Manipulated Mankind

What sort of creatures are we anyway? I always knew that high priced wines were mostly a marketing shenanigan. Think of the huge profits all along the supply chain for $30-$50 per bottle vino. Psychological marketing for all sorts of luxury goods has tremendous potential for profit margins. Paying more has many connotations from personal satisfaction that one can afford to spend the money somewhat frivolously to showing off by demonstrating 'good taste' to others. Ahh, vanity...

"Researchers from the California Institute of Technology and Stanford's business school have directly seen that the sensation of pleasantness that people experience when tasting wine is linked directly to its price. And that's true even when, unbeknownst to the test subjects, it's exactly the same Cabernet Sauvignon with a dramatically different price tag."

Being the cheapster that I am, I enjoy finding good wines at less than $10./bottle. Also, I have found many good wines under $10./1.5 liter. If you like whites, try Beringer Chenin Blanc, usually $6.00/.75 liter; I think Gallo's Livingston Burgandy is a very nice table red for under $10./1.5 liter.