I usually avoid under $5 wine and here’s why: it’s almost impossible to grow, pick, ferment, age, bottle, cork, label, transport, market and sell wine for that price and still have a product that tastes good.  After tasting the Straccali 2009 Chianti, L.A. Wine Co. was ready to sell it for $7.99, and at that price I could call it a killer value with a clear conscience.  But an opportunity for a volume buy came along and now it’s available for half that price.

This Chianti compares favorably to the 2006 Monte Antico Rosso, which received 90 points from Wine Spectator and was featured on their top 100 list in 2009.  That wine sold for a still exceptionally reasonable $7.99.  The Straccali is bright, balanced and has the good acidity you expect from a nice Chianti.  Most importantly, there are absolutely no off-putting flavors, but instead some very endearing qualities – very high praise for a $4 wine.  Honestly, the only fault I can find is the cheesy label which kind of makes it look like grocery store jugged Chianti.  Luckily I don’t drink the label.

I drank this tonight with Penne Arrabiata and spicy chicken sausage – a perfect compliment to the wine.  It would also go great with pizza or even with nothing at all.  A case of this wine is $48.  Almost makes it hard to enjoy some of the $48 bottles in my cellar…

Buy Here: 2009 Straccali Chianti $3.99

What happens when Marquis-Philips’ parent company, R Wines, goes into receivership, as is the rumor in the wine industry?  The final vintage of the 91 point Sarah’s Blend is sold off for almost half price.

The legendary Chris Ringland is the winemaker behind this and R Wines’ other blockbusters, known for their creative packaging, high scores, and high Quality Price Ratio (QPR).  This wine is not for those who enjoy subtlety, with its 16% alcohol and bold Aussie flavors.  But it is a well made, well balanced wine.  It pours an opaque black with dark, smoky fruit notes on the nose.  On the palate, it’s broad and thick with complexities unheard of at this price point.  A blend of 63% Shiraz, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, with Merlot and Cabernet Franc comes together for a long finish that rounds out a package that was a good value when it sold at $20.

At $9.95 (the lowest price in the country by $2), I can’t think of a better Australian deal.  Seriously, when was the last time you can remember a 91 point red under $10?  Buy this one by the case because I think it’s safe to say we won’t be seeing it again soon.

Buy Here: Marquis-Philips Sarah’s Blend 2008 $9.95

Robert Parker 91 points

“The purple/black 2008 Sarah’s Blend is composed of 63% Shiraz, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the balance Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Notes of smoke, espresso, damp earth, spice box, and assorted black fruits lead to a full-bodied, already complex, rich wine with loads of ripe fruit. The finish is long, smooth, and filled with flavor.

With veteran vigneron Chris Ringland now in charge of the winemaking, I can state unequivocally that this is the finest collection of Marquis Philips wines since the label was started in 2000. Nevertheless, these wines will be controversial because all but one of the non-Roogle wines is over 16% alcohol. The small but vocal crowd of Australia bashers will have a field day taking these wines to task as they do with the Mollydooker wines (which seem to sell out anyway). Ringland is concerned about flavor and balance which is what these wines are all about. Those seeking low alcohol, subtlety, and finesse should of course look elsewhere. Those who want a big mouthful of sensual pleasure should read on. The Roogle Series is meant to be a bargain-priced introduction to the Marquis Philips upper level wines. The Marquis Philips wines are predominantly sourced from McLaren Vale while the Roogle wines are multi-regional.”

There really aren’t very many stand-out domestic red wines under the $10 price point.  So discovering Marietta Cellars’ Old Vine Red non-vintage “Lot #52″ bottling was a real pleasure for me.  And isn’t pleasure what wine is about after all?  You don’t drink it to quench your thirst.  If you do, it might be time to take a vacation from the vino…

Pleasure is the name of the game with this wine and you don’t have to believe me.  Here’s what Robert Parker has to say about this perennial value:

“If readers have not yet learned the formula here, it is: Marietta Cellars equals high quality, modest prices and considerable pleasure!” – Robert Parker

What is it made out of?  Who cares?  It tastes like good wine.  Seriously, it’s mostly Zinfandel with a kitchen sink worth of other varietals.  This wine is fragrant, spicy and ends with a surprisingly long finish.  It has house wine written all over it and most importantly, it’s one of those bottlings you can rely on year after year for unbeatable value.

LA Wine Co is once again the lowest price in the country at $9.95, beating the competition by a minimum of 84 cents, making them the only one beating the $10 mark.

Buy Here: Marietta Cellars Old Vine Red Lot #52 $9.95

In the under $10 price range you will be hard pressed to find better red wines than those from Mendoza, Argentina.  Malbec, Chardonnay and to a lesser degree, Cabernet, thrive there and with over 350,000 acres of vineyards (roughly 8x Napa), there is no shortage of wine produced.  Because importers need to make a serious investment in order to get wines into the United States, there is a sort of natural quality control, that occurs with many foreign wines.

The 2007 Bodega Domiciano de Barrancas Malbec Cosecha Nocturna is definitely at the top of the heap in terms of value at $8.99.  From start to finish, it has absolutely no rough edges, which is exceptionally rare in this price range.  This Malbec pours a deep ruby/purple and has a beautiful bright nose of cherry and raspberry.  Not quite as syrupy as some Malbec, the flavors are juicy, broad and delicious.  The finish is just as good with lingering flavors brought together by a nice acidity that’s sometimes missed in this grape.

I learned more Spanish today in researching this wine, than I did in two years of high school classes (thanks Senora Walters).  So many of the wineries in Argentina have such little focus on the U.S. market that they don’t even have English language sites.  As such, Google Translate came in handy, as I learned that the namesake of this wine “Cosecha Nocturna” pays homage to this winery’s policy of harvesting at night, when the cool temperatures help keep the delicate grapes in tact.

This wine is perfect for those looking for a low priced alternative to California reds, of which there are very few standouts in this price point.  It’s rich, well textured and ripe, leaving me wanting more every time I take a sip.  And that’s the best endorsement any wine can have.

Buy Here: 2007 Bodega Domiciano de Barrancas Malbec Cosecha Nocturna

What do you get when you leave the vintage and the region off the label of an Argentine Malbec?  A dramatically under priced wine.  Apparently because of some regulatory issues, they had to leave off the vintage and region on this wine.  It’s a 2008 from Mendoza for the record.

It’s well known that Argentina makes some of the best values in the wine world, but at under $7, this has to be at the top of the heap.  It’s rich and fruity but not as ripe or syrupy as some Malbec.  I would describe this as a Bordeaux lover’s Malbec.  Tight and focused, with a particularly long finish, this wine easily shows 2-3x its price.

Argentinian Malbec is grown at exceptionally high altitudes – around 3600 feet in this case.  That makes for warm days and cool nights, which is perfect for grape growing.  The perfect climate shows through in the Calatayud Malbec.  I love to keep a case of wine around in this price range to bring to parties.  You can confidently serve it, but you won’t feel ripped off if someone pours it over ice and drinks it with a twist.  Or if it never gets opened and you awkwardly can’t take it back home with you.  You’ve been there right?

Buy Here: NV Calatayud Malbec $6.99

Spain is producing some amazing values right now.  In an age when quality U.S. reds are considered values when they come in below $20, these Spanish wines under $10 are absolute steals.  How often have you drunk a $6 bottle and said “I can find absolutely no fault in this wine”?  I can count those experiences on one hand.

The 2009 Garnacha de Fuego does have one fault.  The label is absolutely awful.  It looks like a teenager’s Photoshop project.  Otherwise this wine is faultless.  That’s not to say that every aspect blew me away, but rather that everything is in its proper place- a real accomplishment for a $6 wine.

This Garnacha comes from 60-80 year old vines resulting in a concentrated wine that manages to retain an especially juicy, bright taste.  As vines age, they produce less and less fruit, but the fruit they do produce gets more and more concentrated.  All vines benefit from age (to a certain point) but Garnacha in Spain, Syrah/Shiraz in France/Australia and Zinfandel in the U.S. seem to get better with 50 and even 100 years of age.  The problem is that it becomes cost prohibitive as the vines produce less fruit.  So a $6 wine sourced from 80 year old vines is impressive!

I can’t think of many $6 wines that I would even consider drinking, let alone one that I would actually seek out.  Seek this one out  at L.A. Wine Co.  They have it for around $1 less than everyone else.

Buy Here: 2009 Garnacha de Fuego $5.99

Wine Advocate 87 points

“The 2009 Garnacha de Fuego was sourced from 60- to 80-year-old vines at 3000 feet of elevation, insane for an $8 wine. Aside from the price, the other piece of good news is that there are 6500 cases for the USA market. Purple-colored with spicy black cherry aromas that jump from the glass, this is a forward, friendly, ripe effort with no hard edges. Drink this crowd-pleaser over the next 2-3 years.

Bodegas Ateca is a collaboration between the Gil family of Jumilla and importer Jorge Ordonez.”

With the hyped 2007 vintage still on the shelves, the 2008 Rhone vintage is starting to hit the market and, in a less hyped vintage, there are often some serious values to be had.  The latest vintage of Domaine Paul Autard Cotes-du-Rhone Rogue might just prove to be the best value of the vintage. There’s just a special pleasure about drinking a great tasting wine for under $10.  In some respects it can be more fun than drinking a $100 bottle because it’s all pleasure with no pain.  That is unless someone else is paying for that $100 bottle of course.

The 2008 Domaine Paul Autard is juicy, smooth and delicious.  The 70% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 15% Counoise blend has a nose of rock candy followed up by the signature Rhone pepper.  It tastes juicy with nice cherry flavors and a surprisingly lengthy, focused finish.  This wine is aged in vats rather than barrels, so there is no oak to distract from the pure fruit.

Vintner Jean-Paul Autard (how’s that for a French name?) makes an $85 Chateauneuf-du-Pape and, while this might not be of that pedigree, the winemaking skill shows through.  Until further notice, this will be my house Rhone- guilt free!

Buy Here: Domaine Paul Autard Cotes-du-Rhone Rogue $9.95

Wine Spectator- 88 points

“This has good ripeness for the vintage, with juicy plum and blackberry fruit laced with mesquite and graphite notes. Fine length. Drink now. 4,000 cases made.” (WS)

This is another one of those under-the-radar bargains that you can only find by tasting hundreds of wines a month like LA Wine Company does.  We’ve talked a lot about large labels that make perennial values but because of those labels’ popularity, they are rarely outright steals.  Well, the 2007 Muirwood Syrah is.

What is it with Monterey producing these proprietor grown deals (remember the San Simeon Chardonnay)?  Syrah really excels in cool climate appellations like Monterey, Santa Barbara County and Sonoma.  This particular Syrah has a forward ripe nose followed by a great cocoa on the palate and a touch of spiciness on the finish.  The grapes come predominately from a single vineyard and it shows a definite complexity that wines coming from many vineyards in numerous appellations just can’t.

It’s officially summer barbecue season and I guarantee a case of this wouldn’t go to waste.  The best part is, when your friends (and your friends’ friends) come over and drink all of your wine, you don’t have to feel bad because this is only $7.99 a bottle!

Update: Now that this has been open for a few hours it’s opened up really nicely and really moved up a notch.  It’s super chocolaty and delicious!

Buy it Here: 2007 Muirwood Syrah Monterey- $7.99

In the United States, Rosé’s thorn has been White Zinfandel.  Unfortunately, Sutter Home ruined the Rosé style of wine by introducing white Zinfandel (which curiously isn’t white) to the U. S. market, in the 1970′s.  According to the Wine Business Insider, white Zinfandel still accounts for a shocking 10% of wine sales in the U.S.  Well, erase white Zin from your mind because that is the last time it will be mentioned on this blog.

Most true Rosé is dry and if tasted blind, would more likely be confused with a red wine than a sweet white.  It’s the perfect start to any summer picnic or barbecue and a great alternative to a Sauvignon Blanc.  Rosé is made by leaving the skins in contact with the grapes (in the case Grenache and Syrah for a few days so they impart the beautiful pink color and light tannin.  It’s literally half way between a white and red wine.  Wildly popular in France, Rosé is beginning to grow in popularity in the U.S.  Whether you are a long time Rosé drinker or this is your first experience, Chateau Mas Guiot is a great place to start.

Chateau Mas Guiot Rosé from the Rhone Valley, is a dry, fresh wine with a beautiful deep pink/ruby color with a hint of orange.  It’s rich and full bodied with a crisp, lingering finish.

At $7.99, this Rhone Rosé is an incredible value.  Buy it for your next barbecue and show your friends what real pink wine is all about!

Buy Here: Chateau Mas Guiot Rosé ’09- $7.99

Mendoza Malbec has been really hyped in recent years because it’s a somewhat familiar wine to Napa Cabernet or Bordeaux fans and often comes at a much lower price.  As values for domestic Cabernet get harder and harder to find, Argentine Malbec is a great alternative, and the 2007 Pannunzio Malbec is absolutely incredible for the price.

This wine pours an exceptionally deep purple and has fantastic aromas that jump out of the glass.  It tastes thick and rich, in typical Malbec style, but avoids the syrupy sweet taste that some Malbec displays. The texture is really the highlight of this wine.  I can’t believe they can make wine like this for under $10.   I recently drank one of Paul Hobbs’ single vineyard Malbecs and was blown away, but this is 90% as good for 15% of the price!

There are no ratings on this wine so you’ll have to trust me when I say that this could be the best red wine I’ve ever had under the $10 mark.  It’s my understanding that the 2007 vintage is almost sold out, so buy this one while you can!  As far as I can tell, LA Wine Co. is the only retailer in the U.S. carrying it.

Buy Here: 2007 Pannunzio Malbec- $8.99