I love occasionally splurging on a bottle of wine, but I also know that good wine isn’t synonymous with expensive — especially at a store like Trader Joe’s, where prices for great-quality items are almost criminally low. At Trader Joe’s, you can get wines with a high price point to celebrate milestones and other special moments, and you can get more affordable wines to bring to dinner parties or staying-home-with-Netflix parties. For those budget-friendly occasions, I polled friends, family, coworkers, winos, and Trader Joe’s employees to round up the store’s best under-$10 wines. (Got a little more money to spend? Try one of these under-$20 wines.) 2013 Green Fin White Table Wine This budget beauty is made with organic grapes — for just under $4, that’s a steal! The pop of effervescence in this white lambrusco nicely offsets the sweetness. Or to use my boyfriend’s description: “It’s kind of like soda wine.” Espiral’s white wine is a hot commodity in the summer.

It’s the perfect wine to sip while lounging with friends on warm days. Sauvignon Republic Sauvignon Blanc 2013 I’m not a big white wine drinker, but when I do, I go for crisp, dry Sauvs. Hailing from New Zealand, this one tastes slightly tart, tropical, and grassy.buy wine equipment Kono 2013 Marlborough Sauvignon Blancwhere to buy wine sleeve This one tastes like no other Sauv Blanc I’ve ever had. best wine amazonIt combines the ripest melons with a much-needed punch of lime.red wine best storage 2011 Dynamic Red Table Winebest wine for turkey

A balanced blend of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon make up this biodynamic table wine. Plus, the screw top means no wine opener needed! 2011 Castle Rock Pinot Noir According to one of my friends, Castle Rock Cabernet is the BEST wine at Trader Joe’s, but it’s a rarity. best wines in texasIf you can’t find it, she suggests going for the Pinot Noir instead.best wine for new mom 2012 Dark Horse Cabernetbest wine list nyc 2015 A number of people named Dark Horse as a favorite, and with good reason. best boxed red wine reviewIt’s got surprising complexity for such a reasonable price. I’m a big fan of Cocobon, but it’s on the sweet side, so you have to be in the mood for that.

“Drinkable” is the best word I can use to describe it. Monte Ducay Reserva 2009 “The palate is deep and luxurious, with dark fruit and notes that give away the presence of the Cab—cassis and graphite,” according to the website Now And Zin. La Granja Tempranillo 2012 Whenever I drink tempranillo, I feel chic and worldly. And whenever I spend $5 on a good bottle of tempranillo, I feel like a damn superstar. 2012 Apothic Red Winemaker’s Blend This wine stands up to bold flavors, so don’t be afraid to serve this at your next dinner party. It’s a much beloved go-to among Trader Joe’s wine aficionados. 2012 Trader Joe’s Reserve Happy Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon At nearly $10, this is the priciest of the bunch, but the wine guy at my Trader Joe’s proclaimed this the best red wine you’ll find for that price point. If your Trader Joe’s doesn’t carry any of these wines, ask store associates for their favorite cheap picks. Every time I’ve done this, they’re always more than happy to help.

Also, these prices are from a Los Angeles Trader Joe’s; wine prices at your store may vary. Users of this site agree to the , and Ad ChoicesActivate your account now! We hope you have enjoyed your complimentary access. Become a subscriber today to enjoy these benefits: Unlimited access to our Web site Mobile site & iPhone app Are you currently a subscriber?The Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast magazines recently published their annual selections for the best wines released in 2011 from around the world. Both magazines’ lists are based on wines reviewed by their respective staffs over the course of the year and both magazines’ selections include a number of Italian wines. I find it interesting to analyze and compare exactly what wines were included in the two lists.  However, let’s first look at the overall distribution of wines selected by each of the magazines. Wine Spectator’s top 100 picks are selected from the more than 16,000 new wine releases reviewed by the magazine’s staff this year.

Twelve countries are included in the Wine Spectator’s list of the top 100 wines. Perhaps not surprisingly, the largest number of wines selected is from U.S. producers with 41 U.S. wines included in the top 100. The majority of the U.S. wines selected are from California but there are a goodly number from Washington and Oregon states as well as one each from New Mexico and New York. The top wine of the year as determined by the Wine Spectator is a 2009 Pinot Noir from the Kosta Browne winery in Sonoma, California. However, Italian wines fared well with 20 Italian wines appearing in the list of the top 100. The top-rated Italian wine is a 2006 Brunello di Montalcino from the Campogiovanni estate, which garnered the number four position in Wine Spectator’s top 100. France also makes an impressive showing with 16 French wines in the top 100 list and Spain is fourth with 11 wines in the top 100. Amost all of the Italian wines included in Wine Spectator’s top 100 wines are from Tuscany, Piedmont or the Veneto.

2006 was an excellent year for both the Piedmont and Tuscany regions. The 2006 growing season was especially generous in southern Tuscany, resulting in well balanced, exceptionally age-worthy Brunello di Montalcino wines and four Brunellos are included in the top 100. While no Barolo or Barbaresco wines were included in Wine Spectator’s top 100 wine selections the previous year, three Barolo and one Barbaresco wines are included in this year’s top 100. The Wine Enthusiast’s list of the top 100 wines of the year includes 30 wines from U.S. producers. The majority of these are from California but Washington and Oregon states also have several wines in the top 100 listing. Following the U.S., France has 20 wines in the Wine Enthusiast’s top 100 while Italy has 17 wines in the top 100. Wines from South Africa, Portugal and Australia are also well represented. The top-ranked wine in Wine Enthusiast’s top 100 list is from Italy, a 2007 Chianti Rufina “Nipozzano” Riserva from the Marchesi de’Frescobaldi estate in Tuscany.