Recently, we wrote about an experiment showing that most people can't taste the difference between cheap and expensive wine, and it got us thinking: What are the best inexpensive wines?
So we asked an expert: Sommelier Jörn Kleinhans, the owner of the Wine Elite Sommelier Company.
"We've found that appreciation of wine usually comes with deeper knowledge, which you can gain when a specific wine is a good representation of its grape varietal," Kleinhans says. He explains that such a wine must marry varietal (that's categories like Cabernets, Pinot Noirs, and Rieslings) with a region in which it grows best.
"The wines here are typical examples of their kind," he says. "If you buy one, that's great, and if you buy all of them, you basically have a box of all the important wine styles in the world."
Here, Kleinhans presents his top 10 wine picks for $16 and under, broken down by varietal and region. While they may be available in your local wine store, we've also provided links to where you can purchase them online.
1. Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand
Such as: 2013 Giesen Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough, $10.99
"This is perhaps the most drastic example of Sauvignon Blanc because it shows strong grapefruit, lemon, and grass notes, which is the clearest taste profile of this wine," says Kleinhans.
2. Riesling from Germany
Such as: 2009 S. A. Prum "Urziger Wurzgarten" Riesling Kabinett, $12.99
"Germany is where Riesling should belong," explains Kleinhans. "This wine has a sweetness, high aroma, and high acidity that you look for in every Riesling."
3. Chardonnay from Burgundy, France
Such as: 2011 Château de la Charrière Bourgogne Chardonnay Domaine Yves Girardin, $14.99
"This is the ultimate expression of a Burgundy," says Kleinhans. "It's clean, mineralic, and made to be consumed with food."
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