20 Wonderful Wines Under $18

Wine Spectator's Top 100 list was released on Monday, and lucky for us, there's quite a bit of thrill to be found in the bargain bin. The ranking is based partly on a 100-point grading system (just like in our school days) determined in a blind tasting, with only about two percent of wines earning 95 and above. (All of the 20 wines listed here earned at least a 90, making them A-students.) But the list also leaves room for the x-factor, explained Wine Spectator Executive Editor Tom Matthews. "It's not strictly about the numbers," he told Yahoo! Shine. Instead, the Top 100 is intended as a "conversation starter" about the "high points in the year and what got us excited," he said. The results are pretty thrilling, especially when a $9 Chianti outranks a $125 Barolo. If nothing else, use the list as a jumping off point to discover new wines and get out of your wine-drinking comfort zone. "Don't be afraid to explore," encouraged Tom, and at these prices we should be able to have fun doing it. "The pleasure is what it's all about in the end," he said. Cheers to that. --by Sarah McColl, Shine staff