7 Wines From Walmart Under $10, Ranked Worst To Best

It seems like these days, budget-friendly wines are on everyone's radar. Whether it's out of necessity or you just like a good deal, thankfully, there are an abundance of options that punch well above their weight. You don't have to go out of your way to find them, either. In fact, your local Walmart is a fantastic place to snag a bottle for under $10. Not every bottle that fits within the price range is worth your time, though, and if you're new to the world of wines, selecting one that's both decent and budget-friendly can be challenging. That is, of course, without a little help.

I'm a die-hard fan of budget-friendly wines, and I recently put seven bottles from Walmart that cost less than $10 to the test. I also ranked them from worst to best based on taste, perceived quality, how well they represent the specific type of grape, and mass appeal. We can get into that more at the end, but for now, just know that my ranking aims to help point you in the right direction the next time you're considering your options. Ready to see how some of the best wines under $10 sold at Walmart measured up? Me too, let's go!

Unfortunately for Apothic Red Blend, it didn't have what it takes to earn a spot higher than dead last in my ranking. There's nothing really wrong with it, per se, but it was somewhat lackluster compared to every other wine I sampled.

Let's start with the good stuff. For just $9.22, you can snag a bottle of Apothic Red Blend from Walmart, so it's priced right to be considered a budget-friendly wine. I also think it would be a good, approachable wine for someone who is just starting their wine appreciation journey. As for my complaints, though, the label describes Apothic Red Blend as a smooth wine with robust depth, but I beg to differ. Was it smooth? Yes, but the depth left a lot to be desired. I tasted an abundance of mocha and vanilla with dark fruit, but instead of adding complexity, I found it to be overly sweet. No, thanks.

I'm not a fan of sweet wines. They have a time and a place, yes, but I prefer a dryer red blend, and Apothic's is far from that. As a result, last place is where it stays. You might want to give it a try if sweeter wines are more your thing — as noted, Apothic Red Blend isn't bad — it's just not nearly as tasty as the upcoming picks.

Coming in sixth place is Winemakers Selection Reserve Pinot Grigio. As someone who loves a good Pinot Grigio, particularly one from Italy (as this one is), I must admit: I was hoping it would perform quite a bit better. Sadly, though, that wasn't the case.

The label on a bottle of Winemakers Selection Reserve Pinot Grigio describes it as a light-bodied, dry wine with crisp pear and citrus flavors. That's all fine and good, and I agree with the dry part, but what really stood out to me was the musty aroma and taste. Like, really, they put some stank on it. Don't get me wrong. It was still smooth enough to go down fast — as Pinot Grigio should — but the funk was a touch overbearing for my taste. Aside from that, it was fairly bland as well. I didn't detect the notes of citrus and pear that the label promised at all.

A bottle of Winemakers Selection Reserve Pinot Grigio cost me $9.98 at Walmart, but I've had much better Pinot Grigios for less. Thankfully, it wasn't sweet, like the wine in last place. Still, I wouldn't go seek it out, especially since the five upcoming picks blow it out of the water in the flavor department.

Next up is Bogle Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon from California, and you know what? For a bottle that only costs $8.98, you could do a whole lot worse. As you can see by its fifth-place ranking, you could do better as well, but I would gladly buy it again or take a bottle to a gathering.

Bogle Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon is nothing if not well-rounded. Each sip gave me lots of full-palate flavor with notes of cherry and leather. It also had a nice dry finish, but not so much that it would turn your average drinker off. I like a bone-dry wine that almost makes me pucker, but I know that's not for everyone. This isn't that. It's approachable, drinkable, and complex enough to keep you interested without being so bold that only a wine enthusiast could enjoy it. Talk about mass appeal.

Here's the thing: Bogle Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon may have only come in fifth place, but it's not a bad wine by any means — it's definitely tastier than the two lower-ranking picks. However, it wasn't nearly as big and bold as the two Cabernets coming up. In my book, when it comes to Cabernet, the bigger and bolder the better, so fifth place felt appropriate.

Priced at $7.47 a bottle, Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cabernet Sauvignon was the cheapest wine I sampled from Walmart. However, as you can see by its firm middle-of-the-road ranking, it sure didn't taste like it. Slightly bigger and bolder than Bogle (in fifth place), it punches well above its weight.

The first thing I noticed about Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cabernet Sauvignon was its deep, rich color. While this isn't always a representation of the flavor within a wine, this time, it carried over in a delightful manner. On the nose, I got lots of red berries and spice, something that made me excited to get a taste, and fortunately, when I finally did, it didn't let me down. The flavor coated my entire palate with rich tannins and complex flavor. It also had a dry finish that grew the more I drank. Pair it with steak or pasta as the label recommends, or maybe roasted vegetables, and it'll go down smooth and delicious.

That's a lot of positives about Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cabernet Sauvignon, so you might be wondering why it only locked down a fourth-place ranking? Well, it's not so much a mark against this wine. It's more of an indicator that the top three were simply better regarding perceived quality, taste, and how well they represent the grape from which they are made.

Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon is a stand-out pick for many reasons. It tastes like a premium bottle, but doesn't come attached to a premium price tag, and it's got flavor and complexity for days. It also shows you what a big, bold Cabernet that can stand up to rich foods like fettuccine alfredo can and should be.

By the nose alone, I could tell Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon would go far in my ranking. It was sweet and spicy, alluding to a rich flavor profile within. Once I got a taste, I was like, "Oh yeah, that's an exceptional bottle!" Complex yet smooth, it coated my palate like no other Cabernet on this list. It was also bone-dry at the finish with hints of clove and cinnamon, which gave it a nice sweetness without a saccharine flavor. Finally, just what I was after! Seriously, I simultaneously wanted to savor every drop and drink it down in one gulp.

I struggled quite a bit with how to rank Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon. Unfortunately, I was somewhat duped by the online ordering system. I failed to notice that the $7.68 price was for a half-bottle. While you can find Josh Cab for about $10, it typically costs a couple of dollars more, so I couldn't really put it in the top two. Ugh. Still, it is a freaking fantastic wine. If you are willing to splurge a tiny bit, it makes an outstanding pick.

Coming in hot — well, actually cold because it's chilled — in the second-place spot is Dark Horse California Rosé. Whether you consider yourself a fan of blush wines or not, this one has what it takes to turn some heads. Actually, it might just teach you the true meaning of "rosé all day". Easy to drink, crisp, and refreshing, it's perfect for brunches, patio sipping, or pretty much any other time you want to imbibe.

A bottle of Dark Horse Rosé costs $8.87 at Walmart, so not bad at all, but that's just the start of what makes it so appealing. After pouring myself a glass, I reveled in the fresh strawberry aroma. Although I will say it gave me pause because I was worried it would be sweet. After all, quite a few rosés rely on sweetness to attain flavor. Thankfully, this one did not. It was round, clean, and dry at the finish, just how I like it. It also hit the tip of my tongue, leaving a lingering flavor I wanted to come back to again and again. Not just me, though. It's smooth enough for anyone to enjoy, yet still nuanced enough to suit a more particular wine palate. Winning!

Consider me sold. I'll definitely be purchasing Dark Horse Rosé again. The only reason it didn't earn the coveted number one spot is that it isn't quite as complex as the wine that did. Still, it's a force to be reckoned with.

No doubt about it, the absolute best wine under $10 I tried from Walmart was Winemakers Selection Extra Dry Prosecco D.O.C.. A bottle cost me $9.98, so it just barely fits into our price range, but it tasted like a bottle I would gladly pay double for.

Many people call all sparkling wines Champagne, but this is a Prosecco, so it comes to us from Italy (amongst other things). I tend to prefer Prosecco over all other sparkling wines, and I didn't want this to cloud my judgment. Thankfully, though, I didn't have to worry about it. Winemakers Selection Extra Dry Prosecco D.O.C. was downright delicious. Interestingly, it was a touch sweet on the nose, but it didn't taste as such. It was bone dry with a hint of funk and a light fruitiness — all things I love. It also activated my entire palate and left a tingly effervescence from my lips to my tongue to the roof of my mouth. Additionally, the finish was crisp and clean. Seriously, this was one tasty Prosecco, and it screams celebration, as any good sparkling wine should.

The delightful effervescence and well-rounded flavors of Winemakers Selection Extra Dry Prosecco D.O.C. pair perfectly with spicy foods, and of course, any kind of Italian cuisine. No matter how you choose to imbibe, though, it's by far the best wine you can get for under $10 at Walmart. Yum!

As I told you way back in the beginning, I'm a self-proclaimed budget-friendly wine aficionado. What can I say? I like inexpensive wine, particularly when you manage to select the perfect intersection of price and quality. So, when it came to choosing budget-friendly wines to sample from Walmart, I tried to stick to bottles that I expected to perform fairly well. Sorry, not sorry to the wines that cost less than $5 (no shade, though). Actually, Walmart is a great place to snag a bottle for under $5. Regardless, I focused on what I thought would be the best of the best.

After acquiring the seven bottles found above from Walmart (of course), I happily got to tasting them. After giving each bottle a few sips — let's be honest, more like a half glass of each — I ranked them based on taste, perceived quality, and how well they represent the specific type of grape (does the Cab taste like a good Cab?), and mass appeal. The wines that tasted like they should cost more, boasted rich, complex flavors, and didn't rely on something like sweetness to appeal to drinkers earned the highest ranking spots. Personally, I'll be sticking to the top five from now on. However, none of them are bad, so even if you find yourself with one of the bottom two, it's nothing to be upset about.