Great wine and high price tags don’t need to go hand in hand. Most serious wine professionals will agree that there are plenty of delicious bottles to be found below the $20 price point, with the sweet spot being between $15 and $20 (once you go below $15, the chances that the wine was made with good-quality fruit is extremely rare).
However, knowing where to look is key. When searching out quality, value-driven wines, we recommend considering the quality of the fruit first—meaning that seeking out organic, biodynamic, or other responsibly-focused producers is a great place to start. To go a step further, look for the name of the distributor of the wine, which is generally found on the back label. Check out their portfolio and values to see if they align with yours, and if so, carry on.
Sounds like work, I know. But believe it or not, you’ll quickly build up a Rolodex of go-to names that you know and trust.
While we love supporting small retailers, we understand that it’s sometimes easier to grab wine online. We took to Wine.com to find the ten best red wines under the $20 mark. The results are in!
10. CVNE Organic Rioja 2020
ABV: 14%
Region: Rioja, Spain
Price: $15.99
The Wine:
For full-bodied reds that won’t break the bank, Rioja is a great place to start. CVNE’s rich history dates back to 1879, when the company (Compañía Vinícola del Norte del España) was founded by two brothers; today, the property is run by the same family. This organic Rioja is crafted from 60% Garnacha, 30% Tempranillo, and 10% Graciano. The wine’s aromatic complexity and long-lasting palate promise to please fans of bold reds everywhere—and best of all, you could actually age this wine for a few years, should you care to do so.
Tasting Notes:
On the palate, expect flavors of red fruits, blackberries, and black cherry, with ample undertones of vanilla and sweet spice, thanks to the use of new oak. Fans of luscious, California Cabs, this budget-friendly alternative is a seriously delicious alternative.
Bottom Line:
This budget-friendly, full-bodied red is a perfect alternative for those who tend to reach for California Cabs and other big-boned wines—which often cost a lot more than this affordable Spanish gem. Feel free to lay this one down and age it for a bit, too.
9. Villa Maria Private Bin Pinot Noir 2020
ABV: 13.5%
Region: Marlborough, New Zealand
Price: $17.99
The Wine:
Although New Zealand is better known for their Sauvignon Blanc, we’ve got one solid piece of advice—do not sleep on the country’s savory, earth-driven reds. Villa Maria was founded in 1961 by George Fistonich, who at the time, had just one acre of vines in Auckland. Today, the company produces wines all over the profile spectrum, from easy-drinking entry levels to heavier-hitting single vineyards.
Tasting Notes:
If you love light to medium-bodied expressions of Pinot Noir, we can’t recommend this bottle enough. Flavors of tart cherry, strawberry, clove, cocoa, and hints of earth lead to a refreshing-yet-palate-coating finish. Think of it like Old World style meets New World fruit in the best way possible.
Bottom Line:
Rule of thumb with Pinot Noir: If it’s under $15, we generally recommend steering clear altogether. As much as we love Burgundy, you won’t find it for this price point—and if you do, run for the hills. Look to other cool-climate, off-the-beaten-path regions for great alternatives.
8. Yalumba Y Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
ABV: 14.5%
Region: South Australia, Australia
Price: $15.99
The Wine:
Although Cabernet from California generally gets all of the love, looking to the Land Down Under offers a slew of budget-friendly alternatives. Fruit for Yalumba’s Y Series expression comes from the subregion of Wrattonbully and is fermented with native yeasts prior to being aged with a restrained oak regimen. On the palate, the wine’s got all of the juicy dark fruit flavors and oak undertones that Napa lovers seek, yet offers a unique and refreshing hint of eucalyptus synonymous with Aussie Cabs.
Tasting Notes:
Yalumba’s Y Series Cabernet boasts all of the opulent blackcurrant, plum, raspberry, and tobacco flavors that fans of bold New World reds know and love, though a touch of pepper and hints of eucalyptus—the latter of which is synonymous with wines from South Australia—offer a cooling breath of fresh air on the finish.
Bottom Line:
Although Cabernet Sauvignon gets a reputation for being expensive, it doesn’t have to be. Similar to Pinot Noir, look for off-the-beaten-path regions for budget-friendly (and equally interesting) alternatives beyond Napa to find the diamonds in the rough.
7. Thymiopoulos Young Vines Xinomavro 2021
ABV: 13%
Region: Naoussa, Greece
Price: $17.99
The Wine:
Love fresh, easy-drinking reds that are perfect for enjoying with a chill? Look no further than this Thymiopoulos Young Vines Xinomavro. Crafted from organically farmed Xinomavro (zee-no-mahv-ro), this tasty red ages for eight months in concrete, so as to allow the fruit’s character to stay fresh and intact.
Tasting Notes:
If you love Cru Beaujolais or Loire Valley reds, give this one a go. On the palate, notes of cherry, red jolly rancher, leather, and hints of savory herbs lead to a poppy, high-toned finish. Serve this wine with a slight chill to truly allow it to show its best side.
Bottom Line:
Remember the whole off-the-beaten-path thing we already mentioned twice? The proof is in the bottle, here. Wines from lesser-known areas will almost always be less expensive than their more popular counterparts. This year, dive into picks from Greece, Portugal, South Africa, and beyond.
6. Scarpetta Toscana Frico Sangiovese 2020
ABV: 13%
Region: Tuscany, Italy
Price: $13.99
The Wine:
Scarpetta is the brainchild of renowned sommelier Bobby Stuckey, whose love for drinking standard Italian table wines—and pairing them with equally delicious food—knows no limits. Inspired by the great wines of Chianti, Scarpetta’s Frico Rosso is made mostly from Sangiovese, rounded out with a handful of indigenous grapes, including Canialolo, Ciliegiolo, and Colorino.
Tasting Notes:
Contrary to the often over-extracted expressions of Chianti that flood the market today, this well-balanced Sangiovese is a breath of fresh air. Sour cherry, cranberry, pomegranate, smoke, and dried herbs (oregano, thyme) lead to a savory finish. For a bottle to bring you back to your study abroad days (or last jaunt throughout Italy), this is the wine for you.
Bottom Line:
While this isn’t technically a Chianti, the wine uses essentially the same grapes, and also comes from the same region. If you can’t get enough of Tuscany’s more popular red, this budget-friendly alternative will do the trick.
5. Domaine de la Pepiere La Pepie Cabernet Franc 2021
ABV: 12% (approx.)
Region: Loire Valley, France
Price: $19.99
The Wine:
Domaine de la Pépière has been pioneering natural wines since its founding days in 1984. Today, the brand remains at the forefront of the movement, yet their tasty bottles of wine have somehow managed to remain at approachable price points. La Pepie is a varietal Cabernet Franc sourced from the granite-based hills of the village of La Pépière. If you’re looking for a peppery, medium-bodied red to pair with savory meats or roasted veggies, serve this bottle with a chill and thank us later.
Tasting Notes:
La Pepie Cab Franc is everything we look for in Loire Valley reds: it’s medium-bodied, it’s savory, and it’s seriously food friendly. Flavors of raspberry, blackberry, graphite, and the region’s signature green bell pepper undertones promise to pair well with a variety of foods. Seriously, this is bistro wine in one of its finest forms.
Bottom Line:
Somms, retailers, and other wine professionals alike will all agree—when it comes to budget-friendly wines that overdeliver for the price, the Loire Valley is a mecca. Dive in.
4. Caruso & Minini Naturalmente Bio Perricone 2020
ABV: 13.5%
Region: Sicily, Italy
Price: $19.99
The Wine:
You may not have heard of the Perricone grape variety before, but if you love Italian reds, this pick is definitely for you. Juicy, medium-bodied, and most definitely unique, this indigenous Sicilian variety promises a wealth of solid food pairings—think everything from margherita pizza to eggplant parmigiana, ratatouille, and beyond.
Tasting Notes:
Minini’s Perricone brings so much of what we love about Sicilian red wines to the table. Up front, flavors of wild berries, red cherries, and licorice dominate, followed by slight undertones of savory cooking spices. We also recommend serving this wine with a slight chill to truly bring it to life.
Bottom Line:
Similar to off-the-beaten-path regions, lesser-known grape varieties often offer budget-friendly alternatives to their more popular counterparts. If you love the wines of Sicily—think Etna Rosso or Nero d’Avola-based reds—Perricone promises a great time.
3. Cline Ancient Vines Zinfandel 2020
ABV: 14.5%
Region: California, USA
Price: $15.99
The Wine:
Zin tends to get a bad reputation due to the White Zinfandel craze of the late 20th century. However, when vinified into luscious red blends, these savory, medium to full-bodied wines are simply irresistible, especially if BBQ favorites or Thanksgiving Day picks are on the table. Fruit for this meticulously vinified wine comes from vines averaging 50 years in age and is destemmed, lightly crushed, and aged for 12 months in French oak. The resulting wine? Well, we’ll just let you find out for yourself.
Tasting Notes:
Unlike the many overly opulent Zin expressions from California, the Cline family seriously knows what they’re doing. While medium to full-bodied, the wine’s flavors of ripe strawberries, morello cherry, cedar, prune, and sweet spice remain pleasantly balanced. For those with preconceived notions about Zinfandel, this is the bottle that promises to change your mind.
Bottom Line:
When vinified as a red wine—and at the hands of great producers, such as Cline—these juicy, fruit-driven bottles are simply delightful (and come to life when paired with a variety of foods, too).
2. Pratsch Zweigelt (1 Liter) 2020
ABV: 13%
Region: Niederösterreich, Austria
Price: $17.99
The Wine:
If light-bodied, high-acid reds are your jam, then this liter-sized bottle of Zweigelt will definitely do the trick. Produced from a long-standing organic estate in Austria, this easy-drinking wine is produced from organically-farmed fruit in the heart of Niederösterreich—and the only thing better than its taste (and price tag) is the size of the bottle. Sign us up!
Tasting Notes:
Think of this wine like Old World Pinot Noir meets Gamay with Austrian swag in the best way possible. Flavors of wild strawberries, hard red candies, moss, and cracked pepper lead to a refreshing, high-acid finish. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, serve this wine chilled to up the refreshment factor.
Bottom Line:
Organic, super easy-drinking red wine for under $20—AND it comes in a liter-sized bottle? Sign us up. (This was a close runner-up for the top spot!)
1. Domaine de la Madone Beaujolais-Villages Le Perreon 2020
ABV: 13%
Region: Beaujolais, France
Price: $15.99
The Wine:
Beloved by sommeliers, professionals, and wine novices alike, it’s no surprise that a bottle of Beaujolais found itself in our number one spot. Crafted from one of the region’s most renowned estates, fruit for this wine comes from some of the highest-planted vines in the region, cultivated at up to 2,000 feet above sea level. Vines average from 40 to 60 years in age and are rooted in the Beaujolais’ signature granite-based soils. In the cellar, the wine is vinified with native yeasts and aged in temperature-controlled tanks, so as to maintain freshness in the final wine. The result? Zesty, high-acid, and unbelievably easy to drink Gamay.
Tasting Notes:
Domaine de la Madone’s Beaujolais-Villages is everything you expect from entry-level Gamay. Notes of raspberry, stewed cherries, cranberry, red flowers, violets, and hints of forest floor are balanced by ample amounts of zesty acidity and well-integrated tannins. Fair warning, this may be your next go-to “house red.”
Bottom Line:
As cru-designated Beaujolais continues to climb in price, look to regionally-designated bottles, like this one, for delicious deals. Serve this wine chilled and get the party started.