Good, cheap red wines

RJM62

RJM62

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Geek on the Hill
Well, if we can have a bourbon thread, why not a cheap red wine thread?

I'm hardly a connoisseur and I only drink one glass a day with dinner (doctor's orders). But I do want that one glass to be something enjoyable -- and if it's cheap as well, woo-hoo!

My current favorite cheap red wine is Il Bastardo. It was recommended to me by my wine merchant, a Chinese guy named Charlie Chan (really) who owns a liquor store named Sal's (not kidding about that, either). Charlie's always on the lookout for good, cheap reds to satisfy the demands of his good, cheap clientele. He sells very few wines that cost more than $20.00 a bottle because he says he can usually find better ones for less than $10.00 a bottle -- and people in this gritty, working-class neighborhood beat a path to Charlie's door to sample his latest finds.

This particular wine find is a Tuscan (Sangiovese) that's about the most perfect wine for my taste that I've come across. I don't know what the right words to describe it are (like I said, I'm no connoisseur), but it's dry, has a bit of an earthy taste, and does a little dance on my tongue when I swirl it around.

I bought half a case of the 2008 last week and gave some to my brothers (who actually are connoisseurs) so they could try it. They loved it. And get this: It costs less than $7.00 a bottle.

Has a nice label, too:


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Anyone else have a favorite cheap red?

-Rich
 
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Very "generic", but I enjoy a bottle of Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Merlot; I get it at Costco for $10.49 for the "big-a$$ed bottle" (1.5L), not the 750ml normal bottles.

I'll have to try your Bastardo suggestion... love a good red wine.
 
Menage-a-Trois : $7something at Sam's Club; regular is Yellow Tail Merlot $9.99 for 1.5 liters.
 
Blackstone
Firestone
Yellow Tail

:yesnod:
 
Two Brothers Big Tattoo Red (some of the proceeds go to breast cancer research)

Veramonte Cab Reserve or Cab blend.

Both good, both under $10.
 
Google two buck chuck and go from there.

As for me...well...generally life is too short for cheap wine but I never like to pass up a good deal.

Buy it by the case and never pay more than 20. That's my motto...
 
Herding Cats, Shiraz our fave

3 for $15.99 locally, 10% case discount to boot.
 
Snoqualmie Whistle Stop Red is my current favorite. $7.99 at World Market.

Mark
 

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I've been drinking a fair amount of Coppola Rosso lately. Most of his wines are overpriced, significantly, given their quality. This stuff, though, is a decent table wine at a decent (maybe $10 here in alcohol-consumer hell, PA) price.
 
I have found most any red from Australia is exceptional considering the *very* reasonable prices.
 
I like to get recos directly from the wine store. The smaller ones will follow you around and tell you what they like, the larger ones sometimes will have a section titled "staff picks" and I would buy a case of random wines from that section, under 20 bucks each.

My local wine store (as in, a mile or so from my house) went under in March. On top of the sadness of that, I also liked that he had a monthly wine club. 30 bucks got you two, usually three bottles that he hand selected - a different country each month. Always good picks, too. I wish he could have held on longer, I'd bet he would have come back around by now given that the local economy is on firmer footing than it was in March.
 
flyersfan31 said:
I've been drinking a fair amount of Coppola Rosso lately. Most of his wines are overpriced, significantly, given their quality. This stuff, though, is a decent table wine at a decent (maybe $10 here in alcohol-consumer hell, PA) price.
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Yeah, who runs the liquor store business here? At least there are Sunday sales in some stores now so if you're having people for dinner you can get wine. Anyway, is Coppola a Chianti?

Two Buck Chuck as mentioned and the Fetzer Cab is OK especially in the better valued 1.5 L.
 
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I am fond of Gascon's Malbec. Typically $10-12 at retail.
 

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Coppola Rosso is a Cab Sauv/zin/syrah blend IIRC (a few others in there, can't recall). Table wine.

Elizabeth - here in PA, the liquor stores used to be called (and still are by those of us who aren't easily fooled) "State Stores." Now they are Wine & Spirits Shoppes. The state controls distribution of wine/liquor/spirits. Word is the Commonwealth is the largest single purchaser of booze in the world. Could be. No such thing as mom and pop wine stores here in PA. You want a recommendation? As your friendly union employee cashier.
 
Clark1961 said:
Google two buck chuck and go from there.
As for me...well...generally life is too short for cheap wine but I never like to pass up a good deal.
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My motto too. I rather drink less than drink cheap wine. There may be acceptable wines for a low price but through experimentation over years I found that a completely different world of wines opens up if you are not afraid to break this magic barrier of say $18 a bottle. I find many good deals at Costco.
 
flyersfan31 said:
Coppola Rosso is a Cab Sauv/zin/syrah blend IIRC (a few others in there, can't recall). Table wine.

Elizabeth - here in PA, the liquor stores used to be called (and still are by those of us who aren't easily fooled) "State Stores." Now they are Wine & Spirits Shoppes. The state controls distribution of wine/liquor/spirits. Word is the Commonwealth is the largest single purchaser of booze in the world. Could be. No such thing as mom and pop wine stores here in PA. You want a recommendation? As your friendly union employee cashier.
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I know this well. When I go home I'm usually less than impressed with the local state store, although if you know what you want you can find it sometimes. Wegmans has started selling some beers though, which is promising. Not sure how they did that...

I've had Coppola, not sure exactly which one (it was a gift) and it was OK but nothing towrite home about.
 
bstratt said:
Menage-a-Trois : $7something at Sam's Club; regular is Yellow Tail Merlot $9.99 for 1.5 liters.
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Love the Menage-a-Trois! Drinking Yellow Tail Shiraz right now. Both are excellent sipping-at-home nothing-special-going-on wines.
 
This is definitely cheating, but the best bottle of wine I've ever had was a 2005 Don Bosco Montepulciano d'Abruzzo which I bought for 13 Euros straight from the winery in Italy. I haven't been able to find it in the states.
 
7 Deadly Zins - about $10 at our local Meijers
Bogle Old Vine Zinfandel - about the same
And our favorite house wine when company comes ...
 

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We like the La Crema and Erath Pinot Noirs and the Cellar 8 Merlot.
 
leahs parents are self professed wine snobs. leah is not as bad. i have valiantly done my best to find a type that i can choke down without making funny faces.
 
tonycondon said:
leahs parents are self professed wine snobs. leah is not as bad. i have valiantly done my best to find a type that i can choke down without making funny faces.
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You were rather quick to acquire beer during your wedding reception dinner. Looked like a quick chug of it between each wine toast held you over.
 
yea between wine and champagne i needed some good ol michelob golden light to wash the taste out of my mouth.

really too bad we don't have the "stir the pot" smiley over here.
 
tonycondon said:
yea between wine and champagne i needed some good ol michelob golden light to wash the taste out of my mouth.

really too bad we don't have the "stir the pot" smiley over here.
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That is not actually washing the taste out of your mouth. Michelob Golden Light is murdering your taste buds. :D
 
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