(Bloomberg) -- I know. There’s a lot out there to make price-sensitive wine lovers shiver, not least of all inflation and the Trump administration’s looming threat of tariffs.
Yet, when I thumbed through my tasting books for 2024, I was once again surprised by how many wines are still relative bargains: succulent, savory reds; crisp, elegant whites; juicy rosés; and even sophisticated sparklers are among the 4,223 wines from 20 countries I sampled this year. I ferreted out some on international trips, others at big importer portfolio tastings or meetings with producers in New York, still others during daily tastings in my home office in Connecticut.
Out of these I culled this year’s 50 good buys. As always, I’ve favored wines that are new or from producers I haven’t recommended before. That meant not including many labels that reliably offer excellent value in this price range, such as Massican, Matthiasson and Tablas Creek in California, Champagnes such as Lanson Le Black, Piper Heidsieck and Drappier Carte d’Or, and many, many more.
Most difficult is finding Champagne at this price point. The good news is that the holiday season is prime time for discounts on even top fizz names; the last quarter of the year is when sales spike. So, stock up, in case tariffs do become a reality in 2025.
Where to look for other bargains?
The story is the same as it’s been for several years. Italy is at the top for me, with good values in almost every region. France is a close second. Look in Alsace, Macon, the Loire Valley, Muscadet and the Languedoc, and don’t forget lesser names in Bordeaux, where producers I’ve recommended before, like Château Siran, Cantemerle, Tour Saint Christophe and Bellefont Belcier, haven’t raised prices even though their wines just keep getting better. Fair warning: Some regions that used to be the source of cheap quaffing vino, like Beaujolais, are now taken seriously, which means prices go up.
Portugal is a growing source of super dry table wines, especially from fascinating grapes people are just learning about. Sauvignon blancs from New Zealand, Chile and elsewhere, which I’ve written about this year, are still buys, and two other whites—albariño and vermentino—are gaining traction.
Finally, shop around and compare prices. That’s what wine-searcher.com is for.
The Fun Fizz
Top sparkling wines, including pét-nats, come from every continent but Antarctica.
NV Bohigas Brut Reserva Cava ($19)A lot of Spanish cava is uninspiring, but this snappy light-bodied one is a top choice of many sommeliers. It features zingy green-apple notes and has the satisfying bright acidity to go brilliantly with oysters.
2022 Martin Texier Petite Nature Pétillant Naturel ($25)Texier is an accomplished DJ, the son of a famous organic winemaker and part of a new wave of young vignerons focusing on lesser-known local varieties in the Rhone Valley. This dry, floral-and-ginger scented natural sparkling white with honeyed notes and a gentle fizz is made from the offbeat muscat a petits grains grape.
NV Pierre Sparr Crémant d’Alsace Brut Rosé ($27) Crémants are top alternatives to Champagne and made by the same traditional method. This salmon-pink, fruity all-pinot-noir cuvée from Alsace is smooth and round, with scents of strawberries. It’s a fine party drink, especially with salty snacks and barbecued anything.
2022 BiancaVigna Prosecco Superiore Rive di Soligo Conegliano Valdobbiadene Extra Brut ($29)Forget basic prosecco and go for the best, which are still bargains. This pale gold, very dry example from a steep hillside vineyard has lemon and mineral flavors and tiny bubbles and is an easy to sip aperitif.
NV Chandon Reserve Blanc de Blancs, By the Bay ($36) This award-winning sparkling ode to chardonnay comes from Napa’s cool Carneros region and made its debut in 2020. It’s a big step up from the winery’s basic brut. Cool breezes from San Pablo Bay give it energy, flinty, citrusy scents, and subtle flavors of green apples.
When Only Champagne Will Do
Nonvintage blends from little-known growers still offer the best values. Entry-level cuvées from larger brands are getting better and better, but it’s still difficult to find one that costs $50 or less—except during the holidays when discounts reign.
Pommery Brut Royal ($47) Sleek and seductive define this blend of chardonnay, pinot noir and meunier, which is a terrific aperitif.
NV Stephane Coquillette Brut Carte d’Or ($48) Organically farmed and richly textured this top grower’s fizz rivals many grand cru champagnes. Its aromas and flavors remind me of lemon verbena, warm brioche and toasted hazelnuts.
NV Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve ($50)Charming, delicate, vivacious, this entry level fizz comes from a small grand marque house that’s less known than it should be. Expect a creamier texture and more complexity and depth than you find in most nonvintage cuvées.
NV Delamotte Brut ($50) Crisp lemony freshness, aromas of freshly baked bread, and refined elegance are the hallmarks of this basic brut. It’s ideal for toasting or sipping anytime.
NV Gamet Rive Droite Blanc de Noirs Brut ($50) This grower-producer was a new name to me, but I quickly became a fan of the food-friendly cuvée with floral and red-fruit notes. Meunier, a grape that used to be viewed as merely a blending partner to more prized pinot noir and chardonnay, has the starring role.
NV R.H. Coutier Cuvée Tradition Grand Cru Brut ($50)A grower in grand cru village Ambonnay crafts this versatile fizz blend of intense, rich pinot noir and crisp chardonnay. Its personality is all about citrus, almond and floral aromas, gentle minerality and a creamy texture.
Whites
From light, bright aperitifs to refrigerator sipping to elegant, rich wines for a grand dinner
2023 Dolly Wines California Chardonnay ($15) Don’t laugh. Country music celeb Dolly Parton’s new foray into the world of wine is better than you’d expect, and the price is right. With notes of pear, lemon zest and pineapple, it’s for cozy sipping while listening to Dolly classics.
2021 Forge Cellars Dry Riesling Classique ($18)I say this every year: People should drink more riesling! This Finger Lakes example is from the visionary New York project of Rhone Valley winemaker Louis Barruol. It’s a bright, refreshing stunner with depth, complexity and ripe apple notes.
2023 Mendes + Symington Contacto Alvarinho ($19) This new partnership between a family known for port and well-known winemaker Anselmo Mendes aims to highlight the quality of alvarinho (aka albariño) in vinho verde’s Monçao e Melgaço region. Aromatic, floral and elegant, it shows surprising complexity for the price.
2023 Oberon Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc ($20) Napa sauvignon blancs are hitting $50 and up, so this fresh, layered, fruity example with a screw cap stands out as a bargain.
2020 David & Nadia Aristargos ($32)This brilliant white blend from South Africa includes nine grape varieties, which feels like some kind of record. Deep, mineral chenin blanc is the main one, and the wine has the kind of complexity and balance for serious aging.
2023 Fowles Ladies Who Shoot their Lunch Riesling ($32)A winner. The name and label captured me, but the wine inside did, too, showing the appeal of Aussie rieslings. Picture minty, wintergreen aromas and a very dry, clear, rich flavors ideal with sausages.
2020 Garofoli Podium Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore ($32)There’s so much going on in this zesty white: smoky, herbal aromas, tastes of minerals and salt, stones and spice, refreshing acidity and structure, too.
2023 Aperture Cellars Chenin Blanc ($35)The grape is, happily, making a comeback in California. Jesse Katz, who crafted Justin Timberlake’s wedding wine, is the owner-winemaker behind this deep, vibrant, mineral-toned version from old vines in Sonoma.
2022 Los Vascos Primo Semillon ($40) I’m a huge fan of the whites made from Semillon grapes. This just-launched example is from the Los Vascos winery in the Apalta region of Chile, owned by the Rothschild family of Château Lafite fame. The vines date back to 1930. Subtle and harmonious, it entices with white flower and orange peel aromas and lingering notes of grapefruit.
2022 Bella Union Bianco ($45)This gorgeous, ambitious winery just opened in Napa this year. White blends are on the rise in the valley, and this unique mix of six white grapes is Italian in style. It’s light, soft, mouthwatering, minerally and so easy to drink you could have it for breakfast—or better, with sautéed flounder.
2022 New Chapter Grüner Veltliner ($45)Most grüner is sold in the German-speaking world, and this new Austrian example made by two renowned winemakers aims for a wider audience with a rounder style, softer peppery flavors, and more richness. It overdelivers.
2022 Wine & Soul Guru Branco ($48)Crisp yet full-bodied, this white is a field blend of four native Portuguese varieties and doesn’t resemble any other wine I’ve ever tried. It’s pure and subtle and complex with lots of intensity, tension and energy. And it was fantastic with a rich codfish stew.
2022 Knights Bridge Pont de Chevalier Chardonnay ($50)Golden in color, this citrus-toned, richly textured white is from the coldest site on this excellent, and a bit under-the-radar estate in Sonoma’s Knight’s Valley. This is their second-tier quality level; their entry-level KB wines are also super buys, as is their Pont de Chevalier sauvignon blanc.
2021 Mazzei Tenuta Belguardo V Maremma Toscana Vermentino Superiore ($50)This tangy, creamy-textured, terroir-driven Italian white with a salty lick of lime zest is a serious wine built to age. It’s the first vintage of this prestige vermentino to sport the superiore status, newly official in coastal Tuscany. Is vermentino the new sauvignon blanc?
Rosé for all Seasons
Dry pink wines are an all-year drink, as an aperitif or party sipper, or with food.
2023 Lapostolle Le Rosé ($16)The best Provence rosés are getting pricier, so look to other countries for bargains. This very pale Chilean pink blend of cinsault, syrah, mourvedre and grenache has subtle elegance, refreshing acidity, and notes of rose petals.
2023 Montes Cherub Rosé of Syrah ($18) OK, I love the label, which has just the right insouciance for a gulpable pink wine. From another top Chilean producer, it has charm, a bright fruit taste and intense pomegranate aromas.
2023 Domaine de L’Ile Poquerolles Rosé ($42)Ever since the family behind luxury house Chanel bought this island estate off the coast of Provence with certified organic vineyards, the wines have been getting better and better. The latest vintage is the best yet, super elegant, savory and sophisticated enough to serve on a high-powered yacht.
Reds to Pair With Pizza and Steak
From light and lively to big and bold
2022 Tenuta di Capezzana Barco Reale Carmignano ($18)Talk about an ideal house red! Think tangy dark cherry and savory tobacco leaf flavors, the right amount of bright acidity for all kinds of food and a round texture. The sangiovese-cabernet sauvignon blend comes from less-well-known Tuscan region Carmignano.
2021 Bodega Garzón Reserva Marselan ($19) Look to Uruguayan winery Garzón for well-made, satisfying bargains, including this red. The marselan grape is a mainstay in, of all places, China. Garzón’s medium-bodied version is all about crunchy red fruit laced with mint and a soft texture.
2021 Clos de los Siete by Michel Rolland ($20)Though nearly a million bottles of this bold, smooth, satisfying red merlot and malbec blend from Argentina are sold every year, it offers quality at a low price. The current vintage seems lighter and fresher than those in the past, with bright, rich fruit flavors, and is perfect with burgers.
2021 Kir-Yianni Naoussa Cuvée Villages ($20)Recently a reader wrote asking for recommendations for Greek wines. This deep, earthy red with an iron tang is made from xinomavro in the northern Greece region of Naoussa by a pioneering winemaker I visited some 15 years ago. The wine will age, too.
2021 Delille Cellars Metier Cabernet Sauvignon ($22) Washington State is an excellent source of good value cabernet, and this gold-medal-winning plush, bold, dark-fruited red is a prime example. Metier is a new label from the well-known DeLille Cellars.
2021 Pedro Parra y Familia Imaginador Cinsault ($24) I drank this juicy, tangy, gulpable certified organic red with a fish lunch in Chile’s lake country and was struck by its compelling flavors, from savory cherries to an earth and mineral finish. Parra, famous internationally as a soil consultant, makes it from old cinsault vines in the Itata Valley.
2022 Paringa Estate Peninsula Pinot Noir ($25)Good pinot gets more and more expensive, but this spice-scented Australian example with rich red fruit flavors offers amazing appeal for the money. Fresh and energetic, it’s from the beachy paradise of Mornington Peninsula south of Melbourne. Serve with a slight chill.
2021 Château Grand Village Bordeaux Superieur ($26)Bordeaux is a hotbed of bargains under $50, and this plush, spice-and-cocoa red is one of them. Mostly merlot, it’s made by the team behind cult Pomerol Château Lafleur. Last year I recommended the white, this year, it’s the red.
2022 Istine Chianti Classico ($28)The reds in this historic Tuscan region have never been better, and prices are still modest. This entry-level bottling from rising star Angela Fronti at Istine is all high-energy, charm, and sour cherry and herb flavors, which make it an excellent all-around food partner.
2020 Dorli Muhr Prellenkirchen – Samt & Seide Blaufränkisch ($32)Too few people know the virtues of Austrian grape blaufränkisch! This one from a specialist in the grape offers the taste of wild berries and red currants.
2020 Familia Zuccardi Poligonos San Pablo Cabernet Franc ($31)Wines from this award-winning Argentinian winery all deliver superb quality for the price. This fresh, lush, vivid red with notes of dried herbs and tobacco shows the country is a top spot for this increasingly popular grape.
2022 Frog’s Leap Flycatcher ($35) A long-time organic Napa producer makes this deliciously drinkable, soft-textured red blend (zinfandel, petite sirah, merlot, syrah) that goes with everything from steak to pizza.
2021 Ar Pe Pe Rosso di Valtellina ($37) Alpine wines are having a moment in America, and this one, made from Nebbiolo grapes in Valtellina, hits all the right notes: rose petal aromas, flavors that recall lush cherries and fine tannins.
2022 Inman Family G & T ($42)This brand-new cedary, plummy, earthy blend of grenache and tempranillo (G & T, get it?) from Lake County north of Napa slips down so easy.
2019 Domaine Guillot-Broux Macon-Cruzille Beaumont ($43) Macon, the southern tip of Burgundy, is known for white wines, but this red from gamay grapes grabbed me with its seductive savory fruit and the kind of juiciness you also find in the best Beaujolais.
No-Alcohol Vino
The latest trend in wine with more good-drinking choices than ever
NV Missing Thorn Rosé ($25) Made by acclaimed Napa winemaker Aaron Pott, this light, lively pink wine from barbera grapes is one of the excellent wines in his no-alcohol project with vintner Stephanie Honig.
Oddbird GSM ($25)This Swedish brand founded over a decade ago went nationwide in the US this year. This rich, smooth red nonalcoholic blend from southern France is deservedly popular. Drink it until the next shipment of my favorite, their bold spicy tempranillo made from organic Spanish grapes labeled Addiction, arrives next year. Best served slightly chilled.
NV French Bloom Le Rosé ($44) LVMH recently invested in French Bloom, whose three NA fizz cuvées are crafted by a Champagne maker and poured at many European Michelin-starred restaurants. The rosé is all about fresh berry and peach aromas and flavors.
NV Kally X Single Thread Pear Verbena ($49)Citrusy-tart, this sophisticated drink based on verjus, the pressed juice of unfermented grapes, has wine-like polish and a silky texture. It’s a zero-proof collaboration between wine alternatives company Kally and the chef at Sonoma’s three Michelin-starred restaurant, SingleThread.
And for Dessert
Sweet wines for sipping
2018 Royal Tokaji Late Harvest (500ml, $20)This isn’t as rich and complex as versions labeled Aszu, but it’s deliciously spicy and honeyed, with notes of apricot and a silky-smooth texture. Serve with poached apricots in a rich syrup or pear and ginger tart.
NV Warre’s Otima 10 Year Tawny Port (500ml, $26)This ready-to-drink port in a lighter, more refreshing style is made for people who think they don’t like port. It’s rich, soft and satisfying and loaded with dried fig and honey flavors. Serve with cheese or sip by the fire after dinner.
2014 Château Rieussec Sauternes (half-bottle, $46)This is an amazing price for a 10-year-old sweet wine from a Bordeaux château owned by the Rothschild family.
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