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Wine Guides & Travel

Where to go, what to open, how to taste.

Field notes, region guides and vintage intelligence from the people who actually buy the wine.

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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 Tips & Trends
A group of three women celebrating with wine.
  • by Greg Martellotto

Celebrating International Women’s Day: Women in Business and Their Impact

Women winemakers are reshaping the global wine industry through organic farming, terroir-driven philosophy, and family-led...

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Wine Buying Tips
Friends enjoying wine together during a wine tasting conversation about grape varieties and wine regions.
  • by Greg Martellotto

Stop Asking Me What My Favorite Wine Is

Wine is too vast and too tied to moment and place to have a single...

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Travel Guide
Wide landscape shot of Donum Estate vineyards.
  • by Greg Martellotto

Art, Land, and Wine: What a Visit to Donum Estate Actually Feels Like

Donum Estate isn’t just another stop in Sonoma — it’s a place where world-class Pinot...

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Wine 101: The Basics
A glass wine on a countertop next to a science book with some reading glasses.
  • by Greg Martellotto

Wine, GLP-1s, and the J-Curve: What the Science Actually Says

The conversation around wine is shifting. As GLP-1 medications curb alcohol cravings for millions and...

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Podcast
A shot of mezcal with a worm inside of it.
  • by Greg Martellotto

Why is There a Worm in my Tequila & Mezcal?

Curious about the real difference between Tequila and Mezcal? Discover their unique flavors, rich history,...

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Wine Buying Tips
Person decanting red wine into a glass decanter in a wine cellar.
  • by Greg Martellotto

Wine Market Trends: There’s Never Been a Better Time to Be a Wine Lover

U.S. wine consumption has declined 1–2% annually since 2021 — but the headlines don’t tell...

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Wine 101: The Basics
A cellar with six different wine bottles.
  • by Greg Martellotto

The Shape of Wine: How to Read a Bottle Like a Pro

Key Takeaways Bordeaux bottles (high shoulders) = bold, structured wines with dark fruit, firm tannins,...

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Wine 101: The Basics
Four wine glasses with different colors inside a cellar with oak barrels.
  • by Greg Martellotto

What Does Wine Color Tell You? A Visual Guide to Reading Your Glass

Before you smell or taste a wine, your eyes already tell a story. White wines...

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Italy
Assorted fresh tortelloni at an Italian pasta counter, including ricotta, artichoke, and truffle varieties.
  • by Greg Martellotto

Authentic Bolognese, the BHW Way — Why It's Nothing Like What You've Been Making

Learn how to make authentic Ragù alla Bolognese the traditional Italian way—slow-cooked with milk, white...

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Austria
German Chateau with Riesling wine bottles.
  • by Greg Martellotto

German Riesling Buying Guide: How to Choose the Right Bottle

German Riesling ranges from bone-dry to lusciously sweet. This guide explains how to tell the...

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Wine 101: The Basics
Person in a blue apron pulling a cork from a wine bottle with a corkscrew
  • by Greg Martellotto

How to Open a Wax-Sealed Wine Bottle (3 Easy Methods)

Opening a wax-sealed wine bottle is easier than it looks. The simplest method is to...

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Sustainable Wine
Gloved hand adding white powder to spilled red wine, oak chips and a beaker on a wooden table
  • by Greg Martellotto

The Wine Industry's Dirty Secret: Why There's No Ingredient List on Your Bottle

Ever picked up a bottle of wine at the grocery store and wondered what's actually...

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Sustainable Wine
Graphic reading "Sulfur in Wine" beside a lit match burning over a glass of red wine
  • by Greg Martellotto

Sulfur in Wine: What You Need to Know

Is Sulfur the Real Cause of Your Wine Headaches? Many people wonder if sulfur in...

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Bordeaux
Symmetrical limestone Bordeaux château with slate roofs behind a wide green lawn
  • by Greg Martellotto

Why 2022 Bordeaux Might Be the Smartest (and Freshest) Buy of the Decade

Drink now. Age for decades. Skip the tariffs. If you’ve ever thought Bordeaux couldn’t surprise...

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Bordeaux
Bordeaux château with pointed slate turrets and lawns under a clear blue sky
  • by Greg Martellotto

Why 2020 Bordeaux Is the Sleeper Vintage You Should Be Buying Right Now

Precision. Personality. Value. The Best of Modern Bordeaux. While the spotlight has shifted to 2022...

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Occasions
Two glasses of white wine on a table overlooking a sandy beach and turquoise sea
  • by Greg Martellotto

Beach, Please! The Hottest Summer Wines to Savor

Summer is a time to unwind, relax, and enjoy the sun-kissed days with friends and...

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Bhw News
Woman holding a glass of red wine beside a full wine rack in a cellar
  • by Greg Martellotto

Summer 2025 Wine Market Update: The View from Inside the Biz of Buying Volume Deals

Why Being a Wine Consumer Has Never Been Better: Grab the Deals Before They’re Gone!...

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Occasions
Group of friends toasting glasses of rose at a backyard party under an American flag
  • by Greg Martellotto

Uncork the Best Wine for the Fourth of July

It's almost Independence Day! Time to fire up the grill, dust off the lawn chairs,...

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Wine 101: The Basics
Woman in a dark coat nosing a glass of red wine in a barrel cellar
  • by Greg Martellotto

Master Wine Tasting with BLIC Method - Balance, Length, Intensity, and Complexity Explained

Discover BLIC—the secret wine evaluation method used by professionals for over 20 years. Learn how...

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Top Picks
Roadside Napa Valley welcome sign in front of vineyard rows and wooded hills
  • by Greg Martellotto

12 Best Red Wines Under $50 from California To Buy Now from Big Hammer Wines

Napa Valley is the leading region in California, but the prices of those wines have...

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Top Picks
Smiling man in a black sweater with an Italian flag holding a red wine bottle, vineyard hills behind
  • by Greg Martellotto

Italian Ambassador's Top 12 Italian Red Wines to Buy Today at BHW

Bella Italia and La Dolce Vita! Welcome to the Greg Martellotto's pick for the Top...

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Top Picks
Clusters of ripe white wine grapes hanging on the vine in a sunlit vineyard
  • by Greg Martellotto

Top 12 White Wines to Buy at BHW Now

One of the most common things I hear from red wine lovers is, "I like...

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Top Picks
Row of glasses of red wine on a bar counter with a dark bottle behind them
  • by Greg Martellotto

Top 15 Bestselling Wines at BHW That Are Still Available

Since 2009, Bighammerwines.com has offered a deal of the day wine. We make volume deals...

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Wine Guides
Rows of empty tasting glasses and place cards on judging tables in an ornate hall
  • by Greg Martellotto

Top 10 Portuguese Wines of 2024 Oporto Tasting & Judging

In February of this year I was invited to participate in an annual tasting with...

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