Buying Red Wine on a Budget? Try These Under $20 Bottles

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There’s never a need to stress over finding a good, inexpensive red wine. Excellent options abound across the globe.

But the 10 international red wines cherry-picked from Wine Enthusiast’s Top 100 Best Buys list below are some of the best of the best. They represent some of the highest-rated bottles that ring in under $20 a pop.

Hailing from three continents, these current vintages are so good and so low-priced that they’ll please your friends and family without putting a strain on your credit card. 

“These red wines are from various regions, countries and continents, but they share a common thread: they are complex, delicious and pleasing-on-the-palate wines,” says Wine Enthusiast Writer-at-Large Tonya Pitts. 

Even better, she adds, “These offerings can be interchangeable as options to pair with many meals.”

Whether you’re seeking a rich and tannic California Cab to serve alongside steak or a lighter-bodied bottle to pair with pasta, this list has got you covered. 

“The wines featured in the red wine selections for California are popular grapes,” says Pitts. “The Cabernet Sauvignons are bookends. The Mon Frere Cabernet Sauvignon is a throwback version of classic California—lighter-bodied and more red fruit-driven. Meanwhile, the 1924 Double Black Cabernet Sauvignon has darker fruit and power, and appeals to the robust Cab style lovers at the table.” 

And then there are some surprises in the list. “The sleeper is Merlot,” Pitts says. “I am so happy that this varietal is back on people’s radars. It’s the best of both worlds: supple fruit, dried herbs, earth and silky tannins.”

The selections from Spain, Austria and Australia are equally diverse.

So, no matter the meal, guests or the occasion, there’s no going wrong with one of these affordable, expert picks.

“All these wines can appeal to various palates, from the novice to the seasoned wine drinker, around the table for gatherings this holiday season or just for your pleasure of enjoying a glass or two at any given moment,” says Pitts. 

From a medium-bodied red blend “with notes of game and loam” to an aromatic Oregon Pinot Noir “with flavors of dried cherries, plums and a hint of bacon fat,” and everything in between, now’s the time to buy some of these budget-conscious bottlings.

Best Affordable California Red

Chateau Souverain 2021 Merlot (California)

Fresh with black plum, blueberry, mulled spices, dried rose petals, black tea, black licorice, sweet cigar on the nose. Dried red currants, red plums, raspberry, dried eucalyptus, chicory root, black licorice, white grapefruit zest, sliding into pink peppercorn, coffee beans, dried tobacco leaf and a dry finish. Best Buy. 92 Points — Tonya Pitts

$12 Winedeals

Best Budget Cabernet Sauvignon

Mon Frere 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon (California)

Dried red plums, red currants, orange marmalade, savory herbs, chicory greens on the nose. Fresh raspberry, cranberry-pomegranate, dried peach, apricot, fresh herbs, silky juicy tannins to finish. Pair with grilled teriyaki-glazed salmon. Best Buy. 92 Points— T.P.

$12 Wine.com

1924 2022 Double Black Cabernet Sauvignon (Lodi)

This wine offers bold, full-bodied aromas of baked black plum, red currant, creamy vanilla and cardamom spice. The palate conveys bright raspberry, boysenberry, orange zest and brown sugar. The finish is juicy, dry and mouthwatering. Pair with grilled hanger steak. Best Buy. 92 Points — T.P.

$12 Wine.com

Highest-Rated Red Blend Under $20

Gaia Wines 2022 Notios Red (Peloponnese)

Expect cranberries, raspberries and sage on the nose of this elegant dry red wine made primarily from Agiorgitiko, the signature grape from Greece’s Nemea region. The beautifully tart palate has lots of fresh, juicy cranberries underscored by spicy black pepper, hinting at the 15% of Syrah in the mix. It’s followed by a long, tart finish with beautifully integrated tannins. Best Buy. 92 Points — Emily Saladino

$ Varies Wine.com

Nittnaus Anita und Hans 2018 Anita Red (Burgenland)

Medium bodied, with notes of game and loam, there also plenty of spices and charming ripe berry aromas and flavors. It is a really nice wine, with great length and smooth, suave tannins on the finish. Best Buy. 91 Points— Aleks Zecevic

$18 Slope Cellars

Best Affordable Pinot Noir

Erath 2022 Resplendent Pinot Noir (Oregon)

This is an aromatic trip to Grandma’s house at the holidays, with aromas of a roast in the oven flanked by sweet red cherries, orange peel and cinnamon. This is nicely balanced, with flavors of dried cherries, plums and a hint of bacon fat. Resplendent, indeed. Best Buy. 91 Points— Michael Alberty

$ Varies Ed's Fine Wine

King Estate 2022 Inscription Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley)

What an aromatic roller-coaster ride. The first sniff of the glass yields bright red cherries and orange zest. Then you get a burst of roasted red peppers, followed by a shot of espresso. Restrained acidity and velvety tannins accompany raspberry, smoked cherry and earthy oregano flavors. Great value here. Best Buy. 90 Points — M.A.

$20 Wine.com

Top Spanish Steal

Ramirez de la Piscina 2019 Crianza Tempranillo (Rioja)

Aromas of black currant and sauteed portobello mushroom lead the way for cassis, blackberry, charcuterie, black-olive paste, smoke, dried thyme and caramel flavors. While the flavor profile leans towards savory rather than fruit-dominant, sturdy tannins and well-balanced acidity make for a nice pour. Best Buy. 91 Points — Mike DeSimone

$ Varies Wine.com

Best Affordable Australian

Mount Langi Ghiran 2021 Billi Billi Shiraz (Victoria)

Australia’s answer to Northern Rhône Syrah? Like sniffing the innards of a pepper grinder, this aromatic, highly spicy Shiraz also comes with a good dose of blue- and red-berry fruit, terracotta and an iodine-and-warm earth note. There’s power and plushness to palate, but is framed in spicy, chiseled tannins and just enough freshness to keep the mouth watering. One of Aus’s great Shiraz bargains. Best Buy. 93 Points — Christina Pickard

$ Varies K&L Wines

Howard Park 2020 Miamup Cabernet Sauvignon (Margaret River)

An expressive wine from the get-go, layers of aromas float from the glass, from fresh red currant, bay leaf and savory spice to dark chocolate, coffee bean and warm tarmac. There’s a quiet power here: iron fist in velvet glove vibes. Silky texture and al dente acidity with succulent red fruit and fine, chiseled, textural tannins make for a wine of slinky deliciousness that neatly reflects Margaret River, and for an excellent price to boot. Best Buy. 94 Points— Christina Pickard

$ Varies Wine-searcher

More Red Wine Coverage

• Want more Cab? Here are 12 stellar Cabernet Sauvignons for every budget.
• Or what about affordable Italian? These are the best Italian red wines under $20.
• We also have a roundup of the best Thanksgiving wines under $20 (whites and sparklers included).
• Better than Burgundy? Spätburgunder—a.k.a. German Pinot Noir—is making a splash.
• Pick up a bottle for someone special with this red wine gift guide by one of our critics.

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Last Updated: November 19, 2024