Inflation has hit our pocketbooks in so many ways: gas, food, clothing, wine. Of course, higher wine prices are not as painful as increases at the pump or the check-out line, but for those who consider a glass of wine with dinner as essential as coffee at breakfast, a 20 -25% bump in wine prices can sting.
If you want to prune your wine bill without sacrificing quality, have we got a list for you! Following are 20 wines–10 reds, 5 whites, and 5 rosés–we heartily recommend, all of which are $20ish or less. Most are under $15, and a few are below $10. As the cliché goes, life IS too short to drink bad wine. So don’t trade down to Yellow Tail or Layer Cake! Pick up one of these bottles, many made with little-known grapes from less-familiar wine regions, and enjoy good wine at a good price.
REDS
- Hall Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 $20 at Total Wine
Hall Ranch; Paso Robles, CA - Castello di Bossi Chianti Classico 2019 $20 at Empire Wine
Castello di Bossi; Tuscany, IT
Grape: Sangiovese - Justin Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 $20 at Total Wine
Justin Vineyards and Winery; Paso Robles, CA - Waterfall Aglianico El Dorado 2015 $14.95 at InVino
Helen Keplinger Wines; Sierra Foothills, CA
Grape: Aglianico - La Vadina 2018 $12.95 at InVino
Jorge Navascue; Carinena, Spain
Grape: Garnacha [Grenache] - Les Gres 2020 $12 at Last Bottle
Domaine de Poulvarel; Costieres de Nimes, France
Grapes: Syrah + Grenache - Susumaniello $10 at Trader Joe’s [exclusive]
Ruggero Di Bardo; Puglia, IT
Grape: Susumaniello - Dave Harvey Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 $15 through the Winery website
Naked Wines; Walla Walla, Washington - Uvaggio Montagna Nera 2016 $15 at Vivino
Uvaggio; El Dorado, CA
Grapes: Barbera and Zinfandel - Terra Barossa Shiraz $15 at FineWine.com
Thorn Clarke; Barossa Valley, Australia
WHITES
- Silver Thread Dry Riesling 2021 $20 through the Winery website
Silver Thread Vineyard; Lodi, Finger Lakes, NY - Monte Xenic Sauvignon Blanc 2021 $20 at Vivino
Bodega Vinicola; Baja California, Mexico - La Cana Albarino 2020 $16 at Total Wine
La Cana; Rias Baixas, Spain - Evandria Sinfonia de Blancos 2020 $12 at InVino
Amelia Coloma; Extremadura, Spain
Grapes: Alarije and Cayetana - Espiral Vinho Verde $5 at Trader Joe’s [exclusive]
Minho, Portugal
ROSES
- La Spinetta 2021 $19 at Vino Italiano
Casanova della Spinetta; Terricciola, IT
Grapes: Sangiovese and Prugnolo Gentile - Pantumas Cannonau Rosato 2017 $19 at Vivino
Cantina Lilliu; Cannonau di Sardinia, IT
Grape: Cannonau - Muga Rosado 2021 $19 at Vivino
Bodegas Muga; Rioja, Spain
Grapes: Garnacha [Grenache] and Viura - Honoro Vera Rosé 2021 $15 at Vivino
Gil Family Estates; Jumilla, Mercia, Spain
Grapes: Tempranillo and Syrah - Trulli Primitivo Rosato 2021 $14 at Vivino
Masseria Borgo dei Trulli; Puglia, IT
Grape: Primitivo
VinoDuo 