The second most popular item on the blog this year was something I wrote more than two years ago, a post that asked whether the $6 line of Barefoot wines offered value or were just cheap. In one respect, this isn’t surprising. That Barefoot post has always been popular — the fifth most visited in 2008 and the fourth most in 2009. What is surprising is that a 2 1/2-year-old post is still being read, and that so few people who who write about wine in the cyber ether have noticed this. You can see for yourself. Do a Google search, and hardly any reviews written about Barefoot in the last couple of years show up on the first page. And if the results don’t show up on the first page, then they’re irrelevant as far as the Internet is concerned. A few thoughts about what this means for consumers, and my take on the current Barefoot merlot. This year, that Barefoot post accounted for 3 1/2 percent of the hits on the blog. Which, frankly, is amazing. Since I started doing this in November 2007, I have written almost 900 items.

Almost none of them have done that well in one year, and the ones that have are current posts like this year’s $10 Hall of Fame or reviews for wines that are popular here, like the Tormaresca Neprica.A $6 wine from E&J Gallo, the company that the Winestream Media loves to turn its nose up at? How can that be? A couple of reasons. The most important is the recession. We have reams of data showing that consumers have traded down to less expensive wines, but reams of data are often difficult to understand. So how about this? Two-thirds of this blog’s visitors make more than $60,000 a year, and almost three-quarters of them have at least a college degree, according to Quantcast. In other words, they’re the people who make marketing types salivate. And they want to read about $6 wine this year more than ever before. (Ironically, though the Wine Spectator’s audience makes more money than mine does, I have more women and my readers are better educated.) Which leads to the second reason.

There aren’t a lot of other people writing about Barefoot, let alone $6 wine. But I do it. It’s my reason for being, and the post shows up on Google when visitors search for Barefoot. And, frankly, I should have written something about Barefoot before this, given the numbers. And if I didn’t, and I’m supposed to, no one else is going to. That’s because no one thinks they’re going to become a famous wine writer by writing about Barefoot. And, sadly, too many people who do this want to become famous wine writers. Or already consider themselves famous wine writers who are above reviewing $6 wine. That there is an audience for that kind of writing doesn’t really matter to them, since their audience isn’t people who drink wine but people they want to impress.I long ago gave up trying to impress anyone. Here, it’s all about the wine, as it should be. And the current Barefoot merlot ($6, sample) is the kind of wine that drives “wine writers” crazy. It’s simple and very fruity (the back label says boysenberry, but it’s probably closer to a generic dark berry).

But it’s also balanced and professionally made. There are no off flavors or obvious flaws. Interestingly, it’s both food-friendly and fruity enough to drink on its own, and wouldn’t suffer in the least if it was served chilled or with an ice cube or two. Drink it with everything from hamburgers to takeout pizza. In this, it’s as well done as most $10 California merlot, and if you like $10 California merlot, then the Barefoot is your kind of wine. best full bodied red wine ukCall it American vin ordinaire, the U.S. equivalent of the wine the French pick up at the corner store with the baguette on their way home from work (and a tip o’ the Curmudgeon’s fedora to L. Kleinpeter for making me notice that). best wine tours of europeIs it an award winner? top 10 new zealand wine

Nope, though it has won awards, oddly enough. It is as nifty as the $10 Hall of Fame wines? I don’t think so, though this Barefoot will give me pause when I do the 2011 list. So call it a value, and wonder why more of the wine world doesn’t pay attention to it. This site is intended for those of legal drinking age.Best Wine SweetBest Sweet Red WinesBest Red WineSweet Red Wine ListBarefoot SweetBarefoot WinesBarefoot CabernetGood Cheap WineGood WineForwardsReview: Best Barefoot Red Wines (one of my go-to cheap wines, I agree with them that the Cab and Shiraz [my fave] are good)best wine for cake Those who know me well know wine is one of my favorite things, no matter the time of year. best wine for roast chickenI even have a few on my list for Santa. the best red wine in singapore

Wine is also a great option — or obligation — to bring to a party if the host has dinner covered. But if you’ve been invited to a more formal holiday party and need to impress, the supermarket aisles may seem stacked against you.Luckily, we’ve compiled some insider info and choices to help you pick a bottle like a pro — without breaking the bank.Here are a few general tips in case none of the best wine options below show up on your local shop’s shelves.This goes without saying — skip big bottles and boxed wines. Although good wines come in those packages, the odds aren’t in your favor.That said, the screw cap isn’t the end of the world. In fact, many wine experts agree the screw cap is a superior wine closure. Especially for young, dinner-party-friendly wines not meant to age — screw caps . So if you pick up a bottle with a screw cap, you won’t look cheap or ignorant — and if someone thinks so, . 🙂When you buy a bottle of true Bordeaux, you’re paying for the name and history as much as, if not more so, the cost of production. N

ew World wines generally refer to those from countries other than Europe, though it’s a little more complicated, and lack the prestige price tag. Plus, their winemakers started later in the game and usually use more up-to-date, technologically advanced processes to create great wines for lower production costs.  So instead of more expensive French Bordeaux, try a Bordeaux-style wine out of or . My favorite place to try this trick is Total Wine. If you walk up to one of their associates and ask for a New World Bordeaux or Burgundy under $15, they’ll set you up.Before you get all up in arms about your tried-and-true red blend, hear me out. Lots of blends are tasty wines — and yes, most high-end foreign wines are blends.But you stand a lower chance of scoring a real bargain when you buy a red or white blend without varietal (that is, type of grape) labeling.These anonymous blends tend to be made of whatever varietal wines are left over after the winemaker produces her labeled cabernets, merlots and syrahs. W

hile this kind of leftover wine stew can be yummy, it usually comes at a hefty markup since it’s so cheap to make — and isn’t very snob-friendly.If you live near a Trader Joe’s, you’re in luck: A lot of their bargain “exclusive” wines are actually an incredible value, and the tasting notes they put up in stores are well done. I once purchased there. It really exhibited the signature stylistic notes of grass and minerality — for just $7.99.At ABC Liquors, look for wines with a rating from Wine Spectator or Wine Enthusiast — surprising wines sometimes go deeply on sale! I got a bottle of 2010 Château Haut Pommarede Graves Rouge — a pretty decent imported Bordeaux — for just $12.99. It originally was almost $20. Publix, my favorite chain in the south, uses a set of picture graphics to confer characteristics like body and sweetness. You can always ask the store specialist, though your mileage may vary. Some of these folks are just regular grocery store employees who don’t actually know very much about wine. T

hey might still direct you to something yummy, though!Any of these wines would be a great choice. Feel free to use this as a rough guideline when you head to the store — not every bottle will be available at your local vendor. Prices may vary based on your location — but you can get them online if shipping alcohol is legal in your state.You’ll notice that cabernet and chardonnay do not appear on this list. They’re so popular it’s easy to find an iffy one — and hard to pick out real bargains. If one of these varietals is your go-to, more power to you. But, if you branch out a little, you might be surprised what you find — and love!Bubbles are a classic apéritif whose dinner party presence is well-warranted. But just looking at cheap champagne gives me a headache — and it’s hard to find a nice bottle for less than $40.If you have yet to try Italy’s sparkling wine, Prosecco, consider it this year.It’s got all the bubbly goodness of, well, bubbly. But it undergoes a shorter (cheaper!) fermentation method for a fruitier profile with less of the bready, biscuity flavor of French champagne. I

t’s affordable — and better than you’re eyeing. Your head will thank me tomorrow.Beaujolais is a light and fruity red wine with very little tannin — it drinks well, even for those who “don’t like reds.” It’s had moments as a trendy wine for critics to hate on, but it pairs especially well with traditional holiday foods, like turkey with cranberry sauce. Plus, it’s an affordable French import — c’est bon!The “Villages” version of Duboeuf’s newest release is a step up from the regular $8 bottle you can find in drug stores. The additional word corresponds to a rarer wine from a smaller set of vineyards, and will make you look that much savvier.Note: Because Beaujolais is the first wine released of any given vintage — and because it lacks the structure tannin gives bigger reds — it’s meant to be drunk immediately. Make sure you give the date a glance. You want this year’s bottle, if possible.Because it’s a moody grape prone to low yields, good, affordable pinot is so hard to find — but it pays off so well. W

ell-made pinot noir is a light but complex red and goes well with a variety of foods. Hahn makes one of the nicest sub-$20 bottles I’ve ever enjoyed.Honorable mention: Mayhall Tibbs, 2013 — $10.99 at Trader Joe’s. A little less subtle than Hahn, but if you want cherry-tasting wine, this guy is the bomb. Tlthough it’s not for sipping all night (unless you want to feel rotten tomorrow morning), a sweet wine like port, sweet riesling or even sweet bubbles like Italy’s Asti wine can be really good — even at affordable prices.The powerful flavor of the extra residual sugar means you won’t miss the fine complexity of the higher end versions, more obvious in dry wines. Plus, some fortified wines last quite a while after uncorking. They’re dosed with extra alcohol and meant to be consumed in moderate, dessert amounts. Even if you don’t pop the bottle after dinner, it makes a great holiday gift!That’s right — green wine! Although the color sometimes matches, the name So, Vinho Verde is a young Portuguese wine not allowed to age, whether red, white or rosé.I

t’s very slightly effervescent and can exhibit exciting fruit flavors ranging from lemon to fig. It’s not as aggressively bubbly as your favorite champagne, but still fizzy. It’s also a wine you don’t see every day, making it extremely not-embarrassing.Remember what I said about Old World wines being consistently more expensive and carrying less value per dollar? Spain’s kind of an exception.Tempranillo is one of my favorite grape varietals, with big, juicy, red fruit flavors like berry and plum, balanced with smoky, spicy flavors like tobacco and vanilla. It’s a great food wine — and you don’t have to pay much for it. If you haven’t heard of viognier, get ready to replace all your chardonnay. This grape has the same weighty mouthfeel, but since it’s not usually aged in oak, it retains tropical fruit flavors like peach and pear, even floral notes of violet.Paired with the neutral chenin blanc in this blend, you wind up with a well-balanced wine, free of the sweet, heavy character viognier can take on by itself.S

auvignon blanc is a fantastic food wine because of its high acid level, which cuts through fatty cheeses and meats. Marlborough, New Zealand is one of the premier regions for this varietal, and Kim Crawford’s bottle is likely to be on your local shelves.Just like Beaujolais, sauvignon blanc is another wine that’s meant to be drunk young — so look for the most recent vintage when you go hunting.Italian wine means a lot more than $3 chianti in the straw basket, so you’re in for a treat.This Italian bottle is a big red with notes of blackberry and earth — with lots of tannin and relatively low acid. It’s a wine worth contemplating, and a great value for the price point.If you like cabernet, jump over to shiraz (which is what happens when Aussies try to say “syrah,” apparently). This is a nice bottle to try, with a low price point. Because shiraz is also a thick-skinned dark grape variety, you’ll notice many of the same blue, black and cooked fruit flavors from your favorite cabernet — but with the exotic twist of pepper or even chocolate.R