In Pursuit of $20 Pinot F&W’s 2016 Sommeliers of the Year’s Best Wine Bargains Merlot: Meh or Magnificent? Pinot Noir’s Next Hot Region? 3 Bottles From France’s Best Value Region Greece's Answer to Pinot Noir A Winemaker’s Secret Inexpensive Go-To Sparkler Ever Wanted to Taste a Watermelon Cloud? Courtesy of Charles Smith Wines I can promise that all of them are radically better than their modest prices might indicate. If you ask a room full of wine experts about tasting value wines, most often you’ll get a kind of collective “ugh” at the prospect. I don’t know why, exactly, but I always find the prospect exciting—there’s always a visceral thrill when you find an under-$20 bottle that wildly over-delivers in terms of quality. The bottles below are a grab bag: Some appeared in the pages of Food & Wine this year, some I tasted at events or industry wine tasting, some I happened across while sitting at a restaurant bar, waiting for a friend to arrive.

As a wine writer, your taste antennae are always attuned to the new and the good (and, honestly, smartphones have made note-taking in unlikely places radically easier). The ten wines below cover a range, from sparkling to still, white to red, light to rich. Essentially, there’s at least one representative for every occasion or every palate, or at least I hope there is. At the very least, though, I can promise that all of them are radically better than their modest prices might indicate.best wine bar nj 2015 Chateau Ste Michelle Dry Riesling ($10)best wine bar nolita Courtesy of Chateau Ste. Michellebest wine bar columbus circle At the 2016 Riesling Rendezvous conference this was poured blind against some of the greatest names in dry Riesling—Austria’s Weingut Knoll, Alsace’s Famille Hugel, Germany’s Dr. Loosen. wine in grocery stores franklin tn

It held its own, startling the audience, and will possibly startle you, too. Vivid and minerally, it’s an absurd steal (don’t mistake it for the winery’s similarly labeled off-dry bottling though). 2015 Moulin de Gassac Guilhem Rosé ($11) This extraordinary Languedoc estate’s founder, the inimitable Aimé Guibert, passed away this spring (at 91) but his son Samuel carries on, producing among other wines this vivid, pink-hued wine, a simpler but endlessly drinkable foil to the winery’s famed red.wine prices in goa india 2014 The Pinot Project California Pinot Noir ($12)wine rack store uk Courtesy of The Pinot Project A $12 Pinot that actually tastes like Pinot is like a mythical creature—rumored but rarely seen. And yet here one is, a project (hence the name) of NY-based importers Skurnik Wines.

It has the cherry-cola spice character of classic Russian River Valley wines at a third (or less) the price. 2015 Quinta de Chocapalha Arinto ($12) An obscure variety (unless you’re Portuguese) from an obscure region, Lisboa (again, unless you’re Portuguese), given lovely expression by one of the country’s top young winemakers, Sandra Tavares. Who cares if it’s winter right now? This citrusy white is summer in a glass. 2014 Cosentino The Franc ($14) Courtesy of Cosentino Winery Ripe dark fruit and spicy Cab Franc character, all thanks to the generous Lodi sun—this enveloping California red is a perfect pour for winter stews and roasts (or for summertime burgers on the grill). Note: The winery lists it at $22 a bottle, but it’s widely available for much less. NV Marietta Old Vine Red Lot #64 ($15) Courtesy of Marietta Cellars The 64th “edition” of this non-vintage blend rides along on the same strengths the first sixty-three have always shown: ripe, peppery, berry flavors drawn from old vine vineyards—largely Zinfandel, but a plethora of other varieties, too—throughout northern California.

2014 Substance Cabernet Sauvignon Washington State ($17) Washington Vintner Charles Smith made news this year when he sold five of his most popular brands to mega-wine-and-liquor purveyor Constellation Brands for a cool $120 million. He kept hold of this passion project though: A powerful, structured Cabernet that drinks like a wine twice the price, at least. 2015 Bishop’s Peak San Luis Obispo County Chardonnay ($18) Courtesy of Talley Vineyards Brian Talley’s Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays that are bottled under the Talley name are some of the finest wines coming from California’s Central Coast. Not too long ago, he started this more affordable brand, which gives more than a hint of that quality for a much more modest price; the finely tuned 2015 Chardonnay is a knockout. NV Domaine Saint-Rémy Prestige Crémant d’Alsace ($20) I tasted an impressive number of good, $20-and-under sparklers for our December 2016 issue. But this creamy, biodynamically-produced Alsace Crèmant is the one to which my thoughts keep returning—a perfect alternative for people who don’t like springing for pricey Champagne.

Or even those who do. 2014 Broadley Vineyards Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($20) Courtesy of Broadley Vineyards A touch more complex (and a touch more expensive) than the other Pinot in this list, Broadley’s basic Willamette Valley bottling, silky and pure in flavor, benefits both from a terrific vintage in Oregon and the Broadley family’s long experience there.Cocktail Ideas for Mother’s Day – Margaritas, Mimosas, and MoreSpring Cocktails with Flowers to Impress that Special LadyClassic Mixed Drinks: The Aviation CocktailWhat is a Growler? – It’s More than Just a Beer Jug!St. Patricks Day Spirits – 3 Great Irish Whiskey CocktailsThe Best Whiskey to Buy for Dad040010When I was a senior in college I took a wine tasting course and it changed my life. No, really it did. Up until that point I was what my professor so lovingly called a “moscato princess” i.e. someone who only drinks sweet white wines that taste eerily similar to grape juice. It was in that course that I took my first sip of a red that I could actually stand, and the rest is history.

However, as a working young adult who loves wine it’s hard to find a cheap red wine price that is just right. I simply don’t have the budget to go and buy a $60 bottle (and we all know most of it is gone within a night or two anyways). For all my fellow penny pinching vino fanatics out there, here is a list of the best red wines under 20 dollars.1. Reata Three County Pinot Noir 2013 $16.99Central Coast, California14% abvBlack cherry and pomegranate notes with a medium to full bodied taste. Vanilla aroma with a deep ruby color. A delectable cheap red wine for any occasion.Jam Jar Sweet Shiraz 2015 $6.67South Africa12.5% abvFruity, semi sweet wine with hints of blackberries. This inexpensive red wine is great for pairing with sweet or savory foods. I recommend anything chocolate or if pairing with something savory, steak or beef wellington.Haras de Pirque Hussonet Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 $12.99Maipo Valley, Chile14% abvBlack currant character with blackberry and peppery notes.

Great for pairing with grilled food making this cheap red wine is another perfect summer wine.Luigi Bosca Malbec 2013 $17.99Argentina, South America14% abvA very earthy wine, this inexpensive red wine is complemented by bark and blackberry flavors. A great vino to pair with venison and red meats. I’m picturing this in autumn and winter with hearty meals and good company.Metz Road Pinot Noir 2012 $19.99Central Coast, California14% abvBlack cherry and raspberry flavors define this cheap red wine with notes of vanilla and butterscotch. Layered with exciting flavors.Errazuriz Max Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 $12.39Chile, South America14% abvBright ruby colored wine with red fruit and mint aromas, this cheap red has a velvety but firm palate.Beckmen Cuvee Le Bec 2013 $15.95Central Coast, California15% abvSmoky inexpensive red wine with a plethora of berry and spice flavor. Sweet cherry finishing notes with a well balanced acidity. Great to pair with meats due to its earthy hints.Murphy-Goode Liar’s Dice Zinfandel 2012Sonoma County, California15.5% abvA bold inexpensive zin, this wine has a nose of black cherries, black currant, and vanilla.