Best Bottle Bets Under $10

It's the question I am asked most by consumers and while I don't mind sharing my picks, the truth is there are very few wines under $10 that are worth drinking.

Government taxes are a part of the problem, although I suspect the artificial minimum floor price is the No. 1 culprit. Believe it or not, our pro-business government will not sell a bottle of wine unless it has a minimum floor price of $7.20 per litre, no matter how low the producer and distributor would like to price the product.

That's why, in spite of the popularity of wines selling across the border at $1.99 or $2.99, it won't happen here. Like it or not, any grape-market gluts (such as the current wine lake in Australia) will have no effect on prices in B.C., where government, not the market, determines the price of wine.

For those who prefer wine that won't peel the enamel off your teeth, $8.99 is about as low as you can go and still find something worth sipping, and that's where we start today.

I surveyed all wines I have tasted since the New Year that sell for less than $10 and that garnered a minimum score of 85 points out of 100.

Four reds stood out with flavours as impressive as their scores. The whites were harder to come by, mostly because that sector of the market has been decimated by the rush to red over the last decade.

In many categories, there are far fewer white wine offerings. Unfortunately, not only are we failing to take advantage of the obvious improvements that have occurred in white-wine making, we are now stuck with a number of slow-moving labels that are sporting vintages too old to be considered fresh and lively.

Two whites that do deliver for less hail from South America.

First up from Argentina is the Finca Los Primos Chardonnay 2004. Its clean, fresh citrus notes aromas offer green apple, peach and passion fruit notes. Like the nose, the fruit is fresh and zippy with mineral, citrus, green apple, pear and light lees flavours. Solid and inexpensive.

The Frontera Chardonnay 2004 from Chile is soft, round, fresh and slightly sweet with baked apple, mineral, peach and grapefruit rind flavours. A simple but attractive style of chardonnay for the price.

And now for the reds.

Finca Los Primos Malbec 2003 sets the standard for inexpensive red with its spicy, pruney, black cherry aromas and its smoky, peppery, black cherry jam, mushroom and licorice root flavours. Best of all, it is rich, supple and intense, but still balanced. You can't go wrong here. Serve with grilled flank steak.

Apulia, the heel of the Italian peninsula, is home to Mezzomondo Salento 2003. Drier and slightly more chunky, it will charm you with its meaty, peppery nose and spicy, smoky chocolate and black cherry flavours. It's warm and rustic with a touch of Italian acidity, but otherwise a solid barbecue red.

Phoque Rouge 2003 is another Vancouver-inspired wine label, this time designed by the Richmond-based Seacove group. Owner Jack Segal, working with his southern French supplier Signatures Sud, put together a fresh and spicy grenache blend that boasts black raspberry and licorice aromas and a supple, easy-drinking, earthy licorice and black cherry fruit flavour. It is a welcome addition to the under $10 category.

The latest Finca Flichman Syrah 2004 is every bit as tasty and affordable as its predecessors. Look for spicy, meaty, notes mixed with smoky blackberry aromas. It is soft, round, dry with meaty, minty, spicy, black cherry flavours with a mocha juicy finish. Be sure to open this and most other young reds for 30 minutes whenever possible to help it open up.

Weekend Wine Tasting: Bargain Basement Buys

Wine Finca Los Primos Chardonnay 2004, San Rafael, Mendoza, Argentina
Price  $9.95
UPC   7790703007606
Score 85/100
Remarks    Fresh and zippy with mineral, citrus, green apple and pear flavours.

Wine Frontera Chardonnay 2004, Region del Valle Central, Chile
Price  $8.45
UPC   7804320043227
Score 85/100
Remarks    Baked apple, mineral, peach and grapefruit rind flavours.
Wine Finca Los Primos Malbec 2003, San Rafael, Mendoza, Argentina
Price $9.95
UPC 7790703167195
Score 87/100
Remarks    Supple textures with jammy black cherry and licorice flavours.

Wine Mezzomondo Salento 2003, Apulia, Italy
Price  $9.95
UPC   8032610311346
Score 86/100
Remarks    Slightly chunky style with peppery, chocolate/black cherry flavours.

Wine Phoque Rouge 2003, Rhone Valley, France
Price  $9.99
UPC   3395941408358
Score 86/100
Remarks    Easy-drinking earthy, spicy, spaghetti red.

Wine Finca Flichman Syrah 2004, Mendoza, Argentina
Price  $9.99
UPC   7790470006536
Score 86/100
Remarks    Smoky blackberry aromas with minty, spicy, cherry mocha flavours.