Red Wine Favorites Under $15Sharing a good bottle of wine costs less than going to the movies with a friend. Enjoy these wines recommended by master sommelier Andrea Immer, host of Simply Wine.
The Big Six Reds
- Reynolds Shiraz, Australia
- Casa Lapostolle Classic Cabernet Sauvignon, Chile
- Los Vascos Cabernet Sauvignon, Chile
- Beringer Founders' Estate Pinot Noir, California
- Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington
- Martinez, Faustino Rioja Crianza, Spain
- La Vieille Ferme Côtes du Ventoux, France
- Gallo of Sonoma Merlot, California
- Santa Rita 120 Cabernet Sauvignon, Chile
Zinfandels
Most of the soft Zinfandels are $8-to-$15 per bottle and many people enjoy them because they're not too heavy. You'll find this style with supermarket brands like Sutter Home, Woodbridge and so on. Don't knock them; this is one of the few wine categories that still offers real character for less than $10, and these brands are perfect for occasions for which a serious wine might be overkill — pizza night, with leftovers or at barbecues. Try some of these Zins for $20 and under:
- Cline Cellars' California
- Seghesio Sonoma
- Rosenblum Vintners Cuvée
- Buena Vista Coastal
Syrah or Shiraz
This intense full-bodied wine is both savory and sweet. Its signature scent is pepper. Some suitable Syrah or Shiraz for $20 and under are:
- Rosemount Diamond Label Shiraz, Australia
- Rosemount F-S-M (Grenache-Shiraz-Mourvedre), Australia
- La Vieille Ferme Côtes du Ventoux, France
This list is reprinted with permission from Andrea Immer's 2004 Wine Buying Guide for Everyone | 
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