cellars  (Columbia Valley, WA - 2005) - $5.02

Washingon State leads the way with inexpensive yet tasty merlot ... typically a much better bet for good value than CA merlots. This wine from Hogue was a total steal at five bucks. Soft, supple, plummy and yummy.

4)  Shiraz/Cabernet, Stonehaven (SE Australia, 2006) - $4.52

This blend from Stonehaven would be terrific with spicy pepperoni pizza or pepper steak ... tones of spice from the shiraz with some structure from the cab. Nice wine at the price.

5)  Merlot/Tempranillo, "Solaz," Osborne  (Castilla, Spain - 2005) -$4.52 

Here, Spain's superstar grape, tempranillo, is blended with some merlot for softness. This was also a successful bottle, as I liked the way the tempranillo brought some earth and dusty notes to the wine.