While collecting fine wines is based on factors such as taste, availability, vintage and budget you needn’t break the bank to do so. For example, with prices of First Growth Bordeaux ($1,000 or more) and Red Burgundy (up to $20,000 a bottle), there are a wide variety of options amongst wine regions around the world that you can choose from at a reasonable price.

Here, I will talk about Bordeaux. In 1855, Napoleon tasked wine brokers with ranking the wines based on price and reputation. The wines were ranked from 1st to 5th Growth. Initially only 4 Chateau were included in this first tier. They included Haut Brion, Lafite Rothschild, Latour and Margaux with Mouton Rothschild’s addition in 1973. With First Growth prices at all time highs, there are many reasonably priced choices amongst 2nd – 5th Growth producers.

Here are some reliable producers (in random order) with relatively reasonable prices (under $100) based on what I am seeing today with the Growth in parentheses:

• Chateau Brane-Cantenac (2nd)

• Chateau Lascombes (2nd)

• Chateau Durfort-Vivens (2nd)

• Chateau Gruaude-Larose (2nd)

• Chateau Langoa-Barton (3rd)

• Chateau LaGrange (3rd)

• Chateau Malescot St. Exupery (3rd)

Something to consider as well is that many of these 2nd and 3rd Growth Bordeaux have what’s called 2nd labels which is a wine from a prestigious producer that uses the same vineyard fruit, but is bottled under a different label, usually at a more accessible price point, than the winery's flagship or "grand vin."

There are so many options out there today, and I look forward to sharing more examples of other regional fine wines to choose from!