TIE 10) Pontificis – A GSM Blend for the Masses. Wines $10-and-Under 2015 Bodegas Nekeas Vega Sindoa Tempranillo ($8) Juicy red-fruit flavors and a bit of spice make this delicious red perfect for barbecues. and produces wines with low tannins and a lot of red berry and spice notes-leathery or tarry notes enter the picture with age. April 2020 Little bit of Cherry Coke. A friend to fish and poultry, and a good foil for a spring vegetable ragout or roasted young potatoes. Cherries and pepper and a little bit of something tart on the finish; cranberry or pomegranate. It’s a beautiful thing when quality and affordability combine, and the wines … October 2017 Lavish stuff, and like many a Zinfandel, a great pizza wine. And some wintry baking spice note that’s a little hard to pin down). Wearing a lot of form-fitting black leather while you drink it will enhance the experience. From the something-for-absolutely-everyone land of Sonoma County, Steelhead Red is crafted from North Coast fruit and it’s definitely a people pleaser. It’s classic, it’s compact, it’s easy to deal with and it’s available at a great price thanks to other people who make Zinfandel a hangover waiting to happen. Best $10 wine since $10 was worth $20. The texture is silky and subtle and the palate is heavy on cherries with a coffee edge and a subtle caramelized quality. 1 Best Red Under $20 Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Black Label Claret. Brambly goodness gives way to spice notes, vanilla, and some oaky stuff. December 2017 April 2019 From my tastings this year, I’d say it’s tough to find wines worth drinking at under $10 a bottle. Nine wines later, I was signing up for the club membership and wondering why I hadn’t heard of Gundlach-Bundschu. February 2019 It’s made nearly everywhere in the world, it encompasses the distinct characteristics of thousands of grape varietals, and people get really fetishy and weird about it. At this price you can experiment. Fred and Ginger. Bonus these are all under $25 and the prices may be even lower if you find them on sale at a particular retailer. But the real sweet spot, where there are dozens and dozens of good buys, is $15 to $20. October 2018 For those of you who like your wines to be dark, brooding drama queens: I gotcha. Words like “chewy and “jammy” do not come up with this wine; it’s silken and rounded. Gazpacho. October 2019 That’s what I wouldn’t pair it with. If you have not fashioned a crossbow, feel free to pair this with a medium-rare hamburger. One day I was riding a bike near downtown Sonoma and came upon a massive annoying hill that I would have skipped had there not clearly been a pretty old winery up there. Truly. Have you ever had that thing with the soft polenta and the poached egg in the porcini broth? A “Rhone Ranger” (the term isn’t reserved for Bonny Doon wineguru Randall Graham any more) blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah and Petite Sirah, this is a wine that will not ever take itself too seriously. Here are 25 California reds with a really good price-to-quality ratio. December 2018 Pipeño CarrizalChile País Familia Ernesto Soto 2019 $18.99/1 Liter. While I love True Myth most for their whites, this Cabernet from Paso Robles fruit should not be ignored. On the palate, an eccentric mélange of herbaceous and spice notes (I get nutmeg, and something like fenugreek) accompany a cedar and raspberry core. Serious, long-lived reds like Cabernet Sauvignon can command exorbitant prices especially when they come from regions with a high cachet factor (Napa Valley, Bordeaux, Burgundy, for example). 4.0 / 5 stars (26 Reviews) Wine … When exploring red wine, don’t be afraid to … Juggernaut Hillside Cabernet Sauvignon. Ferrari-Carano in Sonoma County makes a lovely one, with less plumminess than some Merlots but all the smooth, soft, velvet-like structure. Don’t stop at pizza. It is a red that will happily hang out with seafood dishes, but I wouldn’t rule out turkey. It has an accordingly eclectic flavor profile: chocolate, strawberry jam, cherries, cola, and a host of subtler little elusive ghost notes; mineral, leather, black fruits. If you want a … Cherries pop up here, along with blackberry, tea, cedar and cinnamon, a little mocha note on the finish, which is long. 100 Wines Under $15 of 2020; 100 Best Wines to Cellar of 2020 ... Cabernet Sauvignon was America’s number-one red wine by volume and sales in 2018. Light spice notes, dried cranberry, a decent ration of vanilla and oak on a fairly powerful finish. The wine itself is a blend of around 90% Tinto Fino (a clonal variation of Tempranillo, with thicker skins) and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and it's aged 10 years before release in French and … This stuff is just so easygoing it’s harder to say what not to pair it with. Soft tannins, lingering finish. They run from light-bodied to very intense, from fruity to leathery, from lighthearted to Extremely Serious. Decent structure, reasonable tannins, and a study in deep, dark and decadent. This wine’s soulmate is probably grilled lamb, but as always, play around. This is a dense wine with good structure and great depth. Like a lot of Cabernets, it’s… well, it’ll trigger steak-cravings. Sourced from North Coast and Central Coast fruit, this Cabernet has firm, fine tannins and a layered palate of leathery, earthy and tobacco-leafy tones overlying a chocolate-covered-cherry thing and a hint of coffee. 2 Black-Owned … Hippie alert: Steelhead is a great place to spend your wine dollars because in addition to crafting a totally beautiful wine, they are dedicated to sustainable farming and winemaking practices as well as waterway restoration. June 2018 Red wine prices vary widely based on many factors, including region, vintage, and rarity. If I miss a chance to talk up my delightful pals at Quivira, assume I have been replaced by a bot and send someone to my house to investigate, please. A good friend to blue cheeses, pasta Bolognese, and anything you happen to be applying to an open flame, including Portobello mushrooms. In this case, the typical Syrah notes of plum, blueberry and tea, followed by various baking spice characteristics. Grenache is a widely planted grape that probably originated in Spain. Properly handled, Zinfandel (Primitivo if you’re in Italy and Crljenak KaÅ¡telanski in Croatia) is a structured, robust red wine that’s very responsive to microclimate-grapes from cooler zones produce markedly different wines from those grown in hot spots. Juicy and rustic with enough Sicilian sunshine to give it heft, and enough polished modern winemaking to appeal to today's international tastes. This is not a light-bodied wine. Amici Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Reserve. Pretty feisty tannins on this Cabernet from Lake County; it’ll age well for a while. In fact many of them seem to be gluttons for that kind of punishment, thriving on parched conditions and turning out lower volumes of grapes but with higher intensity. Syrah is most famously a Rhone varietal but it’s widely planted in many countries (In Australia and other New World wine regions it is often called Shiraz). Dolcetto is not a wine you would typically age; it’s meant to be enjoyed in the bloom of its youth. drizly.com $17.99 SHOP NOW. Only three wines? Did I miss any? You’ll also taste blackcurrant, chocolate, cloves and licorice. It has a lively, bright acidity, modest tannins and a swift and elegant finish. Browse the top-ranked list of Best Red Wines Under 20 below along with associated reviews and … You can’t miss. There is a bit of a marine funk to this wine, and it is highly intriguing. Or duck breast. The 2017 Top 10 Red Wines Under $20: TIE 10) Castello di Gabbiano Chianti Classico Riserva – Classic Indeed! Dominant notes in this one from Paso Robles are chocolate, peppercorn and black cherry, with a little blueberry and currant. Wine Spectator picks 100 affordable, highly rated, widely available red, white, rosé and sparkling wines priced from $11 to $25. But again, don’t stop there. Make … Wild berry, iris, leather and an earthy whiff of … Out of Mendocino County, this red blend contains a wide range of hotter-climate varietals and expresses notes of chocolate and plums, blueberry jam and herbs, tar and baking spice and a blackberry kick that lets you know there’s Zinfandel in there. Also a great wine for sipping solo, paired with your back porch and a good book. Cabernet’s drag-and-drop pairing is red meat, but you don’t have to stay in that neighborhood. A soft, evanescent finish. This is a Merlot based blend, so a velvety texture and a plummy nose are hallmark traits. I bet it would have a positive working relationship with goat cheese as well. Anderson Valley Pinot = yes, please. Vegetarians will appreciate how interested it is in things like squashes, mushrooms, and strong cheeses-it holds up to some really tough-customer veggies, too, like arugula and red cabbage. We are extremely grateful for our readers & look forward to reading your comments! March 2019 Full-bodied and a bit smoky, with tar and cigar notes alongside chocolate, cherries and espresso, it is specifically crafted to go with whatever and that is how you should treat it. The Best Red Blends Under $20 - The 2020 Reverse Wine Snob Picks! Zin is the heritage grape of California and there are plantings that date to the late 19th century that are still making incredible wine. It is getting hard to find great Pinot Noir at this price point, to be honest. 7 Jan, 2019 Who wouldn’t want some cracking quaffers for under $25? Gun-Bun, as it is known around here, is one of Sonoma’s oldest wineries and still among its best. May 2018 Their Decoy line is a marked exception, so here we go. Pair it with game. They are complex and profoundly interesting, and … January 2020 That’s right. March 2018 This wine is barrel-aged, similar to how bourbon is made. The wine … However, it will be good friends with crab and salmon, lamb and potatoes, pasta and polenta, and if you’re feeling nutsy, try it with grilled artichokes. Very elegant texture. When done well, these blends allow the winemakers to essentially take the best … July 2018 July 2019 Inexpensive: For under $15, you can find a decent bottle of red wine … Dolcetto is not widely planted in California so it’s fun to see this one pop up in the Santa Ynez Valley. September 2017 This is a persistent, long-finish wine with good cellaring potential, but that doesn’t mean you should save it. Here is my list of the Top 10 red wines under $25... 10. prophecy cabernet sauvignon. Browse the top-ranked list of Top 10 Red Wines Under $100 below along with associated reviews and opinions. This dry riesling just won two prestigious awards: top 100 best buys of 2019 and best white wine at the 2019 New York Wine Classic, says Julie Hosbach, sommelier and education and member services manger of The New York Wine and Grape Foundation. Add your favorite red wine in the comments! This Zinfandel is a blessing of an exception and an example of what happens when you don’t let Zinfandel come into its overripe expression as a 16% ABV blackberry jam-bomb. That’s difficult but I will give it a try! The CA North Coast and Pinot Noir. Purple, with the ubiquitous blackberry note that lets you know it’s a Zin, and tones of dark cherry, earth, and saddle leather. This one is great. Typical Cab notes of blueberry, blackcurrant and peppery spice lead to cocoa powder, caramel and a significant cedar note. May 2019 Home 90+ Point Wines under $25 Page 1 of 2 View as: Sort by: Highly rated wines at a great price. While completely dry, some of the aromatics will invoke candied cherries – or cherry candy. Duckhorn is on my list of wineries I’m not always in a huge hurry to say super nice things about because most of their wine, while very good, is an amazing example of Napa Valley Attitude Pricing Disease, also known as Pretty Damn Big for Your Britches Syndrome. All are excellent dinner companions, friends to grill-tending folk, party-suitable and as reasonable to sip a la carte as to pair with food. February 2018 The name does not lie, this wine is a beast! “Red wine” is a beverage category so unbelievably diverse it can feel like you have to take a class before you go shopping for it. August 2019 In fact, this red blend is one of the best if not the best red wines under $30. At this price you can certainly let yourself play around. Another great friend to mushrooms, or if you are someone who like a well-marbled rib eye, you and this bottle have something in common and should get together to discuss it. It’s a wine that wants to be in a dialogue with red meat, but that doesn’t mean vegetarians should shun it; it will play along beautifully with wild mushrooms, pizza, grilled veggies, and probably a lot of other stuff. At all. It has the kind of texture wine people will refer to as “chewy.” The hallmark flavors of blackberries, black cherries and vanilla are strong and there are some spicy finish notes and a hint of something caramelized. Its flavor profile will depend somewhat on the climate in which it’s grown-this is a coastal climate iteration with sturdy structure (you could probably age it for several years) and an almost meaty character (in fact it’s on the intense side for a cooler climate Syrah). Each of these selections delivers just that, all for $25 or less—many for under $18. This beauty has an almost candied or sugary nose but do not be fooled, it’s bone dry on the palate. It’s lively and audacious and has a charming cherry-berry fruit-forward character with vivid aromatics and a very pleasant, lightly spicy finish. as well as a tiny hint of stone. Aromatic herbs unfold on the palate (a basil/gardenia thing? August 2017. Luscious, with a lot of cherry and black plum with spicy accents. Also anything meaty. Grenache is a widely planted grape that probably originated in Spain. Plums and dried herbs unfold gradually. Made from dry-farmed old vines that get the benefit of a marine influence, this is a rich wine that is not overwhelming. It usually makes medium to full-bodied wines with significant tannin. - Grace & Rachel, Aromatic notes of wild strawberry and black tea are followed by flavors of mixed berries, vanilla and black plum. 9) Kirkland Signature Series Columbia Valley Red Wine – Something Special. Ancient Peaks also hails from the Paso Robles AVA, where summers are hot. Fruity and well-balanced. It probably wants to hang out with BBQ, braised ribs, or possibly smoked fish (I have not tried that personally but it seems reasonable). Dark garnet color, balanced acidity earthy approach with berry aromatics and a hint of something slightly dusty. It’s fruity but not nuts. It’s complex and unfolds beautifully. The wine … November 2018 If you feel label-triggered to actually pair this wine with steelhead, I wouldn’t even try to talk you out of it. The last few years have seen severe drought conditions in California-this doesn’t necessarily mean bad conditions for wine grapes. Which I love. August 2018 I knew there was something. This wine has a lot of structure and is on the intense side, with an intriguing blueberry and white pepper nose. Louis-Antoine Luyt is a … All the red and black fruits, all the herbs and woods, all the soft, lasting voluptuousness-none of the snoot. It’s rich and powerful and frankly kind of a beast-but a charming, elegant beast. Peppery notes mingle with a bit of olive leaf and a lot of woodsy notes (there’s a hint of earth to it too.) The nose hints at pomegranates and sour cherries. Vivid intensity, good bones, a lean but not austere wine with enormous versatility and a high likelihood of making everyone happy. 7) Locations F French Wine … The blend is back and still better than you might expect. If Decoy’s Red Blend is the Napa version of a Merlot-Cab fusion, these guys have nailed the Sonoma expression. Cranberry and pomegranate are also detectable. If well-structured but not overly intense is your thing, this is your bottle. Home 90+ Point Wines under $25 Red Wine Page 1 of 1 View as: Sort by: Featured Best Selling Alphabetically: A-Z Alphabetically: Z-A Price: Low to High Price: High to Low Date: New to Old Date: … None of them will put you out more than $25. © 2020 Paste Media Group. If you’ve never compared a warm-climate Zin to something like this one, do it, because it’s really interesting. Pinot Noir is the classic red grape of Burgundy, and has become a staple of California’s coastal-influence AVAs. So for example, 2014 was a good year for a lot of folks making warm climate wines. From the unsexy AVA of Lodi, CA-yes, that Lodi-this Zin comes from vines that are a lot older than you are and the main words that come to mind are “lush” and “high-voltage.” Blackberry for days. March 2020 June 2019 This wine will overwhelm extremely delicate foods and would rather hang out with assertive flavors including spicy Thai dishes. I am always on the lookout for an affordable wine that drinks like a $100 bottle. Thanks so much for stopping by our blog! It likes hot, dry conditions (welcome to Paso Robles!) All Rights Reserved, Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir Santa Barbara ($20), Baker Lane Sonoma Coast Cuvee Syrah ($20), Banshee Mordecai Proprietary Red Blend ($24), Duckhorn “Decoy” Sonoma Valley Red ($20), Shannon Ridge Home Ranch Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ($22). It's no secret - I love wine! Total Wine customers often prefer the following products when searching for Top 10 Red Wines Under $100. Structured enough to age for a while; inexpensive enough to dispense with all that and open ‘er up. When you consider the lifespan of a grapevine and the lifespan of a fad, it is rather incredible to see how prices for Merlot have stayed down ever since they took a knockout punch from Paul Giamatti in Sideways. Total Wine customers often prefer the following products when searching for Best Red Wines Under 20. "Riesling is arguably the most food-friendly wine, as its high acidity acts as a conductor of flavor intensity, bringing out the best … You like salmon? I’ve found Zinfandel can provoke a snooty disdain from some people and my contention is that these people do not know what they are talking about. Also pasta. But there is a vast diversity of really great stuff out there, from Aglianico to Zinfandel, and it doesn’t have to break the bank. I know not everybody will have the budget for Champagne prices, by which I mean $40 or more. Niner Wine Estates Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 (A) ($35.00) This is a big, bold Cab with bountiful … April 2018 Good wine is good wine and it’ll tend to tell you what it wants. Nose, with a really good price-to-quality ratio dose of vanilla and oak on a powerful... Those of you Who like your wines to be inky, opaque, and a good for! Voluptuousness-None of the aromatics will invoke candied cherries – or cherry candy to bring a... Have seen severe drought conditions in California-this doesn’t necessarily mean bad conditions for wine.! 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Making incredible wine vanilla and coffee making warm climate wines dependable and easy to find great pinot is. Look forward to reading your comments ; it’ll age well for a while inexpensive.