An apple a day keeps the doctor away, while a glass of red a day will help you live longer.  Wine comes in so many varieties from sweet to tart, berry infused, iced, and the list goes on. The cost of all of those options can seem unfathomable but wine price really is not that difficult to understand.   

Bottles of red vary in cost depending on how long the wine has been fermenting in an oak barrel, where the wine comes from, the expense of bottles/bottling, other winery overheads and especially the grape.  The cost of the grapes is one of the biggest factors in the price of the wine. Wineries will pay top dollar for grapes to be farmed and picked carefully. The result can be a cost that seems high, but the price of the wine on the shelf represents a surprisingly small profit for the winery.  A typical vintner realizes 5% or less in profit from his wines.

While wine is, of course, all about personal taste, there are some that I’ve found are a particularly good value.  Here are some of my favourite reds:

Barefoot Merlot-Calfornia - A combination of cherry, boysenberry, plum and chocolate flavours, with mild tannins, this red is well worth the price.

Gato Negro Merlot-Chile - Brings aromas that suggest fresh blackberries, with a hint of liquorice A medium-bodied wine with mild tannins, this one is higher in alcohol at 13%.

Little Penguin Merlot-Australian - Profound red and fruity, it has a wonderful aroma with a hint of vanilla. This is a medium-bodied red with alcohol at 13.5%.

For something a bit different, on hot summer nights you may want to try these chilled:

Obikwa Shiraz-South Africa - This one is slightly spicy with black plum fruit and a hint of black pepper.

Yellow Tail Shiraz-Australian - Crushed red berries, sweet spice and cedary notes make this a memorable choice.

While I don’t normally enjoy white wine, there is one in particular that I think deserves mention:

Kressman Selection Chardonnay-France - A medium-bodied wine, it’s slightly silky and crisp, aromas of citrus, apple and pears.

Whether for your own use, or to round out your wine list with some lower-price-point offerings, these wines are a pleasant surprise at a reasonable cost.