When it comes to wine, finding a solid bottle for under $10 can be a real challenge. At this price point much of what’s out there isn’t very good, or has been engineered in a way that makes it taste exactly the way you think it would taste — usually sweet, the kind of sweet that means a nasty hangover. However, while you’re much safer in your selection if you grab a bottle that’s over $20, we understand that sometimes you just need a simple weeknight wine that doesn’t cost more than a Hamilton, yet tastes like you spent a Jackson — or should we say a Tubman? That wine is Herdade do Esporao Monte Velho Red.
While Portugal has been making wine for centuries, it still isn’t as recognized or lauded as some of its European counterparts, which is a shame because the Portuguese make great wine. But that means you get to take advantage of the wine’s much lower price.
Made from a blend of three indigenous grapes — Aragonez, Trincadeira, Touriga Nacional — and Syrah, the wine is bright, lively and fruity. In the glass it’s a deep red, giving off spice aromas mixed with dark fruit. On the palate it’s bright and easy drinking. It’s an accessible red that’s perfect sipping while catching up on Netflix, at a price that is about the cost of your monthly subscription.
