A good bottle of wine doesn’t have to be expensive. Producers everywhere make beautiful wines that are perfect for everyday enjoyment. You only need to know what to look for.
The best-value wines range from $15 to $40. Wines below that price are generally not worth your money, though there are exceptions — a $10 Portuguese wine can sing. The higher-end wines allow for a splurge when you want them.
Here Are Some Tips to Help You Select a Good Wine for the Price
Learn About Countries and Regions
- South Africa: It is the number one place for value wine, but most people don’t look for wine from this area.
- Portugal: The number two place for value wine.
- Vinho Regional Lisboa — Lisbon regional wines
- Dão and Bairrada regions — making some of the best wines in the country
- Vinho Verde and Alentejo — lots of good values wines
- Douro — still wines are becoming more widely available
- Italy: A wine for every taste.
- In Abruzzo, the coop Lunaria makes great value boxed wines.
- Prosecco from the Chianti region
- Soave — lovely under-the-radar white wines
- Valpolicella Classico — great red wines
- Montepulciano d’Abruzzo — forget Chianti, try this instead
- Dolcetto d’ Alba — can be higher priced
- Spain: Something for everyone.
- Penedès – sparkling wine
- Bierzo, Manchuela, Toro — lesser known but delicious
- Rioja and Ribera del Duero — values abound if you look around
- France: Beyond Champagne and Burgundy.
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- La Ville Ferme brand — great value widely available. Famille Perrin makes great wine in a wide price range.
- Alsace, Cremant d’Alsace sparkling wine
- Muscadet Sèvre et Maine — the perfect seafood wine from the Loire Valley coast
- Loire Valley — look for good values in Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc.
- Cahors — underappreciated reds made with Malbec
- Languedoc, Minervois — southern Rhone blends
- Roussillon, Côtes Catalanes — southern Rhone blends near the coast
- Blaye, Côtes de Bordeaux — good value from Bordeaux’s Right Bank
- Beaujolais — look for high-quality producers like Louis Jadot.
- Côtes du Rhônes: some of the best value wines, but a wide price range
- Vin de France: French table wines, look for Beaujolais, Languedoc, Loire Valley Pétillant
- California: Forget Napa.
- The Pinot Project — great value
- Lodi and Mendocino
- Sierra Foothills — some of the best Zinfandel in the state
- Santa Barbara County — Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
- Kirkland (Costco) Signature Carneros Pinot Noir — sells out quickly, so, it is not always available
- Others
- Grüner Veltliner from Burgenland, Austria
- German Riesling from Pfalz
Check Wine Choices at Local Retailers
- Your local wine retailer: You can’t replace a good local retailer. Find one and develop a relationship to get the best advice on great wine for the value.
- Costco’s Kirkland Brand: Check out Reverse Wine Snob for more info.
- Trader Joe’s: Hit or miss, ask around.
- Aldi/Lidl: Mostly private label, cheap, limited selection, lower quality. Spend a bit more.
- Total Wine and Wine.com: The usual suspects at reasonable prices. Use it for price comparison, then buy the lowest price.
Find Deals at Online Retailers
Direct to consumer. Sign up for their emails.
- Garagiste: New and usual wines at various price levels.
- DeNegoce: Quality California wines at unbeatable prices.
- Naked Wines: Subscription model with direct access to independent winemakers.
- Big Hammer Wines
- Wine Club: Search by price for value wines.
- Last Bottle/Last Bubble: Sold by daily email, one wine at a time, offered in a wide range of prices.
Research Importers
Read the back label to find the importer. Look for:
- Kermit Lynch: France/Italy
- Eric Solomon: Spain/France
- Louis Dressner: Europe/Chile
- Jorge Ordonez: Spain
- Dalla Terra: Italy
- De Maison: Spain/France
Blogs to check out
- Wine Curmudgeon
- Reverse Wine Snob
- Good Cheap Vino
- Cheap Wine Finder
- The Wine KnowLog
- Bigger Than Your Head on substack.com
When trying to find a good low-price wine, there is no replacement for a knowledgeable local wine retailer. Check out Woodland Wine Merchant in Nashville, TN.
