It's the age-old dilemma that confronts us every time we hit the vino aisle of the supermarket.
We want a bottle that doesn't taste like vinegar, sure. But we also want to avoid our wallets quaking in horror at the scan-blip.
So, what's the perfect balance of fee and flavour?
Wine expert and former Waitrose boss Mark Price has come up with the harmonious meeting point at which quality and cost intertwine.
He reckons that in order to snag a decent bottle of plonk that doesn't break the bank, we need to be shelling out around £10 a go.
"A lot of the things you get in a bottle of wine are fixed prices," Price said, appearing at the Oxford Literary Festival (via the Mail). "The tax you pay in the UK is the same on every bottle, no matter how expensive.
"The cost of the glass is roughly the same and the transport is probably the same. So if you buy a bottle of wine for £5 the value of the wine inside that bottle is just under 50p. It’s actually 47p.
"If you buy a bottle of wine for £10 the quality of the wine inside the bottle is just under £3. For twice as much you effectively get wine that is six times the quality.
"If you go up to £20 a bottle the quality of the wine is about seven or eight pounds. It is better, but you’re effectively doubled up.
"So, if you buy a bottle for about £10 you’ve absolutely hit the sweet spot of quality against cost."
According to research by drinks specialist Harpers, 54% of us Brits are unlikely to spend more than £6 on a bottle of wine. Just 7% are prepared to part with more than a tenner.
But with Brexit set to put wine prices on the rise, we may have to start re-thinking our frugal ways.
The average bottle of mid-range wine in France costs roughly €6 (£5) and the same in Italy will set you back around €5 (£4.30).
So, splashing out a tenner does seem like a lot - but what can we hope to get for that? We round up three top-notch bottles to try....
The red
This fruity Argentinian Malbec has a string of accolades to its name and comes with smooth plum and blackcurrant undertones.
Serve with: roast duck
The rosé
A vivid salmon pink tipple, this rosé embodies everything that is great about the Provence wine region. It is warm and fresh, with notes of summer fruit and herbs.
Serve with: Spicy prawn tempura
The white
A crisp and zesty vino from New Zealand, Oyster Bay SB is aromatic, elegant and alive with tropical fruit flavours.
Serve with: Spinach and ricotta canelloni
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