20 Great Value Wines: How to drink good wine when gas is $5.00 a gallon or more

The current economy has most of us cutting back on non-essentials, driving less, and trying to find ways to save a few bucks. Below is a list of wines that you can afford by cutting back on two gallons of gas or less (most are under $10!). For specific recommendations on wines, wine regions, wine pairings, or anything related to value wines, leave a comment. Have a favorite wine under $10 that I missed? Let us know about it! (Image: WINE AND MONEY© Kvkirillov | Dreamstime.com)

Here are my top picks for value wines, producers, and wine regions. Keep in mind that an 85 is a “Very Good” wine and shouldn’t be overlooked. Too often reviewers and magazines want you to think that only 90 point wines are worth drinking…this isn’t the case and can become quite expensive! An 85 point wine is a wine that I consider to be very good, and would buy again.

Keep an eye out for my report next week on the best wineries and wine regions when it comes to quality and value!

Twenty Great Value Wines: (Click here to download this as a shopping list in PDF Form)

Sparkling

N.V. Riondo Prosecco Veneto IGT -$12 (Italy, Veneto, Veneto IGT): Sealed with a traditional cork requiring a cork-screw. A little sweet, hint of yeast, a little fruity, not a lot of fizz but quite refreshing. Overall good appertif, nice flavors. My rating: 87 pts, GV (Good Value)

N.V. Roederer Estate Brut -$21 (USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley): This is the most expensive wine I put on the list, with all the others being $12 or less. But for the price, you get good value here. Apples and citrus on the palate, a very crisp wine with subtle nuttiness and caramel. Nice finish- a great bottle of a special dinner on a budget. My rating: 89 pts, GV

White Wine

2006 Argiolas Vermentino di Sardegna Costamolino -$12 (Sardinia, Italy): Floral notes, some citrus flavors, overall just very fresh tasting. My rating: 87 pts, GV

2006 Black Pig Albariño -$10 (Spain, Galicia, Rías Baixas): A great little wine for the price with apple, bright lemon/citrus flavors, and something sweet that I’ll call Jasmine. This is an aromatic, interesting wine that is great for the summer. My rating: 87 pts, GV

2006 Chateau St. Jean Fume Blanc -$12 (USA, California, Sonoma County): I haven’t had this vintage of Ch St. Jean’s Fume Blanc, but it’s a solid wine for the price and it was recommend to me by a palate that I trust. Look for flavors of citrus and melon as well as good texture and balance. No rating.

2006 Ile La Forge Viognier -$12 (Languedoc Roullisson, France): The Languedoc Roullisson area of southern France is renowned for its high quality white wines made from the Viognier grape. The wines are known for stimulating aromatic profiles and medium bodied texture. This ’06 Ile La Forge is a steal at $12. Dried apricot, honey, and pear explode on the palate with creamy texture yet good acidity to balance it out. I poured a few bottles of this at a recent tasting and everyone had very good things to say. A great choice with oysters or clams. My rating: 87 pts, GV

2006 Lois Gruner Veltliner -$10 (Austria): Gruner Veltliner is the national grape of Austria. It makes white wines that have fresh citrus fruits, apple and good acidity. This 2006 Lois is very crisp and acidic with bright green fruit flavors- this wine screams Thai food or shellfish! My rating: 88 pts, VGV

2006 Vina Ventisquero Sauvignon Blanc (Casablanca, Chile) -$10: This Chilean Sauvignon Blanc from the cool, slow-ripening 2006 vintage is loaded with great aromas and flavors of fresh squeezed lemon, apple, and grapefruit. The acidity grips the palate making this a no-brainer with a meal. The ‘07 is coming out soon, and considering it was a superior vintage I’d expect it to be just as good. My rating: 88 pts, VGV

2006 Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc -$11 (New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough): Hay color with a grassy tint. Just getting near the glass gives off big aromas of tropical fruits, peach, minerals, apricot, and smoked cedar. On the palate the wine has good structure and acidity, with sweet fruit notes building up then being overtaken by a crisp acidity and tart finish that brings out notes of cut grass. I like this one.. My rating: 90 pts, VGV

Red Wine

2006 Altas Cumbres Malbec (Argentina, Mendoza)-$10: The Malbec’s of Argentina are well known for both their quality and their value. This ’06 Altas Malbec ocmes from a well known producer and is a great value. Big dark fruit flavors, with mild vanilla notes and sizable yet smooth tannins make this an easy pick for great value wine. My rating: 87 pts, GV (Good Value)

2004 Bodegas LAN Rioja Crianza (Spain, La Rioja) -$10): Some people may not like this wine- it’s a bit tart and has some very interesting flavors and texture. That said, I do so I’m recommending it! There are nice mineral notes, wet clay, lots of sour cherry, raspberry, with medium tannins. A good bottle of wine for $10- something that might pair well with BBQ chicken or ribs. My rating: 85 pts, GV

2007 Cono Sur Pinot Noir (Chile) - $11: Pinot Noir is notoriously hard to grow and even harder to produce into a good to great wine. For this reason, many Pinots are expensive. When I first came across Cono Sur back in 2005, I had little expectations for a quality Chilean Pinot at $10. This wine is light, with some cherry and spice notes, a bit of sawdust and overall pretty good balance. For the price, it’s a very good value. My rating: 85 pts, GV

2006 Château de Raousset Chiroubles -$13 (Beaujolais, France): The Beaujolais region in France’s Burgundy region is well known for Beaujolais Nuevo: an release wine (third Thursday in November) that celebrates the recent fall harvest. While this wine is generally not very good, the Cru wines of Beaujolais (those released the following year) can be very good to outstanding, especially in the summer and with food. They generally have good acidity, ripe red fruits flavors, and a light body, making them perfect summer wines. This Château de Raousset Chiroubles is filled with bright cherry, strawberry and some raspberry fruits. The wine is quite aromatic with light structure and good balance. My rating: 85 pts, GV

2005 Domaine André Brunel Côtes du Rhône -$12 (France, Rhone Valley): The wines of Côtes du Rhône…. Great quality for the price- Cherry, big cranberry notes, with a nice spice profile accented by black pepper and dried herbs. “Rhone-esque” character (meaning it has a nice characteristic of earth to it) and weight with a nice finish. My rating: 87 pts, GV

2005 Domaine Grand Veneur Côtes du Rhône Villages Les Champauvins -$10 (France, Rhone Valley): Nose: Sweet notes, cherry, laffy-taffy, herb and earth notes. Sour cherry, raspberry, spice, medium tannins, lots of razor sharp acidity. Purchased for $10- very good value. My rating: 89 pts, VGV (Very Good Value

2007 Maritma Sangiovese (Italy, Tuscano) -$8: Nice flavors with earth tones and miscellaneous spice notes. Straightforward Sangiovese to have with Pizza or a bowl of Spaghetti that is a steal at $8. My rating: 85 pts, GV

2005 Odfjell Armador Maipo Valley Cabernet (Chile) - $10: Rich dark fruit flavors, good complexity, no way this is only $10. Well it is! If you see this on the shelf, buy a few bottles and invite over a few friends. My rating: 89 pts, VGV (Outstanding Value)

2006 Panarroz Jumilla Red (Spain, Jumilla) -$8: A good value wine from a great value wine region. Jumilla is well known amongst wine enthusiasts as a go-to region for interesting, high quality wines for under $10. This ’06 Panarroz is just one of many I could list here, but I’ve had it twice and enjoyed it thoroughly, so it’s on the list. My rating: 86 pts, GV

2006 Vina Ventisquero Carmenere Reserva (Casablanca, Chile) -$13: I recently had the chance to sit down with winemaker Filipe Tosso and taste through some of Vetisquero’s wines. Without giving too much away (working on a a feature/tasting report): the wines were all very good at great values. This ’06 Carmenere (which has about 10% Syrah) has a nose of bacon fat, plum, vanilla and some smokiness. On the palate there is smoky oak, concentrated red and dark fruits and soft tannins. A very food-friendly wine, I’d pair this with grilled ribs or lamb. My rating: 87 pts, GV

Dessert Wine

NV Hardy’s Whisker’s Blake Classic Tawny Port -$9 (Australia): Tried this off of a recommendation of the Wine Library. This is a steal if you’re looking for a cheap dessert wine. Not overtly high on heat or acidity, good balance in fact. Keep a few of these around for those nights you want to sweeten things up! My rating: 87 pts, VGV