White Wine Recommendations Under $10

Chateau Ste. Michelle Reisling 2006

This wine is barely yellow with a hint of green. The bouquet is fruity with gobs of peach, pear citrus, and apricot all rolled into one fruit compote aroma that is nearly flowery.
The palate is sweet to off dry with light citrus notes with fresh stone fruit flavors. I paid under $6 so go for it!

Man Chenin Blanc 2005

For less than $7, this is a nice fruity food wine or quaffing wine that pairs with so many things. How can you beat the price?

Beringer Chenin Blanc 2006 "Premier Vineyard Selection"

Bargain wine to chill down and enjoy Summer. Peach filled with nice body. At $4.50 you can't go wrong!

House White 2006 The Magnificent Wine Company (PB)
Nicely made with great aromas of pears and peaches with flavors of the same. A good aperitif or food wine. Runs right around $10 and is ubiquitous so grab some today!

Casa Lapostolle Sauvignon Blanc 2005 by (PB)
I found this wine for $7 and it is wonderful, tasty, well made S. Blanc that has a wonderful lively kick in the mouth. Apricots, Peaches and vanilla cream--a super value!


Columbia Crest Chardonnay 2003 review by (PB)
A superb value with a bouqet of peaches and creme brulee with enough acid to make it a great wine with food or all alone. Trust me on this. At $6, how can you go wrong?


Domaine De La Batardiere 2004 wine review by (PB)
Muscadet Sevre et Maine Sur lie

This wine cost me $7.50 which was a great surprise after tasting it. It is light straw in color with a gentle yet definite bouquet that is sweet full of summer fruit. The nose is baffling in a good way. It is at first full of lime and lemon but then no, maybe grapefruit(?) er, uh, no it’s peach. It smells like none of them and then again all of them. Maybe it’s “stone fruit!”

In the mouth this is just plain wonderful; simple and yet not at all sweet as the aroma would lead you to believe. It is marvelously acidic which makes it great with food. (We had it with King crab leg appetizers and bruschetta on our porch enjoying the Summer warmth. Ahhhhhh…)


Beringer Chenin Blanc 2005 (BP)
This straw colored wine is just a head turner; sweet pineapple, tropical fruit and a creamy vanilla pudding overtone.

In the mouth it is sweet with a supple texture. There is a fine apricot finish that is REALLY nice. This wine was $4.29.

Fetzer Gewurtztraminer 2005 (PB)
It is golden with a ripe, sweet peachy/apricotty bouquet and apples underneath.

In the mouth it is subtly “spritzig” (German for effervescent or bubbly) with nice mouth feel, good acid, good balance and an apricot finish. I found it for $7.50 is Boston.

KWV Steen 2004 (PB)
This inexpensive wine–$8–is pale straw on the pour with a really nice bouquet of buttery notes and pineapple with a hint of pears. In the mouth it is very well made with a supple texture and solid balance.

The pineapple carries through with a nice mouth feel and a finish that lingers with buttery fruit.


Whites
Covey Run Riesling 2004 (PB)
Not to be confused with Covey Run “Dry Riesling” this wine is light, fresh and a bouquet of pineapple and citrus. In the mouth it is fresh, lively with a bit of “spritzig” (sparkle) and well balanced. At $7 this is a run out and buy all you find wine! Drink by itself or with a spicy dish or even Chinese! Wine Spectator 87 points.

Kono Sauvignon Blanc 2004 (PB)
This wine is typical New Zealand with a bouquet of fresh cut apples and guava.
This wine is highly acidic in a good way and is fresh with big pear and guava flavors with a a sense of creaminess on the palate yet it finishes it clean and dry. At $10, pick it up and try it; I believe you'll love it!

Dry Creek Chenin Blanc 2004 (PB)
This pale straw white wine has a strong nose of pineapple, apples and tropical fruit that is fabulous. In the mouth, this quaff is solidly acidic making it a great pairing wine with many foods and it is neither sweet nor dry. It is a tad creamy and just plain impressive at $9. Don't miss this one. You can't afford too!

Monkey Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2004 (PB)
This New Zealand phenome is a pale yellow in the glass with a phenomenal classic “grassy” Sauvignon Blanc bouquet with a citrusy foundation. In the mouth this wine is superbly balanced with a solid base of acid. It is rich and creamy in the mouth and the finish just keeps on going and going. At $8.99 buy some NOW!

Covey Run Dry Riesling 2003 (PB)
It's brilliant, and lively with a unique bouquet and a candied nose of something elusive and exciting. A bit sweet yet its acidity balances it out well. It turns buttery, fruity and wonderful with food or by itself. At $8, this is a winner and another recommended wine to seek after.

Simonsig Chenin Blanc 2003 (PB)
This South African from the Stellenbosch region is golden pale on the pour with fruit galore in the bouquet has a nose of pears, Apple, peaches and apricots with a hint of nectarines and a definite texture and flavor of rich cream. The 2004 is supposed to be even better! At $9 look for it!

Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc 2004 Marlborough "Regional Collection" (PB) $10
Wine Spectator rated this wine an 88 and a "Best Buy." It's every bit of that! So go for it and raise a glass!

Fetzer Gewurztraminer 2004 Valley Oaks (PB) $7
Put a good chill on this flavorful liquid Summer in a glass and just enjoy it to the max all by itself. Ahhhhhhhhhh.

Snoqualmie Sauvignon Blanc 2003 (PB)
This is a pretty and crisp straw colored wine that shimmers in the glass. There are loads of fresh cut apples, peaches and pears in the bouquet which is positively refreshing and tantalizing. With such nice acid it is great for food pairing. I had it with fried chicken and it was lovely. It finishes with some lasting fruit and at $5.79 a bottle I urge you to run to find it before it's gone.

Salmon Creek Chardonnay 2002/2003 (California) (PB)
For the price, this one's hard to beat! You'll pay less than $5--seriously--and you'll be treated to buttery texture, decent acid perkiness and vanilla. I prefer the 02 to the 03 but only by a whisker.

Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc 2004 (PB)
This Chilean is another great buy out of S. America. It is huge in the bouquet of apricots and peaches. If I didn't know better I would have pegged it as a nice Gewurztraminer (another grape type)but the taste is characteristically Sauvignon Blanc. With a good acid base it is lively and citrusy making it another Wine Spectator "Best Buy." At $8-$10 you can't miss this one!

Dry Creek Vineyards 2003 Chenin Blanc Clarksburg (PB)
Don't let the name of the grape cause you to think "cheap white jug wine." This Californian is another steel at $8.50. On opening pears and pineapple lifesavers are impossible to miss. I was hooked almost before I had it in my mouth. But in the mouth it is rich in vanilla with a lovely citrusy tartness and slight lemon finish. I bought up the last two bottles of this I could find in a 75 miles radius. You should do likewise. Wine Spectator branded this a "Best buy." I'll say!

Sebastiani Chardonnay 2001 (PB)
At $10 I sought out this wine as a recommended “best buy” from Wine Spectator. It even looks rich in the bottle causing me a second look to see if the bottle glass wasn’t tinted gold. It wasn’t, that was the color of this phenome. On the pour pears leap out of the glass and there is a rich butteryness in the bouquet. Wow! In the mouth, the flavors are deep and balanced with pineapple lifesavers underneath, silky texture and vanilla highlights to finish it all off.