Every once in a while, a cheap-thrill seeker like myself finds her own idea of Mecca. When I went into Corks, a wine shop on Platte Street, where the motto is “highly rated wine $15 or less,” I felt as though I had reached the holy land of affordable wine.

I particularly appreciate the user-friendly layout of the store. Whites and reds are separated, but instead of distinguishing the selections by country, which is typical of most shops, the wines are grouped by intensities: light-bodied, medium-bodied, and full-bodied.

In addition, wine selections are grouped according to certain similarities, like an affordable row of sparkling wines.

But these aren’t merely “cheap” bottles. Employee Rick Schieferstein explains that Corks selects only wines that are graded at least a B+ by professional writers.

For those of us on a budget, Schieferstein recommends Argentinean Malbecs and Spanish Tempranillos.

Bonus: If you’re looking to splurge on a bottle, two metal racks carry pricier wines, and Champagne is also available.