Best wine under $12 Full Story

Types of wines

In the United States, Australia and other "New World" wine-growing regions, wines are labeled with the name of the grape from which they're produced, also known as the varietal name. Some wines, such as Shiraz-Cabernet, are produced by combining two types of grape. In Europe, wines are more commonly known by the region in which they are produced, such as Burgundy or the Rhone Valley. Red wines include Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Malbec, Merlot, Shiraz (or Syrah) and Zinfandel. Whites include Chardonnay, Pinot Gris or Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling.

Some critics argue that the best inexpensive wines come from abroad, while others say that there are plenty of world-class domestic producers. In 2003, Mike Steinberger reported that "California produces almost nothing worth drinking for under $15." Five years later, he says, he's still struggling to find noteworthy yet inexpensive domestic wines. Likewise, Eric Asimov of The New York Times doesn't usually look to the U.S. for value wines. "Too often," he writes, "the producers try to imitate expensive wines using artifice -- mediocre cabernet sauvignon flavored with oak chips, for example -- rather than making more honest wines from lesser grapes." Citing the impressive 2005 and 2006 vintages in Europe, the Boston Globe asserted that "Old World vineyards remain the source of the most interesting wine for the least money."

But while it's true that Europe, Chile, Argentina, Australia and New Zealand are great sources of inexpensive wine, other critics say you can't count the U.S. out. The founder of Wine Review Online, Robert Whitley, lists more than a dozen U.S. producers whose "wines are classy and affordable and would make excellent starter kits for the aspiring wine collector." Moreover, Wine Spectator chose several inexpensive domestic wines for its 2006 and 2007 top-100 lists, which are culled from the thousands of wines the magazine reviews annually.

Foreign red and white wines are good values

Critics say that Spain and Portugal are particularly good sources of inexpensive wines. Although Australia is frequently cited as a major source of delicious, inexpensive wine, tasters whose opinions are included in The Wine Trials found many of the Australian wines they sampled unbalanced and overly sweet. Spanish and French wines showed more balance. Spain's Las Rocas de San Alejandro Garnacha 2005 (*est. $11) scores some prominent mentions in such sources as Gary Vaynerchuk's Wine Library series and a 90-point rating from Robert Parker, a colossus among wine critics. This earthy red was also selected by Wine.com as one of the top 100 wines of 2007. Critics say the unoaked Las Rocas Garnacha not only packs a fruity wallop, it also boasts undercurrents of pepper and white truffle. Wine Advocate suggests you can drink it now or hold onto it for 2 or 3 more years.

Another Spanish red, Bodegas LAN Rioja Crianza 2004 (*est. $12) is a favorite of both The Wine Trials tasters and the Boston Globe's picky panel of wine directors and sommeliers. Both groups of tasters say that this wine tastes as though it's been in the bottle longer than four years. The Boston Globe says it has a "ripe, long finish." Experts say that Rioja is the world's only wine region to age its wines perfectly before releasing them. Before being sold, crianza-style wines spend one year in the barrel and one year in the bottle, which is why the LAN 2004 is the most recent vintage.

We also found consistently good reviews for Aveleda Vinho Verde Quinta da Aveleda 2006 (*est. $6), a Portuguese white wine that experts say is a superb value. Reviewers say this is a complex wine with an appealing freshness, an abundance of stone-fruit flavors and a hint of minerals. Wine Spectator awarded this wine 87 points out of 100, and the editors of The Wine Trials called it "one of the great steals" among wines tasted for the book.

Eric Asimov of the New York Times and Mike Steinberger of Slate are both fans of France's Domaine Delaye St. Veran "Les Pierres Grises" (*est. $10). Asimov praises its "pronounced freshness" and Steinberger says that this is an elegant white wine with citrus notes. Critics say that this wine is a delicious alternative to unctuous, vanilla-scented California Chardonnays, but it may be difficult to find in stores.

Unlike Domaine Delaye, Australia's Yellow Tail wines are anything but difficult to find. With more than 13% of the U.S. market, Yellow Tail sells more inexpensive wine to Americans than any other producer. Experts say that these wines are surprisingly well made and complex. The Yellow Tail Pinot Grigio (*est. $8) is a dry white that critics say is redolent of citrus, green apple and pear. Reviews say the Shiraz-Grenache blend (*est. $9) is a well-balanced red, with hints of tobacco and spice. The Shiraz-Cabernet blend (*est. $7) is a fruity, lush red.

Best domestic red and white wine

Columbia Crest is a vast Washington winery that experts say produces consistently good inexpensive wines. The brand's four wine labels include Two Vines and Grand Estates. Although the former is priced lower, blind-tasters consistently preferred wines from this label over more expensive Grand Estates wines. Reviews say that the Columbia Crest Two Vines Riesling 2005 (*est. $8) is an excellent white, with flavors of tropical and stone fruits and citrus. This is a sweeter white wine as opposed to a more dry white such as a chardonnay. The Two Vines Merlot-Cabernet (*est. $8) is said to be distinctly fruity and pleasantly herbaceous. Wine Spectator says that this full-bodied red has enough character to withstand a year or two of aging. The magazine awarded the Two Vines Vineyard 10 Washington White 2006 (*est. $8) a score of 88 points out of 100 and called it a "juicy, zippy white" with a "polished texture."

Another Washington State winery that wins raves from blind tasters is Chateau St. Michelle. Reviews say that the 2006 Columbia Valley Pinot Gris (*est. $13) is crisp, refreshing and fun-to- drink lighter white wine. Wine Spectator awarded the 2007 Columbia Valley Riesling (*est. $10) 86 points out of 100, saying that this white is redolent of peaches and pears, with subtle mineral notes.

Reviews say that an unusually high number of Bogle Vineyards' varietals are of high quality. The California winery's 2006 Chardonnay, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc and 2005 Old Vines Zinfandel (each *est. $9) have all been singled out in reviews for their complexity. The well-balanced 2006 Sauvignon Blanc is said to taste of lemon and flowers, and the 2006 Merlot is a favorite of reviewers, who say this red boasts a lot of fruit and an extra-long finish. According to The Wine Trials, the 2006 Zinfandel is an "honest, classic New World expression of the grape," with piney notes and vanilla undertones.

Budget wines that age well

The majority of wines are drunk "young," within months of being bottled. With a few years of aging, however, many wines become softer, less tart and better balanced. According to Eric Asimov of the New York Times, "The gradual interaction between a fine wine and small amounts of oxygen results in what we call aging. Firm tannins soften and aggressive aromas of fruit mellow and evolve into complex new characteristics." Wines should be stored in a dark, quiet room, where the humidity can be controlled and the temperature can be kept within 55-65° Fahrenheit at all times.

You don't hear much about keeping less expensive wine in a cellar, but experts say this is a good way for a young collector to gain experience and develop their preferences. Even some budget wine can benefit from a bit of aging.

Two of Yellow Tail's reserve wines should improve with age, say experts, and their prices put them within easy reach of aspiring wine collectors. Wine Spectator awarded the Shiraz South Eastern Australia The Reserve 2006 (*est. $11) 89 points out of 100, calling it a "juicy mouthful of plum and blackberry" with a "fine-grained finish." Its 2005 Reserve Shiraz (*est. $11) fared even better: this lively red earned a coveted spot on Wine Spectator's list of the top 100 wines of 2007, with 90 points out of 100. Wine Spectator calls it "harmonious and generous," and Wine.com praises this wine's "seamless and well-structured tannins." Reviews say that both of these reds can stand up to several years of cellaring.

Another Australian vineyard, Jacob's Creek, has earned consistent raves from Wine Spectator, which gave its 2003 Shiraz South Australia Reserve (*est. $17) a berth on its list of the top 100 wines of 2006. The 2004 and 2005 vintages are nearly as good, according to the most credible reviews. These reds are said to be intensely flavorful, with notes of blackberry, plum and spice. Robert Whitley of Wine Review Online rates Jacob's Creek wines "superstars" in the bargain-wine category, calling them "impeccably made and exceedingly satisfying."  Wine.com says that the 2005 Shiraz (*est. $14) should "evolve gracefully over the next 10 years."

Box wine

Boxed wine offers a couple of distinct advantages over bottled wine. It's cheaper, in part because the packaging costs less, and it lasts longer -- a vacuum-sealed plastic pouch keeps it fresh for as long as a month. Box wine is much easier to transport than bottled wine, and some boxes hold as much as 5 liters, or the equivalent of 6 bottles.

Although we found only a handful of reviews of boxed wine, Mike Steinberger at Slate.com gives Dtour 2004 Côtes-du-Rhône (*est. $40 for 3-liter cylinder) his top rating for its depth and the length of its finish. This medium-bodied red gives up spicy cherry flavors and is laced with herbs. His second choice is the 2004 Mâcon-Villages (*est. $40 for 3-liter cylinder), a white made only from Chardonnay, which he calls "crisp and clean," with pronounced honeysuckle and pineapple notes.

Carol Emert of the San Francisco Chronicle, who tasted 31 boxed wines for her roundup, is fond of the 2003 Banrock Station South Eastern Australia Chardonnay (*est. $20 for a 3-liter box), which she praises as being full of "green apple, lemon and pear, rounded out with a good dose of butter and a hint of nutmeg."