Everyone loves a good bottle of wine, but nobody likes to dish out a lot of money for it. Personally, I won’t spend more than $10 on a 750ml-sized bottle of wine. Then once you get the wine, you need something that pairs well with it because if you mess that up, your wine or your food will taste like a thirteen-year-old’s first failed attempt at cooking.
Don’t worry, though. I did the legwork for you. Every wine pairs well some foods. Even the cheap wines that you save for when you’re already drunk can be paired with foods so that they don’t taste atrocious. I picked the five most popular wine types in the US and two others that I like. Then I found a food item to pair with each. We’re cheap here, so it’s listed by price from low to high.
1. Pacific Peak Chardonnay with Chicken or Shrimp Alfredo
For just $2.77 from Total Wine, you can be a (probably not) proud owner of Chardonnay, the most popular wine in the U.S. Chardonnays usually taste dry and have a hint of citrus flavor, but for something this cheap you have to expect a bite or a cringe moment (anyone who has gotten wine this cheap knows what I mean). This is exactly why you should pair it with chicken or shrimp Alfredo. The creamy and strong flavors from the meal will overpower the 12.5% of alcohol and regret.
This meal can easily cost you less than $10. Just head to Walmart or the local dollar store for a box of spaghetti, some Alfredo sauce, and meat…or buy it prepared.
In general, Chardonnay should be paired with roasted veggies, carbs (such as noodles or bread), rich fish or white meat.
2. Pacific Peak Merlot with a Mushroom and Swiss Cheese Burger
Pacific Peak is killing it with these cheap wines. This one is also $2.77. Again, with this price you’re likely to taste some flavors of regret and shame in the bottle, but a burger with mushrooms and Swiss cheese on top will bring out the dark cherry and plum flavors you actually want from Merlot.
Merlot goes well with hard cheese, carbs, white meat, red meat and smoked meat. You might also want to consider cooking with Merlot to pair the food even better.
3. Lindeman’s Pinot Grigio with a Summer Salad
Whenever I think of Pinot Grigio, I imagine having a picnic, sitting on the beach with a glass of wine and a summer salad…or that one summer I worked at Panera and enjoyed copious amounts of wine while eating the poppy seed salad and telling others the horror stories from the night before. It’s a toss up, really.
With Lindeman’s Pinot Grigio you can get that summer lovin’ feel for $3.97 from Total Wine. I suggest this Strawberry Poppy Seed Panera Copycat Recipe. The fruits and nuts in the salad accentuate the crisp green apple and flowery taste you get from the wine. Pinot Grigio goes best with green veggies, roasted veggies, fish and carbs.
4. Double Dog Dare Cabernet Sauvignon with Hard Cheese
Cabernet Sauvignon is a strong independent wine that will only accept the best. That being said, Double Dog Dare’s $3.99 bottle is the cheapest you’ll find. For this one, we’re sticking to the classic wine and cheese pairing because this full-bodied wine demands something classy. You’ll want to get hard cheeses like sharp cheddar, aged Gouda or Asiago cheese. The subtle oak and spice of the wine will go great with the salty and nutty flavors of the cheese.
If you’re not a big cheese fan or you’re feeling bougie, Cabernet Sauvignon also goes well with red meat and smoked meat.
5. Canyon Oaks Pink Moscato for Brunch
Put that Mimosa down and pick up the Pink Moscato (or have both). Both are good. Either way Canyon Oaks Pink Moscato will be great for brunch. You can make it simple by cooking up some French toast and fruit slices with a regular glass of wine or get fancier by making this raspberry sorbet Bellini.
The sweet and fruity flavors in the wine will make your brunch that much better. Canyon Oaks’ bottle is $4.99 with 10% alcohol, so here’s another meal you can have for less than $10 and not get too crazy with your drinking (unless you also have champagne—watch out).
#SpoonTip: Feeling too sweet with this one? Add some lemon and citrus fruits to your wine. This will add a nice contrast without killing the flavor. Pink Moscato is a flirty young thing. Pair it with soft cheeses, carbs, cured and smoked meat and desserts.
6. Barefoot Pinot Noir with Salmon
I could not even begin to count the number of times I’ve bought Barefoot wine. Let’s just say, it’s one of my faves. The Pinot Noir tastes like a fun combination of dark cherry and raspberry. 13.5% alcohol just about guarantees you’ll be having a good time, but in case that doesn’t sell you, the bottle is $5.47.
Salmon is great for this wine because it has a strong taste that is evenly matched by the strength of Pinot Noir’s flavor. It’s like a peanut butter and jelly combo here: different flavors, great complements. And it doesn’t have to break the bank.
On the whole, this sultry wine goes well with roasted veggies, carbs, rich fish (aka salmon) and white meat. It’s also very popular to use for cakes.
7. Relax Riesling with Shrimp Tacos
What a great name for wine: Relax. This sums up all of my feelings about wine, and the bottles are cute, too. The bottle is $5.97 so not super pricey, but it is the highest price out of all of the cheap wines I’ve shown you. This refreshing wine with a hint of fruit will go great with cilantro lime tacos. You can also easily cook up some shrimp with just about any green seasoning, and it’ll go well this wine.
This carefree Riesling pairs well with soft cheese, carbs, cured and smoked meat and desserts ( *cough cough* cheesecake *cough cough*).
There you have it, kiddos. Now you’re experts of cheap wines and the foods that go best with them. Want more? I got you.
The Wine Guide Every College Student Needs