Looking for some delicious tasting wine that won’t break the bank? You’ve definitely come to the right place. Here are my picks for the best cheap wines under $10. Come visit me at the lake and see my cheap wine reviews for the best red, white and rosé wines just in time for summer entertaining.
For those of you just beginning to delve into the world of wine, the number of options available between reds, whites, and even rosé can seem intimidating. With so many wines to choose from, it can be overwhelming to know what kind of wine is right for you.
Am I a red girl? White girl?
Do I prefer a sparkling sweet wine or a drier one?
What temperature do I serve my wine at?
How do I even open the bottle?
The questions are endless! And I know this from experience because I once was a novice when it came to wine. And if I’m being honest, I still feel like I’ve just skimmed the surface of all the things one should know when it comes to wine.
You know what, though? I’m totally okay with that!
I now know enough about wine to look fairly educated amongst my friends. I can also order the proper wine to accompany my meal at a restaurant. Plus, I have a fancy 100 slot wine wall in my home which pretty much makes me a sommelier, right?!
Here’s the thing. I learned what I like in terms of wine by tasting and testing all different varieties and types over the years. Sure, I went and did a couple of wine tastings at different vineyards, but my true education came from grabbing those cheap wines at the grocery store or Target before hitting the checkout line.
The amount of high-quality wines available for $10 or less is unbelievable. These wines are just the right price for you to buy and sample to see where your wine tastes fall. I mean really, the Trader Joe’s wine we sampled was a whopping $2.99 a bottle. Yes, just $2.99!
A couple of weeks ago, we invited some of our friends over for a wine tasting party to help us sample some cheap red, white and sparkling rosé wines. We sampled 4 Merlots, 4 Sauvignon Blancs, and 3 Sparkling Rosés.
*Can I just say for the record that it was an absolute blast sampling all the wines? I wrote all about the experience, here, and even teach you how to create a Wine Tasting Party of your very own. You definitely need to add this adult party theme to your summer entertaining plans.
Altogether, there were 6 of us sampling the wines. I created a scorecard (you can get it in my free resource library) and we documented our thoughts on each of the wines. And so you know, by no means were any of us wine experts! We just tried each wine and gave our honest opinion about them.
At the end of the tasting, I collected everyone’s scorecard and tallied the votes for each of the three categories: Best Merlot, Best Sauvignon Blanc, and Best Sparkling Rosé. The wine with the most votes became the winner for that category!
Disclaimer: These results are subjective based on our personal likes and dislikes. The point I mainly want to make is that all these cheap wines were drinkable and worth buying!
My Picks for the Best Cheap Wines Under $10
Red Wine: Merlot
I went with a Merlot for the red variety because I find it to be the perfect happy medium when it comes to red wines. For me, it’s not too sweet but not too dry at the same time. I enjoy drinking a glass of red wine with a nice steak with blue cheese butter (like this one). It also pairs well with those pasta dishes from an Italian restaurant.
The four wines tested were:
- Double Dog Dare price $4.49
- Barefoot price $5.47
- Cupcake price $7.97
- Trader Joe’s Merlot price $2.99
My pick for the best cheap red was: Barefoot
The overall consensus was that the Barefoot Merlot had the most body of all four wines tested. It had a nice spice to it without being overpowering. It was definitely on the drier side in terms of wine so beware of that. For those looking for a sweeter Merlot, the Cupcake brand is the way to go! It was the second runner-up amongst us all.
White Wine: Sauvignon Blanc
I love Sauvignon Blanc wine so much! It has pretty much become my go-to wine these days. I find it to be very refreshing and light. Although I tend to drink this with everything (I don’t follow the wine rules!), this type of wine typically pairs well with seafood and chicken dishes.
The four wines tested were:
- Robert Mondavi price $8.29
- Oyster Bay price $9.97
- Kendall Jackson price $9.49
- Trader Joe’s Sauvignon Blanc price $2.99
My pick for the best cheap white was: Kendall Jackson
The overall consensus on this wine was that it was the perfect balance of sweet and dry. Those of us who prefer the sweeter wines were just as content as those who typically enjoy their white wine on the drier side. It really seemed to hit all the flavor notes all 6 of us were looking for. I highly recommend this one to accommodate a wide range of wine drinkers.
Sparkling Rosé
This is what everyone drinks over the summer in The Hamptons. Or at least everyone on the reality television show I watch on Bravo!, Summer House. Yes, I’m one of those reality show watching junkies…
All kidding aside, Sparkling Rosé has grown in popularity drastically in recent years. For people like me who live in warmer climates, Sparkling Rosé is pretty much a year-round experience. Because it’s so light and refreshing, people find it to be the perfect drink to have in their hand while lounging by the lake or pool. I find Sparkling Rosé to pair well with grilled vegetables from the bbq and all those delicious pasta salads you serve at your summer BBQs.
The three wines tested were:
- Yellow Tail price $8.99
- La Vostra price $8.99
- Cupcake price $8.99
My pick for the best cheap rosé was: Yellow Tail
This was a crowd pleaser!! It was sweet and bubbly which is everything a Sparkling Rosé should be. This one was so good that I opted to have a full glass of it after we were done with all the wine tasting. If you like sweet, this is the wine for you!
Any of these three cheap wines are a good place to start if you’re wanting to give wine a try. If wine isn’t your thing but you know the guests you’re hosting enjoy it, I promise you’ll be safe adding any of my picks for the best cheap wines to your summer party or event. Trust me on this. Cheers!
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