Want to find a great 90+ rated red wine for under $25? With thousands of options, how does one choose? Here’s a shortcut to 10 delicious bottles that deliver great quality and value.
Italian wine lovers will celebrate the opportunity to grab a Chianti Classico Riserva from an original Gallo Nero producer. This sits at the top of the pyramid for Chianti- not the straw flask stuff. If you love dry wine, a touch of oak and the taste of Tuscany, you’ll love this wine.
Chilean Pinot Noir is no longer a secret. The best quality and value Pinot Noir in the world is coming from Chile. If you’re not familiar yet, start here. This female owned property from cool climate coastal vineyards will WOW.
Often the best value wines are found in wine regions that just the other side of the hill. This is from vineyards one hour east of the SF Bay from Blackbird vineyard winemaking team. Old vine Zinfandel with Petite Sirah is a slam dunk and at this price, it feels like stealing.
Bodegas Caro is the same family that produces the #1 wine in the world: Lafite Rothschild. This is their Argentine winery in partnership with Catena Zapata - one of the top wineries in Argentina. Their whole line of wines are worth seeking out, but Aruma is the place to start. A mouthful of Malbec is a perfect party wine if you’re having friends over.
The only reason this wine is under $23 is because it’s not from Bordeaux. If it were, it would easily be $50+. This is a fabulous blend of Cabernet, Merlot and Cab Franc. If you love Bordeaux and know the quality of South African wines, grab this one before it’s gone.
Paso Robles has been having a honeymoon of late. The ever escalating price of Cabernet from Napa Valley and the inflation economy has driven many wine lovers to Paso where they find bright, ripe fruit flavors. Implico is a true Bordeaux blend with all 5 of the original Big 5 varietals: Cab, Merlot, Cab Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. This wine is easily $60+ if it was from a Napa AVA.
This is one of the most charming wines from SE Sicily. “White Lotus” fame has exploded Sicily as a destination and Planeta is not only featured in the show, but it’s long been leading the way as Sicily raises its stature in the wine world. Think of Frappato as though Syrah and Pinot Noir had a love child in the hills outside of Ragusa. If you love regional Italian reds, this will deliver great finesse and balance.
Less than half an hour south of Naples and half an hour west of Mt. Vesuvius, you can find this incredibly delicious wine. If you go to the best pizzerias in the world in this area, you’ll drink this wine or some other form of Gragnano. What is it? It’s red wine where the fermentation is stopped, so there is some residual sugar and a touch of effervescence. This wine is a revelation. If you haven’t tried it, we cannot recommend this wine enough. Everyone who tries it, falls in love all over again with the food and wine of the Sorrento peninsula. Your pizza night will never be the same once you’ve paired it with this wine!
Our next favorite pizza and pasta wine is Barbera. Fontanafredda is a leading producer and this is from Alba- the home of the iconic white truffle festival every fall. This is a stainless steel version, so no oak. Just, a fresh and fruity red wine that pairs well with any food with tomatoes and tomato sauce.
The second wine from the Lafite Rothschild family is a wine from the Medoc on the left bank in Bordeaux. They launched this brand mostly for restaurants to serve as a perfect bistro wine. It was so successful, it became an export wine too. We scored an incredible deal here and if you want to dive into quality and value in Bordeaux, try this.
Love Reds? Grab This Handpicked 12-Pack by BHW’s Founder!
Big Hammer Wines
The wine experts at Big Hammer Wines taste thousands of wines every year from around the globe, looking for quality and value. This special offer reflects the passion we have for our clients.
Discover the world through its wines, Click Here! Visit Bighammerwines.com and become a wine expert!
Comments will be approved before showing up.