11 Great Wines under $10

In addition to our local wine dealer, who clues us in on cheap-and-tasty bottles in his store, we sometimes buy wine online. But even if you don’t, or can’t, buy wine online, there’s a secret little trick to using the online Web sites to find enticing wine bargains.

Go to a site like LiquidDiscount.com and click on "advanced search." Check the box for "wines under $10," then filter by "wine ratings." All of the wines that were highly rated by wine experts or wine magazines flow to the top of the list. Voila, a list of superb wines that won't drain your wallet.

Here’s the list from my recent search on LiquidDiscount.com:

• Marquis Philips Shiraz 2006 (half-bottle size), Australia, 92 Wine Advocate, $7.45;
  
• Masserie Pisari Salento Rosso Negroamaro 2005, Italy, 90 Steven Tanzer, $9.98;
  
• Panarroz Jumilla 2006, Spain, 90 Robert Parker, $7.67;
  
• Bodegas Ateca Garnacha de Fuego Old Vines 2007, Spain, 89 Steven Tanzer and Wine Spectator, $6.94;
  
• Powers Chardonnay Columbia Valley 2007, Washington State, 88 Wine Spectator, $9.81;
  
• Cristalino Brut Cava NV, Spanish Sparkling Wine, 88 Wine Enthusiast, $8.47;
  
• Falesco Vitiano Rosso IGT 2006, Italy, 88 Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator, $9.97;
  
• Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz/Cabernet 2007, Australia, 88 Wine Advocate, $9.38;
  
• E. Guigal Coes du Rhone Rouge 2004 (half bottle), France, 87 Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator, $6.98;
  
• D’Arenberg The Stump Jump White 2006, Australia, 87 Wine Advocate, $9.65;
  
• Chateau de Paraza Minervois Cuvee Speciale 2005, France, 85 Wine Spectator, $8.99.

If you don’t want to buy online, or can’t because they can’t ship to your state, ask your local wine store to get some of these for you. We’ve had the Masserie, the Panarroz, the Powers Chard, and the Bodegas Garnacha, and they’ll all incredible at the price. The Bodegas Garnacha de Fuego and the Panarroz Jumilla are outright steals at less than $7 and $8, respectively.