How much should a bottle of wine cost?

Question

I want to get my friend a bottle of wine for a housewarming (actually apartment) gift. How much should a decent bottle of wine cost? Red or white, it doesnt matter. Please don't suggest anything above 80 bucks, I just graduated college and have loans, but I don't want to get her a crappy, cheap bottle. Is anything under 80 considered a bad bottle of wine?

Answer 1

Checkout Kendall Jackson chardonnay it's a great Califrornia white wine for at least $11.99 a bottle.

Answer 2

A good bottle of wine is probably around $20 or so.  You definitely don't have to spend $80 for a good bottle of wine.  I think, and I'm sure many would agree, any bottle I give or receive as a gift usually costs under $30.  Go to your local Bev Mo or even grocery store and get a sales associates opinion.  Tell them how much you want to spend and what it's for and they'll be glad to help you.  Some brands I like are...

Pinot Noir-Greg Norman $23

Dancing Bull-Chardonnay $17

Fat b*****d $20

***** Wine $14 (Perfect for a female-it has a pink and black label and it's so cute!)

Blackstone-Any kind $20-$25

Hope this helps!!!

Answer 3

I have a few suggestions.  The first is a Chardonnay called Cakebread.  This is the Chardonnay that the Queen of England always asks for when she is in the United States.  It will probably run you $45-$60 depending on where you are and where you get it.  Second is Le Crema Chardonnay from Sonoma Valley.  It's so delicious.  It is very light for a Chardonnay and I get notes of lemon and such.  It is not at all oaky like most California Chardonnays.  (I hate oaky)  This one will probably be around $20.  Finally, the last suggestion is the only red on my list.  It is the Berringer, Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  It's a very good and full Cab.  I get notes of big fruits such as cherry, plum, and blackberry, but I also get heavy flavors such as chocolate or espresso.  I am not sure about the retail price on this one.  However, we sell it at the restaurant for $34/bottle.  In a retail store, I am sure it is much less.  You can get a good bottle of wine for an inexpensive price.  Have you ever heard of "Two buck chucks"?  Apparently, they are two dollar bottles of wine but they could easily be mistaken for a $40 bottle of wine.  Price is certainly not everything.  Good Luck!

Answer 4

there is a variety of wine that's not expensive and very good.  the one i can recommend is from a winery called rabbit ridge in paso robles, Ca.  they are wonderful and the prices are reasonable-- $12 and up.  in my opinion, whatever type you pick, will not disappoint  =)

http://www.rabbitridgewinery.com

Answer 5

It depends, do you intend for him to drink it or to save it?

Does your friend even know wine at all?

If you want to buy a nice wine to drink, even for someone who is pretty familiar with wines, you can spend between $25 and $40. You can actually get good wine to drink for less than that, but it's considered more of a "table wine" and not necessarily that gift worthy.  For $80, you can of course get good wine, but most people would not drink it right then and there. It would be more of an investment.

Answer 6

For a house warming and a budget under $80 I would suggest:

From California:

     1. Clos du Bose(sic)....Marlstone

              a nice blend of red

      2. Fransiscan...Magnificate

               another nice blend.  both about $45

From Italy:

       1. DaVinci...Chianti Classico Reserva ...$30

        2. Any red from Antinori...$20 and up

        3. Banfi...Chianti Classico Reserva....$25

From Spain:

         1. Muga...Rioja Reserva....$25

Answer 7

If you want to get  her something really nice.

Get her "Veuve Cliquot" Champagne( about 50 to $55).

A great gift for a champagne that taste like a $150 bottle of Don Perignon.

Hugely popular as a gift item ( because it's so yummy).

Tarabara, that's why in this case a good Champane is a great gift.

She won't understand "Cakebread" or any other high priced wines.

In that case just get Kendall Jackson for $20.

Champagne is always a "Wow" kind of gift.

Also, she could save it for x-mas or for bringing in the "New Year"( right around the corner).

It's so much more impressive.

and what lady doesn't love Champagne?

Answer 8

Wine is all about taste, not price.  Sometimes a 15 dollar bottle of wine is as good as a 200 dollar bottle.  My advice would be to buy her your personal favorite and then tell her why you like it so much.  Pay attention to all the details.  She may or may not like it, but will appreciate that you took so much time and care in selecting that bottle.

Answer 9

You can get a very decent bottle of wine for $50.  Please remember that a $50 at the store would be a $100-150 bottle in a restaurant, so this is obviously a very good choice.

I would shy away from champagne, as this is more of a celebratory item that most people don't drink on a regular basis.  A common type of red wine would be nice (pinot noir, chianti, etc).

Good luck!

Answer 10

there are thousands of good bottle for under $80.00. If your friend can tell the difference get her one at the high end of the scale. If she is just a casual wine drinker, you will have hundreds  of choices in the $25.00 range. Go to a good liquor store and ask the sommelier for his or her advice. You would be amazed that a $75 dollar bottle in a restaurant costs around $40 in a liquor store.

Answer 11

If these people are your friends, they should know your financial condition and that, whatever you get for them, it would be from your heart.  The actual value of the wine is not as important as the thought of giving a nice gesture for a friend.

Having said that, I would NOT get a bottle of $80 wine.  As someone who regularly give wine as gift, it is rare that I give a bottle of wine more than $40-50 as a gift.  The only time I would give something more precious than that is when I know that this person will truly appreciate the wine and enjoy the memory of the wine.  Otherwise, most of my wine gifts are in $20-30 value, occasionally less.

Depending on the wine experience of your friend, I would consider the following options.

If your friend is a rare drinker, than it is easy.  You can try some white wines such as Conundrum ($22), Robert Mondavi Napa Fume Blanc ($12), Robert Mondavi Napa Chardonnay ($15), or some red such as Robert Mondavi Napa Cabernet ($25), Sterling Napa Merlot ($20) or Cabernet ($25), Markham Merlot or Cabernet ($20), or Kendall Jackson Grand Reserve Cabernet ($20).  All of these are respectable wines for a casual occasional drinker.

If he is a regular wine drinker, then you want to pick something more unusual for him to try.  You can go to a fine wine/liquor store and look for some nice California Cabernet or Pinot Noir.  He may decide to keep it longer, so you want something that has some ability to be cellared.  I would consider something like Swanson Merlot ($25), Freemark Abbey Merlot ($20) or Cabernet ($30), Keenan Merlot ($30) or Chardonnay ($30), Sequila Grove Cabernet ($25), Benton Lane Pinot Noir ($25), Rosenblum Zinfandel or Syrah ($20-35).  Also consider dessert wines such as Port (can be from $15-30, consider go online and get Heitz Port $25 or 30, or V. Sattui port), some white dessert wine or ice wine from Canada or US.  

I would not go for more than $30-35 in your case.  If your friends don't appreciate the effort or the thought, then maybe they are not worth your time.

Answer 12

Under $80 would be considered bad only by a serious wine snob.  No matter what the snobs think, price doesn't dictate the quality, nor whether one person or another will like it.  

I've had $6 bottles of wine that impressed me more than much more expensive bottles.  

But, since you're asking, you should be able to get them something quite nice anywhere under or up to $80.  

Some suggestions:

Rodney Strong cabernet sauvignon

Black Opal merlot or cabernet sauvignon

Barefoot merlot

Answer 13

First off, let me say I drink wine pretty much every day and grow winegrapes for a living.

That said, most $80+ bottles are a rip off.  I find the best quality/price ratio for wines exists in the $10-$25/bottle cost range.  Anything there from one of the big name Napa or Sonoma producers is probably going to be excellent. (Mondavi, Beringer, Gallo Sonoma, Frei Bros, BV, etc.)

Use the extra $50 I just saved you to make an extra loan payment.

Answer 14

Good grief! You don't have to pay $80 for a decent bottle of wine unless she's a huge connoisseur! You can find many, many decent wines in the $25 to $35 range -- or even cheaper! Your best bet is to check at a local wine shop. A good sales person will ask about your friends taste in other things -- foods in particular -- to help you select a good bottle.

This site can help you too!

http://wine.about.com/od/winebasic1/a/Ch...