Wine is often associated with the idea of luxury, which is why many people think it is very difficult to find excellent wines at an affordable price. The fact is there are more than 40 wine producers worldwide that make great wines for more or less $10 a bottle every year. While these wines are inexpensive, many are of good quality and are easily available.

Stick with the largest wine producers to find consistently good wines at bargain prices because their large production volume allows them to lower their prices. Other great places to get good wine at good value are wine outlets, which help wine companies liquidate their large wine stock. These outlets sell labeled wines and offer wine tasting so wine lovers can buy confidently but they usually open only for a few days so watch out for them.

A good strategy to find great-tasting wine at the range of $10 to $20 is to look for the new releases of major wine companies. The initial release of a new wine label is usually produced using the highest quality of ingredients to attract wine lovers. The second wine label would be less expensive. Wines that use less popular varieties of grapes typically cost much less than the “hot picks” (i.e. pinot gris, shiraz and viognier) but they offer amazing quality. Examples of such best-value wines are Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling.

For good wines that cost just slightly more than $20, a great source would be a wine auction. Wine collectors usually auction off some of their wine because they want to try other wines. Some people simply have too many bottles than they can drink or store at home. Auction organizers may also arrange consignments with unsuccessful restaurant businesses or wineries left by deceased individuals to help clear stock or storage.

Here is are a few names of highly-rated but good value domestic and imported wines under $20:

1. Pinot Gris 2006 by Benton Lane (Oregon White)
   Aroma: Floral mixed with tropical fruits
   Flavors: Citrus, Apple, Pear and honeysuckle
   Price: $14.99 - $17.99
   
   
2. Chardonnay 2005 by Buena Vista Carneros (California White)
   Aroma: Green apple, lemon, orange blossoms and clove
   Flavors: Layers of citrus, apple and pear and subtle taste spice and vanilla
   Price: $12.99 - $17.99
   
   
3. Reserve Shiraz 2004 by Jacob’s Creek (South Australia)
   Aroma: Ripe blackberries, cherries, prunes and plums
   Flavors: generous berry flavors, oak and black pepper
   Price: $9.99 - $11.99
   
   
4. Sauvignon Blanc 2006 by Wither Hills Marlborough (New Zealand)
   Aroma: gooseberry, subtle mint,
   Flavors: gooseberry, capsicum, citrus
   Price: $12.99 - $13.99
   
   
5. Merlot 2005 by Tin Roof (California Red)
   Aroma: Ripe black cherries and plum
   Flavors: Classic Merlot with subtle spice and chocolate
   Price: $8.99 - $11.99
   
   
6. Nero D’Avola 2005 by Morgante (Italian Red)
   Aroma: Intense spice and sweet vanilla
   Flavors: Balanced spice and acidity
   Price: $12-.99 - $14.99
   
   
7. Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec 2005 by Amancaya – Argentine Red
   Aroma: Intense red berries
   Flavors: Smoky vanilla
   Price: $15.99 - $19.99
   

The wines listed above are just a fraction of the large number of affordable wines in the market that have received 90+ ratings from well-known publications. Since everyone’s taste and budget differs, not all wine lovers will agree on the same list of good value wines. Nevertheless, what is important is the fact that you do not have to spend a fortune to serve good wine at your next dinner party or at any special occasion.

You can use such a list above – many such lists are available online – to guide you in choosing good value wines but the best way to judge a wine if it has good value is your own taste and budget and the key to finding excellent bargain wine is to be willing to shop around for it.