7 (Kind Of) Great Wines Under $7
Photos by Annie Black
We’ve been a little wine-crazy at Paste lately. Maybe it’s the warmer weather, maybe it’s the longer days, but we’ve been pouring out wine content like Jim Vorel downing 116 saisons. Interested in the often-overlooked salty wines? We’ve got you. Rummaging for rosé? Look no further. But one list we’ve neglected is affordable wines—truly affordable wines, not just the best wines under $25. We’re talking about the best (okay, decent) wines under $7.
Spending $15-$30 on a bottle of wine is not always a realistic (or responsible) purchase for many hard-working, wine-loving people. Whether you’re a broke college student, saving up for something special, or, ahem, a freelancer, your alcohol budget can be a little tight. Luckily, there are a few wines out there that make the grade when it comes to taste and cost. Cheaper wines sometimes taste delicious—without breaking the bank.
We’ve assembled a short list of seven decent wines under $7. We understand the price may vary a little, depending on where you typically buy your wine. However, by and large, these seven wines can be bought nearly everywhere with a ten-dollar bill. We won’t lie—these aren’t the wines to break out for an anniversary or a graduation party. We can only say that these are great wines to casually sip after a long day, without worrying about the bank.
Contadino Pinot Grigio
$5.99 at Trader Joe’s
The Contadino Pinot Grigio is your casual friend, the one you meet for brunch at the Flying Biscuit once a month. It’s sweet, but unlike a lot of cheaper whites, it doesn’t go overboard on sugar. A high drinkability combined with a hefty dose of juicy melon makes the Contadino a dangerous friend, too. It is, as our fearless Editor-in-Chief Josh Jackson puts it, “quaffable.” Avoid turning a breezy weeknight glass of wine into a hungover Tuesday morning by adding soda water to make a light and tasty spritzer. Drink while the sun is setting for maximum mood lighting.
Bota Mini Cabernet Sauvignon
$4.50 at Kroger
A derivative of the well-reviewed Bota Box, the Bota Mini is an inexpensive 500 ml sampler. The Cabernet Sauvignon shines above the other Bota Minis by a good mile. Woody, smoky, and with the slightest hint of cherries and earthy mushrooms, this wine practically begs to be enjoyed outdoors. The Bota Mini Cabernet is meant to be consumed sitting around a fire pit, or lounging on a picnic blanket surrounded by good company and a DIY charcuterie board. The wine even got the stamp of approval from our resident beer connoisseur Jim Vorel, who in all his infinite wisdom and word-smithery, commented, “I dig this wine.”
Underwood Pinot Noir
$5.49 at Trader Joe’s
Wine in a can? Wine not! Is that joke too overdone? Don’t answer that. Like a lot of low shelf Pinot Noirs, this one goes down like water—but in a pleasant way. Light on flavor, slightly sour and mildly acidic, the Underwood Pinot Noir lets you feel fancy on a budget. If you’re not a fan of white wine, but you’re craving something light and bubbly, this is the wine for you. The Underwood Pinot Noir feels at home on a front porch in the summer, surrounded by fairy lights, or tucked inside a purse, covertly waiting to be snuck inside a movie theater. Just one word of caution—though this is technically a red wine, you really, really should chill it. The lightness, the bitterness and the carbonation demand a certain cool temperature. At room temperature, the Underwood Pinot Noir becomes quite “meh.”
