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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

Bordeaux Futures
Ivy-covered French chateau with slate turret roofs standing behind rows of vines
  • 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
Man in a white shirt examining a wine bottle beside a table of glasses in a vineyard
  • 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
Sparkling wine poured from a green bottle into a row of glasses on a wooden table
  • 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
Red wine poured into a glass at a breakfast table set with bread, fruit and orange juice
  • 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
Hilltop village ringed by green vineyard hills under a blue sky
  • 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
Rows of vines on a rolling hillside above a meadow dotted with round hay bales
  • 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
Smiling man holding out a glass of red wine on a hillside above a coastal city at sunset
  • 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
Three women laughing together in a wine shop, one holding a glass of white wine
  • 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
Graphic reading "BHW Interviews: Dr. Rusty Gaffney discusses the 100pt scoring system", two men with wine
  • 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
Server in a burgundy vest presenting a bottle of red wine to a woman in white
  • 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
A man drawing wine from a barrel in a cellar lined with rows of stacked oak barrels
  • 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
Weathered wooden vineyard sign hand-painted with the word Syrah among green vines
  • 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
Video still of a woman speaking beside a white wine bottle, captioned 'Hello. Welcome back to Puros Vinazos.'
  • 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
Row of California red wine bottles including Shafer, Chateau Montelena and Colgin, hills behind
  • 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
Wine bottles arranged on stacked red gift boxes against a deep red background
  • 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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Bordeaux Futures
Riverfront buildings and a church spire reflected in a shallow water mirror, Bordeaux
  • by Greg Martellotto

The 5th Growth Bordeaux Futures explained by Wine Experts

The official Bordeaux Wine Classification of 1855 is divided into 5th Growths or crus in...

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Sustainable Wine
Organic, Biodynamic, and Natural Wine, A Guide by Big Hammer Wines, Wine Experts
  • by Greg Martellotto

Organic, Biodynamic, and Natural Wine, A Guide by Big Hammer Wines, Wine Experts

Organic is one of those terms that may seem like a buzzword, but true organic...

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Occasions
Twelve wine bottles including sparkling, red, rose and dessert wines against a dark holiday backdrop
  • by Greg Martellotto

Top 12 Festive Wines to Pair with Your Holiday Feasts

The holiday season is all about gathering, celebrating, and creating meaningful memories. From the joy...

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Wine 101: The Basics
Hand tilting a glass decanter of red wine outdoors against sunlit green foliage
  • by Greg Martellotto

Wine Industry Advisor - Stop Decanting Your Wines

Decant or Not? – Well, Stop Decanting Your Wines! Greg Martellotto, the founder and expert...

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Bordeaux
Wide river at dusk with a lit bridge and city lights along the far bank, Bordeaux
  • by Greg Martellotto

Top 12 Bordeaux Wines Available at BHW Now!

Bordeaux is the #1 wine region in the world. Most wine lovers swoon over the...

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Top Picks
Vineyard rows on red soil beside a leaning tree, with the sea on the horizon
  • by Greg Martellotto

12 Best Red Wines Under $25 You Can Buy Right Now at BHW

Want to find a great 90+ rated red wine for under $25? With thousands of...

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Wine 101: The Basics
Open wooden wine crate holding several bottles on their sides, close-up
  • by Greg Martellotto

9 Reasons Why You Should Consider Having a Wine Club Membership

Love wine? Looking to try new things? A wine club membership could be your new...

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