I feel there will be a $30-40 bottle that will match your preferences, you just need to find it. Taste and availability can change on locality - California abs

I feel there will be a $30-40 bottle that will match your preferences, you just need to find it. Taste and availability can change on locality - California absolutely loves it's Cabernet Sauvignon, for example. Often to the detriment of other varieties and options IMHO. And this sort of thing also very much affects what's being imported too. People have an idea of what "French Wine" should be like, which may be very different to the taste preferences in regions of France.