Wine Finds

Just in time for Thanksgiving, it's another installment of Wine Finds, where I tell you about a delicious bottle of wine for under $10. I'm not a wine expert, and have never even taken a wine-tasting class, but I love wine and I drink a fair amount of it (it's still good for you, right?) As long as I don't drink an entire bottle by myself... That's only happened once, and I'll never tell when...

So if you really like to leave things until the last minute, or just didn't want to spend too much for wine for the holiday, this Fetzer Valley Oaks Merlot might be an option for you. It's an old standby of ours, kind of a nice all-around wine. It's not going to win any big awards for complexity, but hey, it's only $5.99 a bottle.

I was also happy to read recently that Fetzer vineyards is recognized for its "sustainable, earth-friendly practices" by the EPA and several other organizations. They practice responsible waste management, recycling, energy and water conservation, and are moving toward a goal of using only organically farmed grapes in their wines. That makes me feel better about making this one of our go-to bottles. Personally, I haven't been that impressed with the other varieties I've tried, but I think their Merlot is quite drinkable. I have a soft spot for Merlot, which you can read about in this post from back in July.

Fetzer winemaker Dennis Martin describes it this way: "I think our Mendocino roots show in every glass of our Merlot. It has an easy, approachable style with aromas of ripe plums and flavors of blackberry and cherry. This wine goes great with just about any meal, making it a good choice to have on hand for every day. (That’s what I do.)" Well said, Dennis. I agree.

This wine is available at Trader Joe's, and I've seen it at World Market and BevMo as well, although maybe not at the $5.99 price.

What are some of your favorite wines for under $10? Share your picks in the Comments section. And click here if you want to check out previous installments of Wine Finds.