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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

Occasions
Uncork the Best Wine for the Fourth of July
  • 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
Master Wine Tasting with BLIC Method - Balance, Length, Intensity, and Complexity Explained
  • 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
12 Best Red Wines Under $50 from California To Buy Now from Big Hammer Wines
  • 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
Italian Ambassador's Top 12 Italian Red Wines to Buy Today at BHW
  • 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
Top 12 White Wines to Buy at BHW Now
  • 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
Top 15 Bestselling Wines at BHW That Are Still Available
  • 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
Top 10 Portuguese Wines of 2024 Oporto Tasting & Judging
  • 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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Bordeaux Futures
2022 Bordeaux Vintage in Review
  • by Greg Martellotto

2022 Bordeaux Vintage in Review

Here are some of the leading wine critics in their own words describing the 2022...

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Wine 101: The Basics
Antonio Galloni’s Five Key Characteristics to Evaluate a Vintage
  • by Greg Martellotto

Antonio Galloni’s Five Key Characteristics to Evaluate a Vintage

1. A Long Growing Season  A long growing season, defined as the period from bud...

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Top Picks
Greg's Picks Founder's Favorites Available Now
  • by Greg Martellotto

Greg's Picks Founder's Favorites Available Now

Here are twelve of our Founder's Favorites. These are the wines that Greg recommends to...

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Wine 101: The Basics
The Breakfast Price Index: Where Morning Sustenance Costs More Than a Decent Bottle of Wine
  • by Greg Martellotto

The Breakfast Price Index: Where Morning Sustenance Costs More Than a Decent Bottle of Wine

From bitter Portuguese coffee to buttery Parisian croissants, this witty globetrotting breakfast tale unpacks global...

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Podcast
So, What is the Difference Between Barolo and Barbaresco?
  • by Greg Martellotto

So, What is the Difference Between Barolo and Barbaresco?

If you had to think of the most famous wines in Italy, there’s no doubt...

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Bordeaux Futures
The 1855 Bordeaux Classification, Second Growth Chateau Explained
  • by Greg Martellotto

The 1855 Bordeaux Classification, Second Growth Chateau Explained

Second Growth Bordeaux, Explained by Big Hammer Wines Bordeaux en Primeur Purchasing Program Learn more at:...

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Top Picks
12 Eclectic Red Indigenous Varietals People Are Afraid to Try. But You Shouldn't Be
  • by Greg Martellotto

12 Eclectic Red Indigenous Varietals People Are Afraid to Try. But You Shouldn't Be

An Adventure in Wine: Travel the World Through Your Glass For the true wine lover,...

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Top Picks
Wine Trends 2025: The Wines You Need to Try This Year
  • by Greg Martellotto

Wine Trends 2025: The Wines You Need to Try This Year

The wine world is always evolving, and 2026 is shaping up to be a year...

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Wine 101: The Basics
BHW Discusses the 100pt Scoring System with Dr. Rusty Gaffney, The Prince of Pinot
  • by Greg Martellotto

BHW Discusses the 100pt Scoring System with Dr. Rusty Gaffney, The Prince of Pinot

Greg Martellotto Let's talk about wine criticism and bias in tasting blind, versus tasting with...

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Wine 101: The Basics
Wine Speak Made Easy: A Simple Guide to Wine Terminology
  • by Greg Martellotto

Wine Speak Made Easy: A Simple Guide to Wine Terminology

Why Learn to Speak Like a Wine Geek? It isn’t necessary to enjoy the glass....

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Napa Valley
Vinous Media’s 10-Year Retrospective: How 2014 Napa Cabernet Became a Dark Horse
  • by Greg Martellotto

Vinous Media’s 10-Year Retrospective: How 2014 Napa Cabernet Became a Dark Horse

The Story of a Vintage Every wine vintage tells a story. Some years are dramatic,...

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Podcast
how alcohol is measured in wine
  • by Greg Martellotto

The Real Story About How Alcohol is Measured in Wine and Why it Matters

Alcohol levels in wine have been creeping up for years. The sweet spot for alcohol...

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Wine 101: The Basics
Celebrating International Syrah Day: A Guide to the World’s Boldest Red
  • by Greg Martellotto

Celebrating International Syrah Day: A Guide to the World’s Boldest Red

Did you know that Syrah and Shiraz are the same grape, yet they produce vastly...

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Puros Vinazos: Blog De Vino
El vino en México
  • by Greg Martellotto

El vino en México

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Podcast
shipping online in extreme weather
  • by Greg Martellotto

Authoritative Guide for Shipping Wine Online in Extreme Weather

Polar vortexes, 100-year floods, Cat 5 hurricanes, wild brushfires, high-intensity tornadoes, extended heat spikes. As...

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Top Picks
The Top 15 Cult Wine Producers in California You Need to Know About
  • by Greg Martellotto

The Top 15 Cult Wine Producers in California You Need to Know About

California is one of the world's premier wine regions, famous for its diversity of terroirs,...

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Top Picks
BHW's Most Loved Wines – Together in One Ultimate Case
  • by Greg Martellotto

BHW's Most Loved Wines – Together in One Ultimate Case

This is a selection of wines that our clients have recently purchased in droves. These...

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