Thrifty Thursday: Wines Under $20

I am a total wino. My beer drinking days were fun, but I have officially converted to wine. Wine at dinner. Wine at a tail gate. Wine on the patio. I used to not be picky at all. I would drink whatever was handed to me. Over the last year, I have stepped up my game. I have moved passed the $6 wines at the bottom shelf at Walgreen's. There is a fine line between finding an affordable wine and buying gross wine. Here are a few of my favorite wines that are under $20, but are not embarrassing to bring to a dinner party.

Pinot Nior is my go-to red. My favorite is Meiomi. It is soft, light and easy to drink. Very easy. I've been known to go through a bottle. I can usually find it for around $19.

I don't drink Cabernet too often, because it is a bit heavy to drink on the reg. But Los Vascos goes down very smooth. We first found this Cabernet at a steak house in Cabo San Lucas. My family quickly became obssesed, and started buying cases for each other at Christmas. It is made in Chile, as I discovered while drunkenly reading the label in Spanish years ago. I usually find it for around $15.

 

Pinot Grigio is my go-to white. You would think that with my sweet tooth, I would love sweeter wines, but I really prefer light, dry wines. This summer, we have been buying Kirkland's Pinot Grigio in bulk.  We discovered it thanks to Seth's unhealthy obsession with Costco. At $6.99 a bottle, it has been very highly reviewed. Don't be discouraged by the low price. It is deliciously crisp. So next time you are there, go ahead and get the case. You won't regret it.

 

Chardonny took a while to grow on me. The oaky flavor can be a bit too over whelming. My favorite Chardonnay is Toasted Head. It came through a recommendation from my best friend's mom, who is very particular about her wines.  Toasted Head is more buttery than oaky, and light enough to have a casual glass. I have paid anywhere from $10 - $16 for it. I find it on sale pretty often.

 

My next step in dominating the wine world is to plan a girl's trip to Napa! It would be a blast, and I am truly curious to learn more about what makes each wine so unique. Who's in?!