Good, cheap wine to buy for Christmas gifts

[crisi]

Depends on your definition of 'cheap' Mine is $8-15

I just picked up a few bottles of Jam Jar, a sweet red, for just under $10 - this is also available at Jiko.
I also bought some Banfi Rosa Regale, a sparkling rose we first had in WS Italy - the 375ml was $9, the 750 was $12. It was on sale, but the 750 is normally only around $15.

I love the Jam Jar red - but its sweet. I can't find it here.

 

[dzneelvr]

At our local grocers, Barefoot Wine ($9 off) and the brand with the rooster are both selling for $4.99. Both have quite good reds (I don't do white) and I'd recommend either. Spumanti and Cold Duck are usually a good price this time of year as well. Throw in a really cool wine stopper and you're all set

 

[jsmith]

i'm in the wine business. don't buy 2 buck chuck or 3 wishes. most people will know you're gifting them a $3 bottle of wine. those wines are made in factories and highly manipulated with oak chips, additives (like salt) and preservatives. they're the wine equivalent of 'fast food'
you can buy a very decent bottle of estate grown & bottled wine for $8-$10, or sometimes less. go to a wine store or nicer grocery store (wholefoods is good) and ask the wine person to show you a real estate wine (made by people, not machines).tell them exactly what you want to spend. I know of good, REALY wine that sells for $7, retail. the quality of the wine will be so much better, you are supporting small wine producers and you won't be busted giving a cheap, factory made wine.
ps-don't buy from total wine--they'll try to sell you their direct import "house" brands which is basically the same crap as 2 buck chuck, but they charge more and make a pretty penny on their own version of "fast food" wine.

Please please take this advice. There are some very nice spanish an italian wines made by people that retail for under 10 dollars. I also concur with ?purchasing from a local winery although those may be a bit more expensive. Two Buck Chuck and 3 bay pretty much say "Im really cheap so heres a bottle of wine you might want to throw in the sphagetti sauce"

 

[crisi]

Please please take this advice. There are some very nice spanish an italian wines made by people that retail for under 10 dollars. I also concur with ?purchasing from a local winery although those may be a bit more expensive. Two Buck Chuck and 3 bay pretty much say "Im really cheap so heres a bottle of wine you might want to throw in the sphagetti sauce"

As to local wineries, it depends on your region. Minnesota's local wines are pretty lousy - I've gotten a lot of them as gifts over the years and neither our soil or weather is good for wine grapes. If you are lucky enough to live in a good wine region, absolutely buy local. If you live in North Dakota, don't.

(And not in my spaghetti sauce...good ingrediants make for good food.)

 

[descovy]

As to local wineries, it depends on your region. Minnesota's local wines are pretty lousy - I've gotten a lot of them as gifts over the years and neither our soil or weather is good for wine grapes. If you are lucky enough to live in a good wine region, absolutely buy local. If you live in North Dakota, don't.

(And not in my spaghetti sauce...good ingrediants make for good food.)

True to that! I used to wait tables in a hotel/resort restaurant in Montana. We had one wine (ONE!) on the menu from MT. Only reason? For the tourists.

I agree skip the Charles Shaw & barefoot. Buy something nice in a sub $10 bottle.

 

[okeydokey]

i'm in the wine business. don't buy 2 buck chuck or 3 wishes. most people will know you're gifting them a $3 bottle of wine. those wines are made in factories and highly manipulated with oak chips, additives (like salt) and preservatives. they're the wine equivalent of 'fast food'
you can buy a very decent bottle of estate grown & bottled wine for $8-$10, or sometimes less. go to a wine store or nicer grocery store (wholefoods is good) and ask the wine person to show you a real estate wine (made by people, not machines).tell them exactly what you want to spend. I know of good, REALY wine that sells for $7, retail. the quality of the wine will be so much better, you are supporting small wine producers and you won't be busted giving a cheap, factory made wine.
ps-don't buy from total wine--they'll try to sell you their direct import "house" brands which is basically the same crap as 2 buck chuck, but they charge more and make a pretty penny on their own version of "fast food" wine.

Would you mind sharing a few?

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

I would got with a St. Michelle wine. It runs anywhere from $9 - $13 a bottle.

http://www.ste-michelle.com/


World Market has a lot of wine to pick from

 

[pixiewings71]

Depends on your definition of 'cheap' Mine is $8-15

I just picked up a few bottles of Jam Jar, a sweet red, for just under $10 - this is also available at Jiko.
I also bought some Banfi Rosa Regale, a sparkling rose we first had in WS Italy - the 375ml was $9, the 750 was $12. It was on sale, but the 750 is normally only around $15.

Just so you know, this used to be bottled as Magicale at WDW & DLR, now it's sold as Rosa Regale but it is the same thing. Very very good! I get a bottle a couple times a year for DBF and I.

OP I really like Menage a Trois wines, they have a few very good blends that should be $10-15 a bottle, a CA White, CA Red and a CA Rose, all 3 are very good and very drinkable. Chateau St Michele is also very good. I also enjoy Sutter Home very much, so much that I am a member of their wine club (I also live about half an hour from the tasting room so that makes it very easy lol), it can be hard to know what to gift as people have very specific wine tastes, that was why I suggested the blends from MaT. I definitely wouldn't go with a cheap wine that is well known, I agree that you can absolutely get a good wine at a great price for a gift.

 

[jsmith]

As to local wineries, it depends on your region. Minnesota's local wines are pretty lousy - I've gotten a lot of them as gifts over the years and neither our soil or weather is good for wine grapes. If you are lucky enough to live in a good wine region, absolutely buy local. If you live in North Dakota, don't.

(And not in my spaghetti sauce...good ingrediants make for good food.)

Okay ill agree that local wines depend heavily on location-there are some very nice boutique wines produced in Colorado, New Mexico and the hill country of Texas and some not bad ones in Kansas. The worst wine i ever had was from a local wnery in Alabama. Do take that into consideration. And that was a generic you-i wouldnt put that stuff in my sphaghetti sauce either.

 

[wellesleyprincess]

I echo what's already been said. The only case where I feel that the Three Wishes or 3 Buck Chuck would work as a gift is if it was accompanying something else (like a gift card, wine glasses, etc.) or a true case where what the recipient thinks counts (postal carrier example earlier). For $5-10 you can get a decent wine and a lot of good wines (including 90 pt+ wines) retail for $10-20.

 

[crisi]

I wouldn't give wine to my postal carrier anyway. I don't know if he drinks, and giving wine to a recovering alcoholic, or someone with liver damage, or someone who doesn't drink for religious reasons (or in some cases won't even touch alcohol knowingly) is not terribly sensitive - and in the case of someone in recovery, may actually be damaging. Alcohol makes a wonderful gift, but really needs to be reserved for when you know people drink.

Postal carriers are also forbidden by federal policy from accepting liquor. They can take gifts up to $20, including gift cards - but the cards must be for a specific store (no AmEx gift card, but Target is fine) and no cash.

 

[baw]

I'm the person in the wine business that posted earlier with the advice to stay away from 'fast food' wines (this includes almost all of the "critter" wines like yellow tail, as well as the 'gimmick' labels like barefoot). i've been asked to recommend specific brands, but import laws vary by region, so what's available is different everywhere. my BEST advice is to go to a wine shop or nice grocery store (a locally owned shop is preferable). ask the merchant to recommend an estate wine. you CAN get one for under $10 in most markets. once you have a relationship with a retailer, they can help you consistently find value wines that you like and that are appropriate gifts. this does NOT have to be expensive!! i know it's easier to just buy some bulk-made wine at the grocery store and really, most people just don't care that much about wine to make the effort. but if you don't feed your family fast food, and if you take care to eat foods that are not harmful, you can do the same with wine. you also are supporting families that produce wines by shopping in this thoughtful manner, rather than buying an inferior product from a giant corporate entity.

 

[lovesmurfs]

We were pleasantly surprised on Thanksgiving when we bought a $3.99 bottle of Beringer Chenin Blanc. Very nice, somewhat sweet, but great with poultry.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . Ripple Red
. . . Ripple White

About $2.00 per bottle, or maybe it is $2.00 per gallon.

 

[lauradis]

Sweet Walter , was cheap, cute design, not bad. www.bullyhill.com

 

[DizneyDogs]

when did two buck chuck become three buck chuck?????

 

[disneyhand]

If you shop at a Costco that sells alcohol, they always feature several for a really great price between $8-12, complete with info and rating. I love trying these. I frequently gift them and use at parties or as hostess gifts.

 

[crisi]

. . . Ripple Red
. . . Ripple White

About $2.00 per bottle, or maybe it is $2.00 per gallon.

Yum! There are people in my life who this is an appropriate gift for. Because they'd laugh.

 

[kid-at-heart]

Our local grocery stores give a discount if you buy 6 or more bottles of any one type of wine.

My favorite wine is Apothic Red Winemaker's Blend. You can find it (at least where I live) at Meijer's, Krogers, etc. It runs about $9 (on sale), $12 and up, not on sale. It is a very smooth, mellow wine.

 

[Lisa71]

I'm the person in the wine business that posted earlier with the advice to stay away from 'fast food' wines (this includes almost all of the "critter" wines like yellow tail, as well as the 'gimmick' labels like barefoot). i've been asked to recommend specific brands, but import laws vary by region, so what's available is different everywhere. my BEST advice is to go to a wine shop or nice grocery store (a locally owned shop is preferable). ask the merchant to recommend an estate wine. you CAN get one for under $10 in most markets. once you have a relationship with a retailer, they can help you consistently find value wines that you like and that are appropriate gifts. this does NOT have to be expensive!! i know it's easier to just buy some bulk-made wine at the grocery store and really, most people just don't care that much about wine to make the effort. but if you don't feed your family fast food, and if you take care to eat foods that are not harmful, you can do the same with wine. you also are supporting families that produce wines by shopping in this thoughtful manner, rather than buying an inferior product from a giant corporate entity.

Hey wait..Frog's leap is a critter and is not fast food!! It is also not cheap!