Best Wines Under $20

Scouting the Best Wines at the Best Prices

Tuscan Treats

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Tuscany is perhaps the heartland of Italian wine, while there may be higher profile wines made in Piedmont and Veneto’s Amarone is certainly sexy, when we think of Italy, we think of Tuscany. Tuscan wine is as ancient as the region’s history but typically it is Chianti we think of, or the more prestigious Chianti Classico, and the legendary Brunello di Montalcino, all crafted from 100% Sangiovese, the grape that is synonymous with this region. 

In the 1970s Bordeaux varietals started being planted in Tuscany, and the stringent DOC regulations that insisted upon Sangiovese gave way to a willingness to experiment, perhaps boosted by the success that grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon were having in America. The term Super Tuscan was coined and perhaps a new way of thinking about wine in this ancient wine region.

2016 Prelius Cabernet Sauvignon, Maremma Toscana DOC, Italy $16

The Maremma Toscana DOC was created in 2011 as a way to provide flexibility and perhaps from a branding point of view, a step above the IGP wines for the region beyond Sangiovese designations. This 100% Cabernet is also 100% organic and 100% delicious. With classic red fruit aromatics that Cabernet is known for, as well as a touch of baking spice. 

2016 Pomino Bianco, Pomino Bianco DOC, Italy $17

The Pomino Bianco DOC is perhaps the foremost in Tuscany for white wines. Previously one of the signature whites of Tuscany had long been Vernaccia di San Gimignano, a crisp, mildly bitter wine that dates to the 13th century. The wines of Pomino Bianco DOC are most notably white wines produced from Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco, or Pinot Blanc, as well as vin santo, a sweet late harvest style wine. 

The Frescobaldi Pomino Bianco is a regional flagship and offers up effusive aromatics of honey, white flower and sweet ripe stone fruits The palate is rounded, ripe and tropical in nature, with streaks of key lime and hints of honey. It’s a worthy white wine for a region like Tuscany that’s known for excellence in quality to price ratios.

 2015 Lucente, Tuscany, Italy $25

The Lucente is the little brother, or sister if you like, to the legendary super-Tuscan Luce, from Frescobaldi. The Luce, often retailing for a benjamin ($100) is a stellar wine, but truth be told, this much more affordable bottling comes from many of the same vineyards, and for $25 is a ridiculous bargain.

The Lucente is a similar blend of Sangiovese and Merlot, and man it’s delicious. Aromatics are a mix of savory herb, bright raspberry and mocha. The palate is elegant and refined. Blue fruits, tobacco, exquisite tannin and a finish that lasts long after that Tuscan sun has set. 

France’s Wild West of Wine: Côtes du Roussillon

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Nestled in the foothills of the Pyrenees mountains and abutting the Spanish border to the south and west lies a region in the Côtes du Roussillon that shares many similarities with its Spanish neighbors that share in the Catalunian heritage found here in what is often referred to as Northern Catalonia. This region was once Spanish territory, ceded to France in the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659. The region remains very much influenced by it’s Catalan roots, and it has also become a bit of a darling to French winemakers moving west, to the wilder, less restricted Roussillon where they have brought with them a craft honed in the Rhône Valley. But the Roussillon is not merely a blank slate for newcomers to the region. It has a long history of winemaking sweet fortified wines have developed a world wide reputation from the region, but winemaking has a long history here dating to pre-Roman times.

The modern take on Roussillon is the most exciting. Known names are producing vibrant and serious wines in a region that has been known for its simplicity and value. Michel Chapoutier was a rock star long before he decided to dabble in the Roussillon, but it was the stony soils above the Agly River valley that drew him here. The Bila Haut site is a bit of a mix of disparate soil types all within the estate. The rocky soils include schist, gneiss and clay, and the diversity of soil types within the estate allow for wines of complexity and unique character to be blended to create the most compelling wine possible.

The wines from Chapoutier, and other producers like Domaine Gauby make a case for the Côtes du Roussillon as a world class terroir, with authenticity, complexity and character, as well as some very well priced wines.

2016 Bila-Haut Côtes du Roussillon Blanc, Roussillon, France $10

A blend of white grapes from the Roussillon which includes Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris and Macabeau. The wine is aromatically fairly subdued unlike much of the Southern Rhône white blends that are often round and phenolic. This wine is instead citrus and mineral driven with perhaps a touch of flinty aromatics. The palate is light, fresh and lively. Flavors are focused on minerality and a touch of salinity accompanied by key lime, grapefruit and a rounded peach flesh character.

2016 Bila-Haut Côtes du Roussillon Rouge, Roussillon, France $12

The classic blend from this part of southern France, Syrah, Grenache and Carignan with a dusty signature aroma of black cherries, garrigue, a hint of floral components and blue fruits. The wine is fermented in concrete vats and as such sports a palate that offers up dried fig, chalky minerality, and montmorency cherry. There’s a rustic hue to the wine, but it shows a certain elegance and command of the material that is a nod to the winemaking chops of Chapoutier.

2014 Bila-Haut Occultum Lapidem, Roussillon, France $24

A step above the Côtes du Roussillon is the Côtes du Roussillon Villages and the Occultum Lapidem. Occultum Lapidem is derived from a broader alchemist phrase but in Latin translates to “hidden stone” perhaps an homage on the part of Chapoutier to the geological diversity of the region and its ability to drive real wines of character. The production in concrete tanks brings out the mineral driven nature of the this wine, the aromas of garrigue abound, mingling with violet and dusty red fruit. The palate offers a hint of intrigue, smoky, flinty and dollops of dark black fruit bring it home.

Forget Flowers… Bring Home the Bubbles

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There’s always a mad dash for that perfect something, hopefully, on Valentine’s Day. A gift that says, I’m thinking about you doesn’t need to break the bank. Flowers are fine, but they aren’t sparkling wine.

Bubbles tend to mean celebration and so the perfect way to celebration a loved one, or a really liked one, is a bottle of sparkling wine, from just about anywhere in the world.

Sparkling wine sparkles because of carbon dioxide. That carbon dioxide in almost every case, comes naturally from the fermentation process. The first fermentation in wine is what turns wine from grape juice, to… well, wine. In sparkling wines, a second fermentation happens to produce the sparkle. Depending upon the method used, either the method Champenoise (as in Champagne), otherwise known as the traditional method or the Charmat method, that fermentation happens in the bottle, or a larger tank.

This discovery, long credited to Dom Perignon in Champagne may even date further back to what is known as the méthode ancestral, or the ancestral method, developed in Limoux in the 15oos. The ancestral method differs in that the first fermentation is not complete when the wine is bottled and there is no disgorgement, (or removal of the spent yeast cells) and the wines are often very funky. This style is experiencing a renaissance in the natural wine movement, particularly the pétillant-naturel, popularly pét-nat.

How ever that sparkle is added, we all love sparkling wine, and so I offer you a variety of options, at a variety of price points for every day, or to celebrate that special someone on Valentine’s Day.

Santa Julia Organic Blanc de Blancs, Mendoza, Argentina $14

You don’t often think of the Southern Hemisphere for sparkling wines, but this is a flavor packed bottle with rich aromas of honey and bread, a pearly effervescence and a rich flavor profile loaded with ripe stone fruit, honey and chamomile. The chardonnay comes from a couple different vineyard sites and it’s all organic. The production method, Charmat or fermentation in steel tanks, is the exact same as is used in the production of Prosecco but this bottling comes with some great honey and yeasty complexity almost as one would expect in a traditional bottle fermentation process, as is used in Champagne. Credit the ample time the wine was given to contact the lees, or spent yeast cells.

Fitz Ritter Riesling Sekt, Extra Trocken, Pfalz, Germany $20

Not all Valentine’s Day gives are going to lead to Sekt. Ha! But maybe they should? If you’ve never had sparkling Riesling, it will be a real head turner for the uninitiated. This wine is done in the traditional method, so some of the bready, yeastiness comes through in aromas of almond and hazelnut, but then Riesling kicks in and you get lots of that fleshy, bright fruit. Trocken means dry and this wine has extra trocken, but you definitely get some of that sweet fruit you associate with Riesling through this wine both in aromas and flavors. Aromas are enthusiastic; key lime, sweet nectarine and and wet stone. There’s a zippy acidity to this Riesling along with flavors of fleshy peach, pear and an almost lemon creme finish with lots of acidity to lift. 

Pretty in Pink: Pink bubbles are always fun, but seem to be more appropriate as a Valentine’s Day treat. 

Martini & Rossi Sparkling Rosé, Italy $12

While Martini and Rossi are known from everything from vermouth to race cars, this Northern Italian pink sparkler delivers a lot of flavor and zip for a humble price. A perfect before meal drink or pair it with a shrimp appetizer and you’re on your way. Not overly serious this wine is a reliable bottle of rhubarb and strawberry aromatics and a flavor profile of red currants, cranberry and cut strawberries. 

Domaine Bousquet Brut Rosé, Mendoza, Argentina $12

Another budget friendly bottle of pretty pink hued wine. This organic bottling from Domaine Bousquet in the Southern Hemisphere shows you the kind of wine that is coming out of Argentina right now, well made, and incredibly well priced. A pale pink, bordering on outrageously orange hued wine is a combination of the classical, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The wine is aromatically as delicate and pretty as the color. Aromas of raspberry, watermelon and a hint of yeastiness introduce a palate with fresh, fine bubbles. Flavors of cut strawberries, grapefruit and early season cherries finish the wine off. 

MOËT ROSÉ IMPÉRIAL, Champagne, France $58

It’s Champagne for a reason folks. If Valentine’s is the motivation you need to blow the budget wide open, there are few wine regions worth the splurge the way Champagne is. The folks at Moet have been doing this for a long time, and so perhaps it’s only fitting that your special someone should drink the same pink bubbles that inspired Napoleon and the mistress of King Louis XV. The Moet line is classical, and will make the case that you and that special someone should be splurging for  Champagne more often. A pretty pink hued wine, that hints at elegance almost immediately with aromatics of peach, toasted bread, and perhaps just a not of candied orange. The palate is mouth-filling, with strawberries and creme, brioche, and a nice zesty finish led by acidity.

It was Moet after all that originated the christening of sailing ship with a bottle of Champagne sacrificed against its bow. So perhaps this bottle is worth the relatively small sacrifice to your wallet, to show you really care, or who knows, christen your exit out of the dog house for whatever it is you did… this time. 

Divine Burger Wines

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The moniker “burger wine” has been somewhat of a backhanded compliment over the years. Connoting a cheap, simple wine for a cheap, simple meal. If you’ve paid the least bit of attention to what’s going on with hamburgers these days, you know that cheap and simple, simply don’t apply anymore. 

Burgers have gone full gourmet, with an eye on imaginative toppings, buns and patties that have blown the concept of “burger wine” as a forgettable bottle completely out of the water. A burger wine for the for the new age means a wine that is complex, interesting, and up to the task of pairing with a variety of flavors and ingredients. 

These burger wines run the gamut from rich, ripe and robust to lean, light and lively. While we often think of red wines, and that’s a natural inclination with burgers, I’ve proposed a bottle of bubbles for your consideration as well.

2015 Feixa Negra DO Priorat, Spain $17

The wines of Priorat turn the Spanish flare up to eleven. While Rioja is the king of Spanish red wine, Priorat should be considered the dark, brooding Prince. The wines from these stony black slate soils, and intensely hot region crank out richness, depth and length. The 2015 Feixa Negra is a blend of Garnacha, and Carinyena and this wine offers a lot for little money in exchange. Aromas of anise, wet stone and a core of black fruit introduce a palate loaded with dried fig, black plum, tobacco and cocoa powder. The mouthfeel is full and the finish goes on quite a ways. 

2015 Gaia Red Blend, Mendoza, Argentina $20

This all-organic, estate bottling is loaded with silky tannin and structure, and ample black fruit making a burger wine for serious gourmet options. A blend of Malbec, Syrah and then a dab of Cabernet Sauvignon, makes a fruit forward wine that tastes like it goes for twice the price. Aromatics are locked in on the French oak influence with dusty raspberries and black cherry and the palate is impressively structured. Fine grain tannins, savory herbal flavors and a wallop of blackberry. 

2016 Les Dauphins Côtes du Rhône Villages, France $10

The wines of the Côtes du Rhône are so burger (and wallet) friendly that you would think that the hamburger was invented there. It wasn’t, the hamburger these days is most contended to be an American meal, and there are several claims as to who did it first. There are precursors to the hamburger, the Hamburg steak of Germany and even a steak tartare from Mongolia. While none of those origin stories have anything to do with the Côtes du Rhône that doesn’t change the fact that it may be the single greatest burger wine producing region in the world. 

This is a ridiculous wine for a measly Hamilton. Everyone knows that the Côtes du Rhône is one of the world’s great wine values, along with the other southern French region of the Languedoc, the Villages designation is a step up in terms of quality and regulation for what is a massive growing region in the Côtes du Rhône. The Les Dauphins wines are 100% organic and come with a sense of place that you don’t always expect at this price point. In this case, that place is south of Drôme and North of Vaucluse. The wine is a blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah and then a splash of Mourvedre and Carignan. The wine is rich, hearty and super drinkable. 

Prosper Maufoux Cremant de Bourgogne Brut Rose NV $20

It may strike you as strange that I’m picking a sparkling pink wine for you to pour alongside that hamburger, but bear with me. We could have very easily filled this list with high acid red wines like Gamay and Pinot Noir as they are fantastic food wines, with a light palate that cuts through fatty foods, like say, a burger. So instead, let’s prove a point by recommending a cremant (basically every sparkling French wine that isn’t made in Champagne) from Burgundy that is actually made from Pinot Noir and Gamay.

Aromas of cut strawberry, shortbread and rhubarb give way to a mouthfeel of effervescent exuberance and light and lively palate. Flavors of early season raspberry, cranberry and just a slight hint of creaminess make this pink pairing with a burger done medium, perfection. But don’t just take my word for it.

Unusual Suspects: Red Wines from Germany

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There may be no other country in the world that is synonymous with a single grape the way Germany and its wines are associated with Riesling. The fact is that there are plenty of other white varieties that do well in Germany, but there is little doubt that Riesling is its gift to the wine world. 

White wines in Germany account for nearly 70% of total wine production, and it’s not just Riesling, grapes likeMüller-Thurgau, Pinot Blanc, Kerner, Silvaner and even Chardonnay go into a number of outstanding blends. There are red wines produced in Germany and they are really, really delicious. The two leading grapes are one you know, and one you may not.

Pinot Noir, in Germany is called by the German name, Spätburgunder, they are German after all. Pinot Noir, or Spätburgunder makes up more than 10% of total wine production in Germany and not too far behind is Dornfelder. Red wines grow in a few of Germany’s different wine regions, but most notably the Ahr Valley, as well as Baden and Württemberg. However red varieties are planted throughout Germany because well, variety is the spice of life.

2014 Dr Heyden, Oppenheimer Pinot Noir, Rheinhessen, Germany $18

If you’re into pure expression of Pinot Noir, this wine fits the bill from vineyards in the town of Oppenheim. From a fairly new estate, established in 1999, the Dr. Heyden Weingut wines are lithe and expressive. This Spätburgunder will make you a believer in German Pinot Noir and the price is hard to argue. The aromatics are earth and mineral driven, with aromas of mushrooms, turned earth, black tea and red currant. The palate is light, lively and brisk. Flavors of black tea, brambleberry and lots of minerality issue forth a really expressive wine for a bargain price. If you’re into exploring what Pinot can do in different sites, I urge you to track this wine down, you feel well rewarded. 

2011 Georg Albrecht Schneider, Dornfelder, Rheinhessen, Germany $12

This is a tremendous wine experience for $12. Dornfelder is a hybrid grape, that is far younger than the seven generation Schneider winery operation. Dornfelder was actually created just for the German wine climate. While white wines have always done well, red wines have struggled in the cool, northern climate. Dornfelder, with its dark hue and round body was a wine Germans could really get behind as a home grown red. Lush, full bodied, and loaded with flavor. Still, Dornfelder comes off with substantive acidity, so it still does really well as a food wine, and some styles tend toward a sweet red fruit component.

The Schneider Dornfelder makes a very strong case at 7 years old. It’s lush, but still very fresh, with aromas of baking spice, cola and loads of berry fruit. The palate is mouth filling but not heavy, you get a fruit driven flavor profile with freshness and and complex fruit flavors. If you were served this wine blind you could easily mistake it for a Pinot Noir, or Gamay from Beaujolais.