$10, $20 and $30 bottles of red wine are no healthier than cheap stuff

On Saturday, I bought a dozen bottles of red wine during a one-day sale at Whole Foods Market in Paramus. My selections cost $4.99 to $8.99 each before a 20% discount.

This "deep cherry red" wine from France and a bottle of California Pinot Noir, also $8.99, were the most expensive bottles in my cart.

Editor's note: I've updated this post by adding a link to a discussion of the health benefits and risks of drinking wine.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

Whole Foods Market in Paramus is a reliable source of drinkable red wine for well under $10 a bottle.

On Saturday, I bought a dozen bottles from California, France, Argentina and Italy at 20% off during a one-day sale ($4.99 to $8.99 each before the discount).

Why spend more on wine? The health benefits are the same, whether you spend $4.99, $49 or $499 a bottle.

While I was there, I also picked up two 8-ounce packages of uncured, antibiotic-free Wellshire Maple Bacon (on sale for $4.50 each), frozen Chicken Bones for Soup ($1.79 a pound) and frozen Oxtails ($7.99 a pound). 

I paid for the wine, bacon and frozen Oxtails with an American Express card, earning a 3% cash rebate and a $10 statement credit on a purchase of more than $60. 

See: Health benefits, risks of drinking wine

Whole Foods Market, Bergen Town Center, Spring Valley and Maywood avenues, Paramus; 201-226-1244. Open 7 days.

I steered clear of this overpriced Beaujolais Noveau.

This naturally raised, preservative-free bacon was reduced to $4.50 from $5.99.

At Whole Foods, frozen Chicken Bones for Soup (not shown) were only $1.79 a pound. 

I told an employee in the Whole Foods produce department the sign says "Grown in Spain," but all three brands of Clementines were from Morocco. He said he would "get to it."