There's a question we've all asked ourselves numerous times. And maybe you've asked some wine knowledgeable person that question. Though I would suggest not asking a wine shop sales person.
So where do you get your best bang-for-the-buck, your best value and still get a decent wine? It seems that $20 plus-or-minus five bucks is about right.
Of course it depends on the country of origin and the variety. For instance, in California white wines you can do well with Sauvignon Blanc, Reisling and such for probably $12 to $20. Sonoma County has lots of very good $20-under Sauv Blancs. There are some nice sparkling wines in the $20 range, too.
For reds you'll probably spend a bit more. For Pinot Noir it's tough under $25 -- personally I wouldn't trust them to be very "pinot-like." See Mega Purple. As a bit of an aside, I'd be leery of any Pinot Noir that's really dark and purple in color whatever the price. Still, there are many good reds priced below $25. Zinfandel and Merlot are good bargains. You can find some Cabernets, also. Okay, maybe a Pinot Noir or two.
This doesn't mean you'll find "great" wines for this price, but what you'd call very nice wines. And completely adequate wines for most purposes. So why would anyone spend more? You'll find the best wine cost more. Whether or not it's worth spending $40 or more is up to you.
I've put this out mostly for those that may never spend more than ten bucks and find they don't really like wine that much. I invite you to try a couple bottles at $20 (or more). And maybe even for those of us that are hooked on $45-up wine we could rediscover good wine at half that price.
The $15 to $25 range is a good starting point for what most people would call good wine. JMO, your results may vary.
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