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2022 BordeauxNapa weekendReds under $50Barolo vs Barbaresco

Wine Buying Guides

The best bottles in the store right now — ranked, priced and personally tasted by our buyers.

Best California Reds Under $50
Best California Reds Under $5012 bottles our buyers rate way above their price
Best Value Reds Under $30
Best Value Reds Under $309 bottles worth every penny in 2026
Best Reds Under $25
Best Reds Under $25Everyday excellence, in stock right now
Top 12 Bordeaux at BHW
Top 12 Bordeaux at BHWThe Bordeaux worth buying today
Top 12 White Wines
Top 12 White WinesWhites to buy at BHW now
California Cult Producers
California Cult ProducersThe top 15 names you need to know

True Wine Insider's Guides to Your Favorite Wine Region

Our most-loved original writing — where to go, where to stay, what to taste, and the bottles to bring home.

Napa Valley
Napa ValleyThe true insider's guide — Oakville to Rutherford
Bordeaux
BordeauxWalking tours, châteaux and futures wisdom
Tuscany
TuscanyFlorence, Chianti and Brunello country
Willamette & Portland
Willamette & PortlandOregon pinot country, the insider's route
Baja California
Baja CaliforniaMexico's wine route, valley by valley
Rome & Beyond
Rome & Beyond72 perfect hours — eat, drink, tour, stay

Find your way through 1,200+ articles

Every article lives in one of these collections. Pick a path — or use the search above.

Wine 101 & The Basics New to wine or refreshing the fundamentals — how to taste, serve, store, decant and choose with confidence. Browse Buying Guides & Top Picks Best-of lists and honest value calls from our buyers — reds under $30, cult producers, cellar-worthy finds. Browse Insider's Wine Travel Guides Where to go, taste and stay in the world's great wine regions — written from the road, not the desk. Browse Vintage Intel & Futures Which vintages to buy now, Bordeaux futures explained, and where the smart money is going. Browse Food & Wine Pairing What to pour with what — from weeknight dinners to holiday tables and celebration menus. Browse Winery & Producer Profiles The estates behind the bottles — from First Growth Bordeaux to Burgundy's grand domaines. Browse Films & Interviews Winemaker conversations, cellar tours and tasting sessions — wine culture on camera. Browse Tips, Trends & Wine News What's happening in wine right now — market moves, trends worth knowing, myths worth busting. Browse Sustainable & Natural Wines Organic, biodynamic, vegan and low-intervention — the honest side of winemaking, and why it matters in your glass. Browse En Español · Puros Vinazos Nuestro blog de vino en español — cosechas de Burdeos, guías y las mejores ofertas de Big Hammer Wines. Browse Wine Offers You Missed Six hundred wine deals we've featured over the years — see what you missed, and find what's pouring now. Browse

Vine Blog

Wine 101: The Basics
The Wine That Named a Supermodel: Margaux Hemingway and Chateau Margaux
  • by Greg Martellotto

The Wine That Named a Supermodel: Margaux Hemingway and Chateau Margaux

Margaux Hemingway was named for the Chateau Margaux her parents drank. The story, plus what...

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One-take-wine-pitch
A bottle of Screaming Eagle red wine with a red foil cap standing next to an empty wine glass on a dark wooden table in a cellar setting.
  • by Greg Martellotto

Why Screaming Eagle Costs $3,000: The Price Is Set After the Wine Leaves Napa

Screaming Eagle launched at $75 a bottle. A 57-acre Oakville vineyard, a 99-point review and...

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Buying Guides
Rhône: The Rhone Valley, seen from above.
  • by Greg

The Rhone in 6 Bottles: Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Its Neighbors

6 Rhone wines to buy right now, $25 to $98: four Chateauneuf-du-Pape in stock plus...

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One-take-wine-pitch
A middle-aged man with grey hair seated at a long wooden table, inspecting and tasting red wine with a notepad and pen while several filled glasses and wine bottles line the table in a winery room.
  • by Greg Martellotto

Wine Isn't Dying. Americans Are Drinking Less and Buying Better

Americans are drinking less, but wine isn't dying. The losses sit in bottles under $12,...

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Red Wine
Freshly harvested red grapes being poured into a vineyard harvest bin
  • by Greg Martellotto

7 Grape Varieties to Try If You Love Cabernet Sauvignon

Love Cabernet Sauvignon but ready to branch out? Discover seven red grape varieties that deliver...

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Burgundy
Couple enjoying Chablis wine and fresh oysters at an outdoor table in Burgundy
  • by Greg Martellotto

Chablis Wine Guide: What It Is, How It Tastes, and Which Tier to Buy

Chablis is Chardonnay, but it doesn’t taste like the Chardonnay you may know. Discover what...

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Buying Guides
Three adults sharing pasta and red wine at an outdoor rustic wooden table during sunset.
  • by Greg

The 12 Best Sangiovese Wines to Buy Right Now, From Everyday Bottles to Brunello

The 12 best Sangiovese wines to buy right now, $23 to $80: Chianti Classico, Vino...

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Buying Guides
A woman reaches for wine bottles on a counter, with guests gathering for a Thanksgiving dinner in the background.
  • by Greg

The 12 Best Wines for Thanksgiving, From the Welcome Pour to the Pie

The best wines for Thanksgiving, in the order you will pour them: the welcome pour,...

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Buying Guides
A man pouring white wine into a glass for a smiling woman sitting at a modern kitchen counter indoors.
  • by Greg

The 12 Best Chardonnays to Buy Right Now, From Rich and Oaked to Bone-Dry

The best Chardonnays to buy right now, from rich and oak-framed to lean and bone-dry:...

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Buying Guides
Aerial view of Pinot Noir vineyards at the Cristom estate in the Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley
  • by Greg

The 12 Best Pinot Noirs to Buy Right Now, From Everyday Bottles to the Splurge

The best Pinot Noirs to buy right now, from Burgundy, Oregon, the Sonoma Coast and...

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Italy
Italian red wine served with pasta at a countryside table.
  • by Greg Martellotto

The 10 Best Italian Red Wines to Buy Right Now, Picked by an Italian Wine Ambassador

Ask me for the best Italian red and I'll ask you what's for dinner. Italy...

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Loire
Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc overlooking vineyards and the Loire Valley
  • by Greg Martellotto

Sancerre Wine Guide: What It Is, How It Tastes, and Which Bottle to Buy

Sancerre is the Sauvignon Blanc that doesn't taste like Sauvignon Blanc. Here's what it actually...

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Buying Guides
Love Caymus? 12 Napa Cabernets That Deliver the Same Lush Style for Less
  • by Greg

Love Caymus? 12 Napa Cabernets That Deliver the Same Lush Style for Less

Twelve Napa Cabernets with the ripe, plush, oak-framed style Caymus drinkers buy it for —...

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Buying Guides
The 12 Best French Wines to Try if You Usually Drink California
  • by Greg

The 12 Best French Wines to Try if You Usually Drink California

Twelve French wines chosen for California drinkers — each mapped to the habit it speaks...

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Buying Guides
Here are the 12 Napa Cabernets you should buy right now — and why
  • by Greg

Here are the 12 Napa Cabernets you should buy right now — and why

The twelve Napa Cabernets we would actually buy right now, from a $150 splurge to...

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Buying Guides
Private wine cellar with rows of aged bottles resting on dark racks
  • by Big Hammer Wines

How to Sell Your Wine Collection: Every Option, Honestly Compared

Sooner or later, most serious collectors face the same question: what do I do with...

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Fine Wine
Wine expert examining a fine-wine bottle in a private cellar
  • by Greg Martellotto

The Complete Guide to Wine Collecting, Cellars, Consulting, and Selling

A practical guide to starting and organizing a wine collection, proper cellar storage, provenance, valuation,...

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How To Choose Better Wine
Is Alcohol-Free Wine Actually Wine? The Merchant's Answer
  • by Greg Martellotto

Is Alcohol-Free Wine Actually Wine? The Merchant's Answer

Is alcohol-free wine legally wine? In the EU, yes, since 2021. In the US, it...

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Wine Regions
Glass of white wine on a stone wall above the terraced vineyards and river bend of the Mosel at sunset
  • by Greg Martellotto

Mosel Riesling: The Secret Behind the World’s Most Elegant White Wine

The Magic of Mosel: Inside a 400-Year Wine LegacyWhat makes Mosel Riesling the most elegant...

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Wine 101: The Basics
Red wine being poured into a wine decanter with a built-in aerating chamber on a rustic wooden table.
  • by Greg Martellotto

Decanting vs. Aerating: Does It Actually Make a Difference?

Decanting and aerating can transform young, tannic reds like Cabernet, Barolo, and Bordeaux—but they can...

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Wine 101: The Basics
Purple wine grapes ripening on the vine at sunrise in a vineyard, illustrating how climate influences grape development and wine style.
  • by Greg Martellotto

Where Wine Grapes Grow

Climate shapes every bottle long before the winemaker steps into the cellar. Learn how grapes...

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Red Wine
Red, rosé, white, and sparkling wines displayed in a vineyard at sunset, illustrating the main styles of wine and the fundamentals of winemaking.
  • by Greg Martellotto

How Is Wine Made?

What exactly is wine, and how does grape juice become the bottle in your glass?...

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4th Of July
Friends enjoying a 4th of July backyard BBQ with grilled burgers and a glass of red wine on a festive summer table.
  • by Greg Martellotto

The Best Wine for 4th of July BBQ: A Food-by-Food Pairing Guide

Planning a 4th of July BBQ? Skip the heavy Cabernet and pour wines that actually...

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Rosé
Bottle of rosé wine chilling in an ice bucket beside a pool with two glasses, sunglasses, and an open book on a sunny afternoon.
  • by Greg Martellotto

The Best Rosé Lives Under $35: How to Pick a Bottle Worth It

Rosé isn't just a summer accessory—and it doesn't need to cost $100 to be good....

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