RED WINES

1) 2021 & 2020 Château Laroque, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux - $33-39

There are absolute bargains to be found from Bordeaux these days, and Saint-Émilion is a treasure trove of value. Perched on a plateau with to-die-for limestone over clay soils and possessing mature vines, this under-the-radar château appointed David Suire in 2015 to manage the estate and bring it up to its full potential. The results in recent vintages have been remarkable. Both the 2021 and 2020 vintages should be widely available in global markets. The 2021 is lighter and fresher, while the 2020 is rich and velvety, mirroring the cooler vs warmer vintages. Both are absolute bargains and sure to impress.

QPR Rating: 7.49 (2020) / 5.35 (2021)

2) 2020, 2021, & 2022 Wild Duck Creek Yellow Hammer Hill, Heathcote, Victoria, Australia - $20

I’ve got a bevy of great-value Australian reviews in the pipeline, and Wild Duck Creek’s Yellow Hammer Hill (a Shiraz, Malbec, and Cabernet Sauvignon blend) is an unbelievable bargain for 20 bucks a bottle. This comes from a small, family-owned winery in Heathcote, Victoria, owned by David Anderson. His son Liam is the winemaker. I recently tasted the 2020, 2021, and 2022 vintages of this label—all come highly recommended.

QPR Rating: 6.65

3)  2022 Arbalest, Bordeaux - $22

I tasted this just a couple of weeks ago, and it was so good (and cheap) that the wine inspired this article. The 2022 Arbalest is a Bordeaux wine made by a Bordeaux winemaker who moved to Napa and is now the winemaker and a partner at Realm: Benoit Touquette. This iconoclastic blend of 60% Merlot from the Right Bank and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Médoc would be heresy if made by anyone but Benoit. He is not allowed to divulge his fruit sources, but let’s just say Benoit is pretty well connected in Bordeaux and the fruit tastes classified-y. 2022 was a warm, ripe, spectacular vintage, resulting in drop-dead deliciousness. Unfortunately, only 2000 cases were made. If you can find some, back the car up and load in all you can.

QPR Rating: 6.23

4) 2022 G. D. Vajra Viola delle Viole Barbera d’Alba Superiore, Piedmont - $34

Barbera can be hit or miss, the misses being lean, rugged, and rustic. This vibrant, pure, generous beauty is anything but! When you’re in the mood for Italy, this will not only satisfy you, but it will also have you reaching for another bottle. (And at this price, why not?)

QPR Rating: 5.26

5) 2021 Charles Smith (K Vintners) The Boy Grenache, Walla Walla Valley, Washington State - $49

Chilly winter nights and a soft, perfumed Grenache were made for each other. Some can be big, powerful expressions, but if you’re looking for elegance, brightness, fragrance, and freshness, this is your wine. It comes from the Powerline Vineyard in Walla Walla and is made by the inimitable Charles Smith at K Vintners. 

Charles planted this 38-acre estate vineyard at an elevation of 1200 feet. The soils are well-drained with cobblestone river rocks and underlying layers of sand and gravel deposits, allowing the vines to develop deep roots.

“K Vintners is about small lots of single-vineyard Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Tempranillo, Sangiovese, and field blends of those grapes, all of which are hand-picked, fermented with naturally occurring yeasts, and basket pressed,” Charles told me during my recent tasting with him. This is a stunning example of what he does.

QPR Rating: 4.94

6) 2021 Amici Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley - $49

If you’re looking for a solid Napa Cab without the ego-pricing, look no further. The Napa Valley appellation Cabernet Sauvignon from Amici Cellars is IMHO the best value in the region, crafted by one of Napa’s finest winemakers, Tony Biagi. This small, historic winery is owned by a couple of music and wine-loving buddies, John Harris and Bob Shepard. Stock up while there is still some of the fabulous 2021 vintage available in the markets.

QPR Rating: 4.88

7) 2022 Tensley Syrah, California Central Coast, Santa Barbara County - $33

Joey Tensley is a master at crafting profound wines at a price anyone can afford. This 100% Syrah beauty is a top example. With notes of blueberry pie, black cherries, dark chocolate, and licorice, the full-bodied palate is laden with black fruit layers and lifted by savory accents. The tannins are plush, and it finishes with freshness so compelling, it leaves you wanting another sip.

QPR Rating: 4.81

8) 2019 Casa Gran del Siurana Cruor, Spain, Priorat - $29

Who doesn’t love a spicy, seductive Priorat wine to warm those cold autumn and winter nights? This rich, full-bodied, flavorsome beauty satisfies your Spanish cravings for less than $30. The blend is 39% Garnacha (Grenache), 33% Carinena (Carignan), 25% Syrah, and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Pair it with steak, lamb, or a hearty stew.

QPR Rating: 4.68

9) 2022 Hartford Court Land’s Edge Vineyards Pinot Noir, California, Sonoma Coast - $43

If you love Pinot, you know it is not easy to find a varietally authentic, dry, drinkable bottle for under $50, let alone a truly great one. I believe the best place on the planet right now to find real-deal Pinot Noir elegance, perfume, and intensity at a reasonable cost is Sonoma Coast. This wine from Hartford Court is living proof.

Land's Edge Vineyards is sourced from Hartford Court's two Sonoma Coast vineyards, Far Coast and Seascape, both within 4 miles of the Pacific Ocean. Native strains were used for alcoholic and malolactic fermentation and the wine is unfined and unfiltered. 

QPR Rating: 4.66

10) 2021 Canvasback Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, Washington State - $39

I visited the major regions of Washington State in September and was amazed by the treasure trove of high-quality wines at down-to-earth prices that the state has! This Canvasback is a prime example of a well-crafted, classically gorgeous Cabernet that would sell for three times the price if it said ‘Napa Valley’ on the label. This is a full-bodied style with plenty of layers and bags of energy. The blend is 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, and 2% Malbec, aged for 20 months in French oak barrels, 40% new.

QPR Rating: 4.38

WHITE WINES

1) 2022 Sequoia Grove Carneros Chardonnay, 2022 Montana Dorada Vineyards Chardonnay, & 2022 Haire Vineyard Chardonnay, Napa Valley - $35-50

Sequoia Grove has crafted a trio of very stylish and downright delicious Chardonnays that overdeliver on price. Buy whichever you can find and all if you can—these are incredibly sophisticated for the money.

QPR Rating: 6.92 (for the single vineyard wines) / 4.6 (for the Carneros Chardonnay)

2) 2023 Paolo Scavino Sorriso Bianco, Italy, Langhe - $19

From one of Barolo’s top producers comes this unusual white blend that is remarkably Chablis-like in style at a bargain price. This 2023 Sorriso is an inspired blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Viognier, delivering spritely notes of lime leaves, fresh grapefruit, green apples, and chalk dust with hints of struck match and wet pebbles.

QPR Rating: 5.79

3) 2023 Stags’ Leap Winery Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley - $35

What is up with the price of Napa Sauvignon Blancs recently? Napa can make excellent and distinctive wines from this variety, but it’s an easy pass for me when we’re talking $100 and up (and up and up). I recently tried Stags’ Leap Winery’s newest release and came away looking for the nearest retailer with available stocks.

QPR Rating: 5.66

4) 2023 Rococo Own Rooted Chenin Blanc, Santa Barbara County - $28

Natalie Brown, the owner/winemaker of Rococo, has managed to find vineyards around California Central Coast that have blocks of old vine Chenin Blanc, many planted on their own roots. Her “Own Rooted Chenin Blanc” label is a blend of these vineyards, and she makes four single vineyard wines. All are amazing value with the “Own Rooted” label priced at just $28. Love it.

QPR Rating: 5.32

5) 2023 Donnafugatta Anthilia, Italy, Sicily - $19

This is the perfect pick for your dorky wine friends who love esoteric grapes. Like most wine lovers, I love uncommon varieties, but many are uncommon because they taste terrible. This wine will have you scouring the internet for more examples of the grape. The main variety here is Lucido, formerly known in Sicily as Catarratto, and it’s currently the most planted variety in Sicily. Producer Donnafugata does a superb job of crafting a deliciously interesting wine for under $20. This pure, vibrant, unoaked style is a great replacement for Sauvignon Blanc (which can be pretty boring at this price point) and would similarly pair well with salads, shellfish, or white fish.

QPR Rating: 5.24

6) 2023 & 2024 Penfolds Bin 51 Riesling, South Australia, Eden Valley - $29

Eden Valley Riesling is one of the best bargains out there for those who live dry, elegant, light-bodied, and refreshing examples of this variety. Floral, citrusy, and seriously zesty, this can be drunk now or cellared for 10-15 years+.

QPR Rating: 5.21

7) 2021 & 2020 Grand Village Blanc, Bordeaux - $31-36

Owned by the Guinaudeau family, who own Château Lafleur in Pomerol, I taste this every year with winemaker Omri Ram, but until recently, I never knew what a bargain it was. It is crazy that this is not double or triple the price! The 2021 is a blend of 73% Sauvignon Blanc and 27% Semillon, and the 2020 has 85% Sauvignon Blanc and 15% Semillon.

QPR Rating: 5.11 / 4.47

8) 2022 Talley Estate Chardonnay, California Central Coast, Arroyo Grande Valley - $30

I started drinking this Chardonnay from the 2019 vintage and fell in love with this pure, flavorsome, classic style as well as the price. Ditto the 2020 and 2021 vintages. By the time I started buying the 2022 a few months ago, I thought, I have to meet the person behind this family-owned winery: Brian Talley. For all the details, check out the dedicated article on Talley published a couple of weeks ago.

QPR Rating: 5.10

9) 2021 Château Lespault-Martillac Blanc, Bordeaux, Pessac-Leognan - $31

A blend of 65% Sauvignon Blanc and 35% Semillon, this is a citrusy/savory classic that is delicious right now or can cellar for 5-7 years. It’s made by the Bernard family who own Domaine de Chevalier and shows its pedigree for an absolute song.

QPR Rating: 4.47

10) 2021 Domaine de la Touraize Arbois Chardonnay En Flandre, France, Jura - $44

This is a classic savory/flinty Chardonnay that is pristinely crafted, exuding sophistication and class. Fermented with natural yeast and having gone through malolactic, it was aged for 12 months on fine lees in used 350-liter barrels with weekly topping-up. It’s an understated, wonderfully restrained style, making it very flexible with food pairings.

'QPR Rating: 4.11

SPARKLING WINES

1) 2022 Castillo Perelada Stars Touch of Rosé Brut, Spain, Cava, Penedes - $13

This smart sparkler is composed mainly of Grenache with about 20% Pinot Noir. After temperature-controlled fermentation and secondary fermentation in bottle, it was aged on its lees in bottle for at least 9 months before disgorging. Notes of wild strawberries, fresh raspberries, rose bud tea, and sea spray lead to a palate that is refreshing and elegant with red berry flavors and a perfumed finish. Crazy great value.

QPR Rating: 7.42

2) 2018 Graham Beck, Blanc de Blancs Méthode Cap Classique, South Africa, Robertson - $32

Graham Beck's 2018 Blanc de Blancs Méthode Cap Classique is 100% Chardonnay grown on limestone soils in Robertson. It has about 7 grams per liter of dosage and was disgorged in March 2023. 50% of the base wine was fermented in old Piece Champenoise (205L) and 500L French oak barrels, as well as 2000L Foudres. After 5 months of aging in the barrels on the primary lees, the wine was racked and blended with the selected stainless steel-fermented portions. The wine rested on lees in the bottle for 60 months before disgorgement.

This is so, so fine, fresh, and elegant—the real deal and pure class at a great price!

QPR Rating: 4.91

3) NV Champagne Voirin-Jumel Blanc de Blancs Brut Grand Cru - $49

Sometimes, nothing but Champagne will do. But it’s becoming harder and harder to come by a decent bottle of home turf bubbles for under 50 bucks. This one isn’t just decent; it’s dazzling!

Voirin-Jumel is a small-production récoltant manipulant (grower Champagne) located in the grand cru village of Cramant. As the double-barreled name suggests, this estate came together over the last century by the joining of two grape-grower families, combining their vineyard holdings. Today, the Voirin-Jumel family owns 11 hectares of vines in 11 different villages. Their winemaking style includes full malolactic and low dosage. This 100% Chardonnay cuvée is a blend of two vintages, revealing an elegant, soft-spoken, apple pie and cream style that is sure to impress, yet at a price that means you don’t need to worry about opening that second bottle.

QPR Rating: 4.90

MEDIUM-DRY & SWEET WINES

1) 2020 Domaine Huet Vouvray Clos du Bourg Demi-Sec, France, Loire - $45

Huet’s 2020 Vouvray Clos Bourg Demi Sec is a medium-dry style with 19 grams per liter of residual sugar, but it seems drier, largely thanks to the high acidity and low pH of 3.12. This wine undergoes temperature-controlled fermentation with indigenous yeasts in a 50/50 mix of large, old oak demi-muids as well as stainless steel vats. After fermentation, the wine is racked into old barrels where it spends the winter before bottling in April. Malolactic fermentation is neither encouraged nor discouraged. Intense notes of pure apples and honeysuckle give way to hints of lemon tart, musk perfume, and wet pebbles, making it irresistible on its own and incredibly food-friendly. This is well worth the hunt!

QPR Rating: 5.11

2) 2019 Château Bastor-Lamontagne, Bordeaux, Sauternes - $40

This holiday season, we should all try and enjoy a few bottles of Sauternes to support a beautiful, historic, yet struggling region. This great-value example is a classic blend of 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc. The palate is fully sweet, intense and layered with citrus and mineral notions, finishing with impressive length. Simply scrumptious, this is perfect as an aperitif, with rich poultry dishes, or on its own at the end of a meal.

QPR Rating: 4.33