Wines 10 for $10 (or less).(Buyers guide)

The most expensive bottle of wine ever to be auctioned was a Chateau Lafite, supposedly owned by Thomas Jefferson. The cost was more than $156,000.

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But it was rendered undrinkable when its cork slipped in 1986. (Oops.)

Fortunately for much, much less, you can get a very tasty wine to go with just about anything on your menu.

To arrive at our list, we singled out inexpensive wines that have been excellent or very good in our past tests, then asked our experts to conduct blind taste tests of the current vintages.The prices in the chart below are the averages from supermarkets nationwide. Be aware that the vintages might vary among stores. Cheers!

 
Quick Ratings Inexpensive wines 
 
All are excellent or very good overall. Listed by varietal; within 
varietals, in alphabetical order. 
 
Wine (with area of origin) and   Price  Description/comments 
vintage tested                   750ml 
 
CABERNET SAUVIGNON Dry, 
medium-bodied; good with 
grilled meat, oily fish, rich 
sauces. 
 
Columbia Crest Grand Estates     $9.80  Easy drinking, jammy, with ripe 
Columbia Valley (WA) 2003               black fruit and wood. 
 
Rosemount Estate                 7.50   Intense red and black fruit 
Shiraz-Cabernet (Australia)             flavors; hints of spice and 
2004                                    wood. 
 
CHARDONNAY Dry, medium-bodied; 
good with foods with butter, 
cream, cheese. 
 
Alamos The Wines of Catena       9.90   Tasty balance of fruity, woody,  ...