Price: $7

Producer: Santa Julia

Origin: Mendoza Valley, Argentina

Type of wine: Dry red wine made from the Sangiovese grape

Try it with: an easy, simple drinker; fine with grilled cheese, pizza, spaghetti

Date Reviewed: March 2004

Seven damn dollars for an easy-drinking, simple red wine. Not bad at all, eh? Normally, I would say $10 is the threshold for value red wines. Santa Julia defies the norm with this cheap-n-cheerful value red. It can go toe to toe with any budget Aussie red. This Sangiovese is bright ruby with a youthful pinkish hue. It’s quite aromatic – scents of ripe red cherries mixed with a little rose petal. In the mouth, the wine is light bodied with a light tannic touch. The flavors are simple: pie cherries and vanilla. It would make a fine happy-hour wine. Try it with Wednesday night’s leftovers.