I know my limits when it comes to alcohol. 400 pesos a bottle when I’m drinking at home. 800 pesos a bottle when I’m drinking in a restaurant. It’s not just because I’m cheap. It’s because I don’t have a sophisticated enough palate to warrant climbing any further up the price ladder.

Over the years in Mexico, I’ve found some favorites in that under $400 drink-at-home category. Today I’m going to share five of them.

Baron Maxime 2019 Brut Gold Reserve Blanquette de Limoux

I can’t think of a better way to begin these inexpensive recommendations or the most expensive of dinners than with this sparkler. It’s an exclusive offered by the world’s biggest and one of the world’s smartest buyers of wine, Costco. It’s one that they have bottled under their Baron Maxime brand.

Despite what those big Champagne producers might tell you, the world’s first sparkling wine originated in the southwest of France and is called Blanquette de Limoux.

The dominant flavor of this Blanquette de Limoux is apple along with hints of fresh cut grass or hay. There are some similarities to Sauvignon Blanc both in the nose and taste but the grape variety is something completely different. It is called Mauzac and it must make up at least 90% of the wine according to AOC regulations, with the remainder of this one being Chardonnay.

Don Day’s Wife will tell you that this “compares well with Champagnes at five times the price”. I’ll tell you Costco’s $180 price tag borders on the ridiculous.

Kim Crawford 2021 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

I drink more Sauvignon Blanc than any other white wine and my favorite Sauvignons traditionally come from France, New Zealand or Chile. French Sauvignon Blancs from Sancerre rarely go below $400 any more so they’ve all but disappeared from my wine rack. Chilean Sauvignon Blancs are possibly the best bargain in the world of wine and I can find very drinkable labels for less than $200. But when I can find those full-bodied, herbaceous, tropical fruit and citrus flavors you get in New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs for under $400, I usually reach for my tarjeta de crédito.

I don’t have any strong brand allegiance and will buy any New Zealander from the Marlborough region on the South Island if it’s priced right. I chose Kim Crawford because it’s the most available brand in Central Mexico. I usually stock up when supermarkets have their occasional 3 for 2 specials. I bought my current bottles at La Comer for $300 at the end of December.

Georges Duboeuf 2019 Beaujolais-Villages

This was one of the first wines I ever drank. I remember practicing my pronunciation of it (probably sounding like Peter Sellers). 

What appealed to me then still appeals to me now. The Gamay grape gives Beaujolais a fresh, light taste with very few tannins. Yes, I might get the same pleasure from a Pinot Noir. But I can’t get a good Pinot Noir for $300 which is what I most recently paid for this Beaujolais-Villages.

George Duboeuf is one of France’s smartest wine marketers so you should have no trouble finding it. There was lots on the shelf last time I was in La Europea.

Ankal Generacion Reserva

My second most-consumed grape is Tempranillo and, usually, it’s in the form of a Rioja from Spain. This one comes from a little further south, from the Ribera del Duero region.

I like that Tempranillo has a little less punch-you-in-the-mouth fruitiness than Cabernet Sauvignon and a taste that resembles cherries. Ankal spends eight months in American oak then 32 months in the bottle so there are also some toast and leather notes.

I’d never heard of Ankal until recently when I was attracted to its sophisticated label on Costco’s site (yes, packaging works on me, too) so bought a bottle. I liked it enough (the wine, not the label) that, when it went on special at $300 (a very good price for a Tempranillo with 40 months of aging), I bought six more.

Josh 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon

Simply put, Cabernet Sauvignon is my favorite red wine, Californians are my favorite Cabs, and Josh is one of my favorite Californians.

Wine critics hate this wine. The average of 40 reviews on Cellar Tracker is a paltry 3 out of 5 stars. Wine drinkers love this wine. Every red wine drinker I hang out with buys it when they can afford it.

There are not a lot of nuances derived from the time Josh spends in the barrel. You’re not going to read words like tobacco, pencil lead or barnyard in those haughty taughty wine mags’ descriptions. This wine is all about the aromas and tastes of fruit, particularly raspberries and blackcurrants.

Josh’s Mexican distributor frequently makes its wines available at a discount through retailers. I stocked up online at Costco recently at $335 a bottle.