Because great wine doesn’t have to come with great financial responsibility.

I launched my Substack, Second Cheapest Bottle, where you can find reviews of bottles that won’t require taking out a loan in order to enjoy them.

Here’s the truth: we’ve all done it. You’re sitting at a restaurant, staring at a wine list that reads like a foreign novel. You don’t want to look cheap, but you’re also not about to drop half your paycheck on something that might taste like it came straight out of a barnyard.

So, you do what any semi-responsible, semi-panicked diner does: you point to the second-cheapest bottle.

Congratulations. You’ve just joined the most relatable club in wine.

But it’s not always about the price. Most of the time, it’s about wanting to find that sweet spot between taste and practicality, where good wine lives without pretense. That’s the spirit of Second Cheapest Bottle — a space for curious drinkers, recovering snobs, and anyone who actually has to pay their own bills.

What You Can Expect

I’m a non-ridiculously wealthy person who has spent years exploring wine regions, interviewing winemakers, and tasting samples for review. I still love to find those bottles that offer the best bang for the buck, or in other words, the best value for price when it comes to quality.

Here, I’ll share mostly reviews with slightly unfiltered opinions on wines that I’ve enjoyed that are worth your money — whether that’s $25 at the store or $99 at a white-tablecloth restaurant. The idea is that these wines are available for under $100 retail or on a wine list.

Sometimes I’ll be tasting at home, sometimes out in the wild, and sometimes halfway across the world. You’ll find categories like:

• Good Red Under $50: everyday drinkers that I think you should know about.
• Good White Under $50: refreshing proof that Pinot Grigio isn’t the only option. Although sometimes, it might be the best one.
• The $99 Club: restaurant wines that I would order under $100.
• Samples I Would Actually Pay For: wines that I receive as samples that I would actually buy myself.

Think of this as your guilt-free guide to wine buying.

What It’s Really About

Wine should make you curious, not anxious. You shouldn’t need a sommelier certification or trust fund to enjoy a bottle.

This newsletter isn’t about the rare or the unattainable. It’s about the wines you can actually afford, enjoy, and share, whether it’s a Tuesday night at home or a Friday night out at dinner.

You’ll Enjoy This

If you’ve ever:

• Panicked in front of a wine list because you didn’t want to look cheap or like you have bad taste
• Bought a bottle only because of the price, without knowing anything about it
• Ordered the “house red” and instantly regretted it…

This is a judgment-free zone for people who love wine and who also like to be practical with their purchases. Yes, I’ve had DRC, but I wouldn’t spend my money on it.

So pour a glass, hit subscribe, and let’s toast to drinking well, without going into debt we can never recover from.

Welcome to Second Cheapest Bottle.

For people who think terroir is important but also love happy hour

SUBSCRIBE HERE to receive the newsletter straight from Substack.

Cross-posted from my Substack, Second Cheapest Bottle. This site is the main archive for all stories and reviews.