Top 5 Dirt Cheap Wine picks for Valentines Day

As I discussed on my Red Radio segment, here are my top picks for February 14th. These wines selections have been consistently good over the years and affordable. So whether you're buying a bottle for a romantic Valentine dinner or you're trying to drink away the blues on "Single Awareness Day" you can't go wrong with one of these picks.

Sutter Home Moscato
(ultra-sweet white wine)
Moscato is growing in popularity, especially among people who don't consider themselves wine-drinkers. Moscato is made from a very sweet grape and the wine is super-sweet, almost syrupy. It is considered a "dessert wine" because it pairs well with sweet desserts (or Valentine candy) and can also be sipped as a dessert in itself.

Sutter Home Gewurstraminer
(sweet white wine)
This is a nice sweet, white wine that is very fruity with loads of pears, apples and white grapes. It has a very slight effervescence to it and it goes well with lightly sweet desserts as well as light chicken and fish dishes.

Beringer Pinot Grigio
(slightly sweet white wine)
This is a great all-around people pleaser. Even non-wine drinkers can get on board with this one. And it's still drinkable, even if you don't care for overly sweet wines. This wine goes great with fish, chicken and anything with barbecue sauce on it. Think "summertime-in-a-bottle."

Barefoot Zinfandel
(fruity red wine)
This is a favorite red wine of mine. It is slightly "jammy" which means it has loads of fruit flavors. Expect to taste cherries, blackberries and a rich grape flavor. This wine would be excellent paired with dark chocolate.

Black Swan Merlot
(slightly dry red wine)
This is on the dry side and a very drinkable red. It's got a young, grassiness to it, along with cinnamon and nutmeg which gives it a bit of warmth. I even pick up a touch of dried apricot on the finish. This wine would be great paired with a rich Italian red sauce, or a juicy rib-eye.

Bonus Champagne Selection!
Barefoot Pinot Grigio Sparkling Wine
Now technically they can't call it "Champagne" unless it's made in the Champagne region of France... so we have sparkling wine instead. Barefoot has several selections in their new line of sparkling wine, but the best all-around is the Sparkling Pinot Grigio. It's slightly sweet, without being too syrupy, yet it's not too dry. Now I like a good dry sparkling wine, and if you do too, then go with the Barefoot Brut. But if you don't really know what to pick, go with the Pinot Grigio, it's always tasty. Oh, and sparkling wine goes well with a kiss!

Happy Valentines Day! ♥

P.S. In case you decide to gamble on a different choice, you might also want to check out my tips for "fixing a bad bottle of wine."

$2 Hayden- Harlow Pinot Grigio California Stater Bros.

I have been pretty impressed with Hayden-Harlow wines from Stater Bros. The price is nice, and they are quite drinkable but some of them are lacking in depth and character... but hey they're $2 a bottle.

So I have pretty much the same thing to say about the pinot grigio. Totally drinkable, lot's of pears and melon and a tad sweet. A good solid pinot grigio overall, but nothing really stands out and makes me say "wow." But for just two bucks, I think it's a fantastic deal. I have tasted some bad pinot grigio that was much more expensive, so if you want a consistent mild, fruity pinot grigio, this is your best bet. And really, $2? That's cheaper than a Tecate tall boy.

I give this consistent wine a 4 stars out of 5.

$4 Green Fin 2010 White Wine California Trader Joes Organic

Okay, so I have to admit that the 2009 vintage of this wine was less than stellar. But I decided to try the 2010 vintage just in case. Boy, am I glad I did... the 2010 got the vague-ness of "white wine" spot on. Just the right amount of fruitiness, sweetness, tartness... you name it, it has it. It's right up there with a good pinot grigio. I'm usually not a fan of white "table wine" but this one is a winner. I will be buying several more bottles. Did I mention that this wine is made with organic grapes? Well that's just icing on the cake. Drink up!

I give this wine 4 stars out of 5.

$2 Charles Shaw Pinot Grigio California Trader Joes

I am a fairly big Pinot Grigio fan and was elated when Charles Shaw came out with their own Pinot Grigio. Previously the only white wines they offered were Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. It has a decent nose, fruity, melon-y with a touch of green apple. The first few sips are a bit astringent with very little of the promised fruit. After a few more sips, my palate adjusted, and the wine became more enjoyable. I still prefer the Sauvignon Blanc, but this is a decent runner-up.

I give this wine a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

$3 Crane Lake 2009 Pinot Grigio California Henry's Market

I'm just gonna lay it out for you- avoid this one at all costs. I usually enjoy Crane Lake, so I was stoked to try this one. It smelled kind of "off" but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. The first sip went from good to bad in about two seconds. For a moment, there was a nice fruitiness but then it was quickly followed by a strong, rancid honey flavor. I tried a few more sips to see if it would iron itself out, but no luck. I let it chill overnight and the next evening, I poured it through a wine aerator... still no luck. That horrible rancid honey taste was overbearing and it was just way to sweet for a Pinot Grigio. As a last ditch effort I chopped up some strawberries and let them soak in the glass for a while which made the wine taste like a bottle of Frutezia.

I give this wine 1 out of 5 stars.

$7 Barefoot Sparkling Wine Pinot Grigio California Stater Bros.

After years of avoiding Dirt Cheap Champagne (technically- "Sparkling Wine") due to limited variety, I am glad it's becoming more popular to offer a reasonably priced bottle of bubbly. I picked up this bottle at my local grocery store and was pleased that the label was modern and easy to read. I usually don't buy anything over $5, but I guess if you're splurging on bubbly, a few extra bucks won't hurt.

I grabbed this one because I have been on a Pinot Grigio binge over the summer, and thought this would be a good way to say goodbye to the refreshing varietal in exchange for the red wines I enjoy in autumn. But I think I may be in trouble since this bubbly is downright delicious! It was lacking that sharp, garish flavor that many budget bubbly's have and it did indeed taste of Pinot Grigio. It was nice to know the varietal before purchasing so that I could anticipate what I was getting.

This sparkling wine is a good in-between bubbly. Not too sweet, not to dry. (Unless of course you have an obsession with super brut sparklers in which case, it might be a tad sweet.)

I give this Sparkling Wine a 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

$5 Barefoot Wine Pinot Grigio California CVS

Summer is coming to an end and so is my love affair with Pinot Grigio. It has kept me refreshed in the summer heat, but as the weather cools, I will turn back to reds for their boldness and warmth. Okay, enough poetic crap- onto the tasting!

It's a very light straw color, in low light it could almost pass for water. It has a tight nose with a quick blink of pears and a fleeting moment of lavender. A few more sniffs reveal some ripe pineapple and subtle notes of honey.

Upon the first sip I get some quiet woodsy notes, with a touch of ripe, yellow pears. It has a very slight effervescence which keeps it very light and refreshing. Overall, not terribly complex or overly fruity but a nice drinkable wine.

I give this wine a 4 out of 5 stars

$2.50 Oak Creek Chenin Blanc/Pinot Grigio California CVS

I bought 2 bottles of this, one says Pinot Grigio in dark letters and Chenin Blanc in light letters. The other says Chenin Blanc in dark and Pinot Grigio in light. Go figure. I have no idea what that means, if anything. Could just be a change in labeling. But with that labeling weirdness and the lack of year... I'm a little worried. Okay, so onto the wine. The nose is sweet and fruity with a crispness to it as well. It's an average straw tone, not to light, not to dark. I picked up on some honeydew aromas with some lemon notes. I was intrigued. Unfortunately, it smells way better than it tastes. Not much going on in this glass of boredom. I can hardly detect any fruit in it at all. This might make a good wine for sangria (trying to stay positive here.) This wine says "blah-blah-blah" to me. I would not get it again, nor recommend it. As Gary V. would say- "poor effort."

I give this wine a 2 out of 5 stars.

$5 Twin Fin 2007 Pinot Grigio California Stater Bros.

This has a deeper yellow color to it than most Pinot Grigio. It has a lovely, fruity bouquet with loads of apples, pears and honeydew melon. The first sip tastes exactly as it smells, very fruit forward and slightly sweet and syrupy. This wine is mature and a little more succulent and robust than a younger, crisp Pinot Grigio, hence the deeper hue and slightly syrupy mouth-feel. Not bad at all though, very drinkable. I don't think anyone should hold onto this wine too long since it's already aged enough, so if you get some, drink it up! Cheers!

I give this wine a 4 out of 5 stars.

$3 Diablo Creek 2009 Pinot Grigio California Vons (Safeway)

Mmmm... smells yummy right off the bat. Light and crisp, a bit of citrus and some mango. The first sip is pretty decent, with some green apple and more citrus in the way of lemons and grapefruit. It has a consistently long finish, sip after sip and it seems like it's pretty close to being at it's peak. So buy a bottle, put a chill on it and enjoy it immediately. This is good one to bring to a summer barbecue to go along with the grilled chicken and chilled pasta salad. Yum!

I give this wine 4 out 5 stars.

$4 Glen Ellen 2009 Pinot Grigio California Stater Bros.

This particular bottle boasts "Proprieter's Reserve" and the name "Concannon Vineyard" which doesn't mean much to me unless the wine delivers. Okay, onto the tasting. To start off, the nose is very bland. The small amount of fruitiness I detect is somewhat over ripe. The first sip brings me absolutely nothing. The second sip I really swish around and have to dig for it, but there are a bit of unripe citrus and some pineapple notes. Overall, a really terrible wine. I would recommend if you already have a bottle of it, make some sangria with it or cook with it.

I give this wine 1 star out of 5

$4 Sutter Home Pinot Grigio 2008 California Stater Brothers

I guess this warm weather has driven me to white wine for the time being. On tonight's tasting menu is a Sutter Home Pinot Grigio from Napa Valley. The nose is light and refreshing with pears and lemons and I couldn't wait to taste it. The first sip is a bit harsh and somewhat tart and lacking in fruit. The finish is short and compact. There is not much fruitiness and it's rather bland. About half way through the glass, I began to pick up flavors of sweet melon and the finish improved slightly. But overall I'm not impressed and I don't think I will be buying another bottle of this anytime soon.

I give this one a 2 out of 5 stars