Expert Advice On Sourcing Affordable Wines That Taste Great

Whether you're looking for the perfect wine to celebrate with friends, or searching for the right bottle to pair with your Thanksgiving meal, the cost of enough good wine for a group can quickly add up. Sure, Trader Joe's somehow has incredibly cheap wine and always has your back. But if you want something in between luxe and cheap, Lexi Stephens, sommelier and owner of Lexi's Wine List, has some tips for sourcing good quality affordable wine every time.

According to Stephens, two of the main factors that determine wine pricing are grape variety and vineyard location. Some grape varieties grow more easily, allowing wines made from them to be priced lower than more rare, finicky grapes. Hunting for wines that aren't from the most popular vineyards, especially from top wine destinations like Napa Valley or Sonoma, can also help. "Not all 'cheap' wine is bad," Stephens says. "You can find really incredible affordable (or 'cheap') wines from underrated regions and lesser known grapes."

How to seek out those underrated gems? One of the easiest ways is to talk to the experts in person. Go to your local wine shop and talking to the sommeliers there. They're likely to have some lesser-known wines in stock, as well as having an extensive knowledge of what's good. They're also, unlike fancy destination restaurants, more likely to focus on retaining customers who will come back time and time again, which is more likely if the wine is priced affordably.

Finding regions nearby but outside of famous wine-making areas can also help: Instead of Sonoma or Napa, try Zinfandel from Lodi or the El Dorado foothills. Finally, when you're trying wines sourced from outside of the United States, it can be helpful to have a few trusted importers or Old World wine regions that you know you like — and that knowledge might just come with trial and error.

At the end of the day, everyone's going to have their own wine preferences. For that matter, different people may have very different ideas of what price a "cheap" wine should even be. The sweet spot price range for cheap wine is $15 to $25, but that might seem like too much or too little to you. There are wines you can find and enjoy no matter your price range — including at Aldi or Trader Joe's — and half the fun is in the journey to discovering your new favorite hidden gem.