Wine experts....recommend me the cheapest red thats not gag-worthy

[dazco]

I'm a beer drinker, always have been. Never liked wine, but lately i have started drinking a glass every nite for the health benefits and the calming effect. I probably couldn't tell a $50 bottle from a $10 one. All i can tell are really cr@ppy ones. I tried sutter home recently then gallow after that. The gallow tasted like gasoline. So i'm not looking for something that would please a wine lovers palette, just something that won't taste like gas but is almost cheap as it gets. I'm talking $5 or less per bottle. preferably less. Don't think they still make that 2 buck chuck do they, and was it really any good anyways?

In any case, whats your vote for the best tasting dirt cheap wine?

 

[Dilligaf]

Dynamite Cab, it's Napa Valley wine, excellent for $14.
Our local winery http://www.newclairvauxvineyard.com/ has great affordable wine. Their red table, Shiraz and Cab are all very good.
Ride on up and I'll take ya there.

 

[CarlS]

Thunderbird, Ripple and MD 20/20 - at least that's what the winos around here drink! :y114: Seriously, I am supposed to drink a glass of red wine every day for my cholesterol. I rarely do it; but when I remember, I drink a less expensive Cabernet Sauvignon. I don't like a really sweet wine and I don't like a really dry one. There is a local winery that makes a really good tasting one; I buy it when I can.

 

[dazco]

[quote author=Dilligaf link=topic=11470.msg56799#msg56799 date=1295639297]
Dynamite Cab, it's Napa Valley wine, excellent for $14.
Our local winery http://www.newclairvauxvineyard.com/ has great affordable wine. Their red table, Shiraz and Cab are all very good.
Ride on up and I'll take ya there.
[/quote]

You know, actually my niece is a wino that also lives up there ! :ya2: Actually she's a bit of a wine expert and has worked at several wineries making wine and is very knowledgeable. Problem is, i asked her this very question a week ago in an email and she hasn't answered yet. So rather thean wait i thought i'd she what you guys like. $14 is a bit much for me tho, as i had no problem with the $4 sutter home i tried. But knowing nothing about wine i figured i should ask because if i buy SH all the time i may be missing out on something i'd like more thats just as cheap.

 

[Dilligaf]

Life is too short to drink crappy wine...LOL

 

[dazco]

You shoulda told me that before i left an hour ago and bought 2 bottles of 2 buck chuck! Oh well....better than gallo at least, and even cheaper. I think it must be stronger because the alcohol taste is stronger. Thats what i dislike, but it should take less time to get warm. :ya2:

 

[otherwise]

[quote author=Dilligaf link=topic=11470.msg56829#msg56829 date=1295659765]
Life is too short to drink crappy wine...LOL
[/quote]

Absolutely correct!
Also too short to cook with crappy wine.
The problem is finding the difference between cheap crappy wine and cheap acceptable blends. I'm yet to find pure un-blended that's cheap and acceptable. Because I only drink about 1 bottle a mth, I usually pay $20.00 to $30.00 but sure get pissed off if it aint good. The beauty of blended wine is it's usually consistent from box to box even year to year.