What Does $12.99 (or less!) Buy You?

How much do you need to spend on a bottle of wine for it to be good? That's a question that comes up a lot and the answer is, not that much. I took the BevFluence #1299challenge, find wines that retail for $12.99 (or less) that are not just drinkable, but actually good. Several other bloggers including Todd Godbout, Fred Swan, Jim vanBergen, and Mary Beth Vierra took the challenge as well. Each of us choose a different retailer, I chose to feature wines available on Wine.com. Full disclosure, I work for Wine.com but I also believe in them as a company. They are seriously passionate about wine and offer a wide selection of wines at every price point.

So how did I pick my wines? Often you can get more bang for your buck by choosing white wines. This isn't an absolute rule by any means, but generally white wines come to market quicker and aren't aged in expensive new barrels. For my selections I focused on white wines.

2018 Ballard Lane Chardonnay $11.99 Pale yellow in color this wine has aromas of green apple. On the palate there is some vanilla, but it lacks the overwhelming notes of oak and butter that you find in most California Chardonnays. A delightful juicy wine that is made to be paired with roast chicken.

2019 Ruffino Pinot Grigio Lumina $10.99 There are flecks of green in its yellow hue with aromas and flavors of both peach and pear. This wine is perfectly crisp and would pair wonderfully with a wide variety of picnic foods.

2019 Cupcake Sauvignon Blanc $8.99 This nearly translucent wine has tropical aromas, on the palate you'll find citrus notes like lemon and key lime too. This wine is exceptionally refreshing and would be excellent paired with Petrole sole.

2019 J. Lohr Bay Mist White Riesling $9.99 This straw colored wine has unique aromas including white chocolate and floral notes. On the palate there's a note of lychee and some sweetness. Incredibly unique with a bit of effervescence this is made for a spicy Thai dish like my favorite soup Tom Kha Gai.

NV Freixenet Cordon Negro Cava Brut $11.99 Pale gold with just the right amount of bubbles. On the nose some fresh baked bread with a touch of apple. The flavor is similar, but with more richness. This is bright and balanced and screams to be paired with a vanilla cupcake.