Wines That Will Wow You -- For Under $10

With food and gas prices skyrocketing, luxury items, such as good wine, are frequently the first things to go.

But Josh Wesson, founder of Best Cellars at A&P, says you can still enjoy a good glass of wine without spending a bundle.

He brought some inexpensive wines he says are sure to please the pallet to The Early Show Tuesday -- and shared some wine-buying tips -- as we continued our series, "Early on the Cheap."

Wesson says one of the biggest mistakes people make is buying cheap wines that are trying to taste expensive. To avoid that, look at the back label. It should tell you how the wine was made. If it says anything about oak or wood, put it back on the shelf: A $5 bottle of wine will be aged in a $5 barrel -- not a good match!

Surprisingly, the wines Wesson featured on the show come from all over the world, including Italy and Spain, two of the best regions anywhere. Even though the dollar is weak, the wine coming from those regions is still a great value -- one of the few left!

Wesson is also a strong believer in brands that are nationally distributed. Bigger wineries can keep their prices low because their yield is so large. Most of the wines Wesson pointed to can be found in wine shops across the country.

Inexpensive wines are meant to be bought, and drank. Because they haven't been aged for very long, they're not as complex as more expensive vintages; aging them would only cause them to fall flat. When you're at the store, look for wines from 2006 and 2007; anything older is in the bargain rack for a reason!

All the wines Wesson recommended are great for summer; they're light and refreshing, with hints of different fruits. Because they haven't been aged for very long, they have very little tannin, and are lower in alcohol volume. Each of them, including the reds, can be chilled, perfect for a hot summer night:

Mionetto "Il" Prosecco del Veneto ($7)

Clear, almost watery pale with a glint of gold, this lightly sparkling non-vintage wine froths in the glass, but the bubbles dissipate quickly. Its pleasant, delicate, peachy aroma invites a taste, and the flavor shows peaches as well, yeasty and crisp, bubbles tickling the tongue even if they're not evident in the glass. Very fruity, yet dry or nearly so, it's a refreshing quaff, delicious for summer sipping and fine with spicy fare. It is closed with a beer-bottle-style "crown cap," not a cork or screw cap.

Aveleda Vinho Verde 2007 ($5)

Portugal is famous for port and some of its Douro Valley reds, but its largest wine region is Vinho Verde, which means green wine. Vinho Verde is not a reference to color, but refers to the youth of the wine. This is a white, light, acidic, slightly sparkling wine blended from somewhat obscure grape varieties. The wine is fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel and bottled a few months later. The result is a very dry wine, with a natural effervescence and a body similar to brut champagne. The taste is mainly citrus, with a blend of other orchard fruits.

Barefoot Cellars Merlot ($8 Magnum)

Medium to full body, balanced tannins. Red cherry and plum. Mocha finish complemented by smoky vanilla oak. This is a very pretty Merlot! It is loaded with scents and flavors of rose petals, chocolate-covered cherries, and a sprig of mint. This delicious wine is consistent from the first sniff through to the finish. "A little sharp and raw, but there's so much nice blackberry, cherry and spicy cola fruit, and the wine is so balanced, that at this price, its a bargain," says Wine Enthusiast. "The Merlot is rich in plum, mocha notes, a hint of oak, and nice texture," according to the Quarterly Review of Wines Tasting Panel.

Protocolo Red 2006 ($5)

Very dark reddish-purple in color, it offers a ripe, fresh strawberry aroma leading into bright and juicy berry fruit flavors and a whiff of fragrant black pepper. Quaffable, quenching and an incredible value.

TASTE TEST!

For his last wine, Wesson set up a blind taste test for all the Early Show anchors. He brought in two Pinot Grigios -- one priced at a modest $10, the other at $25 -- to see if the anchors could tell the difference!

The wines involved were:

Santa Silviana Pinot Grigio 2007 $10 (Alto Adige, Italy)

Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio 2006 $20 (Alto Adige, Italy)

Sangria is a super summertime wine "punch," with its traditional heritage well-rooted in Spain. Typically, Sangria is made with red wine, fresh, seasonal fruit, and a bit of bubbly water or citrus-flavored soda. It is easy to make, easy to drink, and a huge hit at summer get-togethers -- even for those who aren't "into wine." While Spain is heralded as the creator of Sangria, countries all over the globe have adapted the recipe to make a fruit-filled wine beverage that is refreshing and easy to drink with a wide variety of foods. Sangria is a perfect beverage to make using inexpensive wines, much like the ones featured on the show.