Many of us enjoy an occasional glass of wine, and a bottle makes a thoughtful gift for a dinner host. But how do you pick a respectable bottle without overspending?
I’ve written before about finding good, inexpensive beer, and now it’s time to tackle wine. Which labels deliver acceptable flavor despite their low price, and which are simply bargain-basement? Where can you score wine at the lowest cost?
Below is a straightforward guide to cutting costs on wine purchases.
Does Your Bottle Need a Cork?
Before examining specific bottles, let’s consider what seals them. Contrary to popular belief, a cork is not always a marker of superior taste or quality. “I can think of plenty of high-profile, expensive, terrific wines with a twist-off, and many cheap and pedestrian wines are under cork,” says Dr. Vinny of WineSpectator.com.
Although corks are traditional, they aren’t the most dependable seal; some corks contain a compound called Trichloroanisole (TCA) that spoils a wine’s flavor, according to wine authority George Taber. Because it’s nearly impossible to detect which corks carry TCA, a small percentage of even pricey wines can be ruined. This partly explains why many vintners are switching to alternatives like synthetic stoppers and screw caps — which also tend to be less expensive.
So no, a cork doesn’t guarantee a better bottle. If you’re concerned about guests’ impressions of a screw cap, you can decant the wine before guests arrive.
Where to Buy Inexpensive Wine
Recommendations vary by state, since some states restrict alcohol sales in grocery stores.
Walmart
As with beer (and nearly everything else), Walmart typically offers the lowest-priced wine. The store I visited stocks a broad selection, and their least expensive bottles at the time were from Oak Leaf Vineyards. They even use a cork (albeit synthetic).
My partner and I have sampled Oak Leaf Vineyards reds and they’re respectable. Her favorite is the Merlot. Among the whites, the Pinot Grigio is decent and the Moscato is surprisingly tasty. I’m not usually a fan of sweet wines, but the subtle blend of fruit flavors makes it one of my current favorites.
What’s the price? At Walmart, all nine Oak Leaf Vineyards varieties were $2.97. That’s so inexpensive you might be tempted to save a bottle from a pricier brand and use it to decant the cheap Merlot when entertaining. (I don’t actually do that — I wear my thriftiness with pride!)
Overall, if Walmart carries a particular brand, they’re likely to have the best price around.
Trader Joe’s
Trader Joe’s is the main rival to Walmart in many areas. Trader Joe’s Charles Shaw wines can go for as little as $1.99 a bottle in some stores ($2.99 where I shop). This private-label is often nicknamed “Two-Buck Chuck” because of its low cost.
Having tasted several, some varieties are better than others. In a Thrillist.com tasting, sommelier Sam Lipp scored Charles Shaw White Zinfandel a “soft 1” on a 1–10 scale, though other varieties fared better. The summary:
- White Zinfandel: 1
- Sauvignon Blanc: 2
- Nouveau: 3
- Pinot Grigio: 6
- Shiraz: 7
- Merlot: 7
- Chardonnay: 8
Beyond their private labels, Trader Joe’s uncovers some solid wines under $10. My partner and I enjoyed the 2013 Lacheteau from the Loire Valley, priced at $7.99 currently. They also retail an organic Green Fin Red Table Wine for $3.99; one reviewer noted he couldn’t “think of a better under $5 wine that I’ve had.”
Another perk at Trader Joe’s: Saturday tastings. Typically they offer at least a couple of wines for customers to sample — and nothing beats free.
Total Wine and More
Total Wine and More stocks wines from over $1,000 down to around $5, and true to its name they carry far more than just wine. Our nearest Total Wine features over 7,000 distinct selections!
This is where you go when you want to set frugality aside. Scan the racks of hundred-dollar-plus bottles, then opt for one priced at $8. You may not find the absolute cheapest bottles here, but if you prefer sampling a broad range on a budget, where else offers so many under-$10 choices?
And if you’re lucky, you’ll catch them handing out free samples of wine (or beer or spirits).
Wine Math
$2.97 is remarkably cheap for a bottle, but price per bottle alone doesn’t tell the whole story. Some shoppers prefer to calculate which wines give the most liquid for their money, or the most alcohol per dollar (while still tasting acceptable). That requires a bit of arithmetic.
For instance, many Oak Leaf Vineyards bottles list about 8% alcohol. Like most standard bottles they hold 750 milliliters, roughly 25 ounces. That’s around 12 cents per ounce of wine. Multiply 25 ounces by 8% and you get 2 ounces of alcohol for $2.97, or about $1.49 per ounce of alcohol.
That’s decent, but to find truly low cost you should examine large jugs and boxed wines. Franzia Chardonnay in a three-liter box sells for $12.99 at my local Walmart and has 12.5% alcohol. That equates to about 13 cents per ounce of wine — slightly higher than the Oak Leaf bottles. Yet because of the stronger alcohol percentage, the cost per ounce of alcohol is just $1.04, roughly 30% cheaper.
A superior bargain discovered in my search was the three-liter glass jug of Carlo Rossi Paisano, which lists 11.5% alcohol and costs $10.37. Cost per ounce of wine: 10 cents. Cost per ounce of alcohol: 89 cents!
If you keep looking you may encounter a high-alcohol, low-priced five-liter boxed wine that drives the per-ounce cost even lower. If you find such a deal, or any delightful low-cost wine, please share your discovery below.
Your Turn: What’s the cheapest decent wine you’ve tried? Have you come across even cheaper but less tasty bottles?
