11 Cheap Wines Sommeliers Highly Recommend

Unless you're a sommelier, finding an inexpensive bottle of wine that tastes good isn't an easy task. Just the sheer number of wines on the shelves of your local supermarket or wine store is enough to make your head spin.How can you truly be sure that what you're buying is going to be worth it in the end?

That's why most people have their go-to wines they know they enjoy and never venture much beyond that. After all, no one wants to buy a bottle of wine to serve alongside dinner only to be disappointed by the taste or flavor profile — but there's no fun in drinking the same wine over and over either. So, we asked several sommeliers for their recommendations of the best inexpensive wines they've tasted, including Megumi Calver, Sommelier and Founder at Merobebe, Laurie Forster, Sommelier and Host of The Sipping Point at The Wine Coach, and Jonathan Kleeman, Sommelier and Wine Consultant.

The results were particularly pleasing as each sommelier had vastly different recommendations for great tasting wine under $20. So, you should have no problem finding a new wine or two to try that fits your goals, price range, and taste preferences. On this list you'll find a mix of reds, whites, and even a rosé that work well for everything from barbecues and charcuterie to seafood, steak, and pasta. Keep in mind that prices and availability may vary by location. 

Banfi is a luxury wine and spirits company whose portfolio centers around the Mariani family's renowned wine estates in Italy. These estates include the Castello Banfi of Montalcino, Tuscany, and Banfi Piemonte of Strevi, Piedmont. And, according to Banfi's website, the Chianti wine produced in Tuscany is often referred to as the original "red blend," a classic Italian wine that is loved throughout the world. Perhaps that's why sommelier Laurie Forster highly recommends the company's Banfi Chianti Classico. 

"If you are not looking to Chianti for great red wine values, you need to start," she says. "This Chianti comes from one of the most established producers in Tuscany, with a long-standing focus on quality."

According to Forster, "Classico" means the grapes come from the historic heart of the region, where many of the best vineyards are located. Predominantly Sangiovese — a red wine grape widely planted in Italy — Forster says this wine offers aromas of cherry along with herbal savory notes. Plus, she says the wine's medium body, balanced acidity, and soft tannins make it a food-friendly addition to your dinner table. Forster recommends serving it alongside pork chops, grilled chicken, pasta with Bolognese sauce, or a steak.

Txakoli (pronounced cha-ko-lee) is an often overlooked white wine from the Basque Country in Northern Spain, says sommelier Jonathan Kleeman. "It is incredibly vibrant with piercing acidity and low in alcohol around 10.5 to 11%, good length, and a great food wine with consistent quality throughout the region ... The palate is bone-dry and slightly effervescent."

According to Kleeman, the wine also has a bracing acidity with a snappy citrus, green apple, and a distinct sea-spray salinity. He says that because of the wine's high acidity, Txakoli is a food-friendly wine that is a perfect match for fresh seafood and shellfish. It will also "cut through the richness" of fried foods, he says.

One example of Txakoli that Kleeman recommends is Bodegas Rezabal Txakoli, which is produced by Rezabal, a family-owned winery. Located in the Basque country of Spain in Zarautz, this winery utilizes the latest technology while the vineyard is planted in a traditional high trellis system. The native varieties of grapes used in the winemaking benefit from the sea breezes blowing into the vineyard daily, which gives it that sea-spray salinity, Kleeman described. Traditionally, this wine is served poured from a height.

The Vietti Barbera d'Asti wine is from the Vietti winery in the heart of the Langhe, on the highest point of the village of Castiglione Falletto in Italy. According to sommelier Megumi Calver, Vietti is a renowned Italian producer that's been around since the late 1800s. The winery was created by Carlo Vietti, but has since been purchased by the Krause family.

"If you're looking for an easy-drinking Italian red, you'll get so much quality for the price from this Barbera," says Calver. Barbera grapes may not be as revered as others in Italy, but many experts refer to wines made with this grape a "wine of the people," because it's inexpensive and meant to be enjoyed while it's still young. Calver describes this wine as medium body with bright red fruit and cocoa notes as well as some plum, bright acidity, and soft tannins. She says it goes well with a variety of foods, although her go-to pairing is tomato-based pasta. This red wine would also go well with BBQ chicken or vegetables, roasted pork, or even a creamy mushroom risotto, she says.

This Dry Creek Vineyard Chenin Blanc was produced by Dry Creek Vineyard in Sonoma, California. Founded in 1972 by David Stare, the winery is led today by Stare's daughter Kim Stare Wallace who watched her father build the first new winery in the area following Prohibition. He was also instrumental in helping Dry Creek Valley become a winegrowing appellation, or a protected geographical area where wine grapes are grown. As a teen, the younger Stare was exposed to many facets of the family business, including working on the bottling line; and she frequently traveled with her parents on sales trips and to wine tastings at some of the best wineries in the U.S.

According to sommelier Laurie Forster, the Chenin Blanc is a white grape typically associated with the Loire valley in France, in places like Vouvray and Saumur. But, Dry Creek has been making Chenin Blanc for over 50 years even though it has only just recently become trendy, she says.

"I love this white for its aromas of melon, peach, and citrus, with mouthwatering acidity that make you want another sip," she says. "[It's] great with all kinds of seafood, salads, poultry, and fresh cheeses."

Miraval wines are crafted by the Perrin Family of Rhone Valley and part-owned by Brad Pitt, says sommelier Laurie Forster. Interestingly, the winery also features a full recording studio and has been the location for many album recordings by artists such Pink Floyd, Sade, AC/DC, Sting, and more, she says.

But, despite its star power connection with Pitt, the wine produced by Miraval has also consistently performed well, and is influenced by the Perrin family who have a long history of innovative winemaking. Their iconic vineyard covers more than 1,200 acres in the heart of Provence and is often a destination many in the area want to visit.

"The grapes for the Studio Rosé are not sourced exclusively from Provence but come from a broader Mediterranean region, resulting in a more affordable price," says Forster. She says the Studio by Miraval delivers everything you want in a Provence-style rosé for less money and it features red fruit, floral, and mineral notes, with a crisp acidity. She suggests enjoying this wine with oysters, shrimp, grilled vegetables, and perfectly crafted charcuterie boards.

The Justin Sauvignon Blanc wine is produced by JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery in the hills of Paso Robles. This winery was created in 1981 by Justin Baldwin, a former international banker, who wanted to create wines in California that could compete with the best from Bordeaux, a port city in France. Today, people love the Franco-Californian products that Baldwin created after studying the winemaking techniques and philosophies of this French area.

In fact, sommelier Megumi Calver says when she worked at a wine store in Beverly Hills, she was constantly restocking Justin Sauvignon Blanc. "It has everything you want in a Sauvignon Blanc — bright and refreshingly crisp with notes of lemon, grapefruit, green apple, and peach, plus hints of tropical fruit like papaya and some minerality."

Calver says this wine pairs perfectly with salads, citrus-forward chicken dishes, seafood, or a creamy pasta. It's also great for sipping solo, too, she says, and can be snagged at most Target stores.

This Louis Jadot Beaujolais Villages wine is a single-varietal wine made with only one grape, the Gamay. This Gamay grape is the only red grape in Beaujolais — a wine region located in east-central France. Consequently, wine experts often say this grape produces wines that are characterized as  fun and frivolous. This particular 100% Gamay wine was inspired by Maison Louis Jadot, a legendary French producer dating back to 1859, and is the epitome of easy drinking, says sommelier Megumi Calver.

"This fruit-forward wine has notes of juicy strawberries and black cherries balanced by a little spice, soft tannins, and crispness," says Calver. "I like to drink it slightly chilled, especially in the summer."

Calver says it pairs perfectly with mild cheeses like brie, charcuterie boards, or grilled vegetables. She also enjoys it with a roast chicken or duck, or even alongside a pizza or pasta with tomato sauce. It can be found at most Target stores.

The E. Guigal Côtes du Rhône Rouge is a classic Rhône GSM blend (40% Grenache, 50% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre) and is from a respected French producer, says sommelier Megumi Calver. It's also one of her go-to red wines. In fact, she says that multiple vintages of this wine have received 90+ point scores from top critics like Wine Enthusiast and James Suckling.

What potentially makes this wine so exquisite for the price is the GSM blend of grapes, which some wine connoisseurs describe as among the most elegant in the wine world. In fact, they say these grapes complement each other so well and produce such complex wines, that when they appear alone, a wine can feel incomplete.

Calver describes this wine as medium to full-bodied. "[It] has rich red fruit, some blackberry and plum notes, soft tannins, and a little peppery spice." She says it pairs well with meaty dishes, like lamb, pork, or beef stew, and couples nicely with grilled or roasted vegetables.

According to sommelier Jonathan Kleeman, frappato is an indigenous grape from Sicily that produces an elegant, modern style of very drinkable red wine. "For generations, it was used to soften and lift the heavy, muscular structure of Nero d'Avola in blends, but has now been produced in single variety examples as a stand out wine."

Kleeman describes frappato wines as light and juicy that deliver delicate aromas of red berries, summer fruits, and floral notes. He says this leads to a "fresh, savory palate with lively acidity." Sometimes frappato wines have a hint of smoke and can be paired with autumn meat dishes or chilled to go with Mediterranean dishes, he says.

The Mandrarossa 'Costadune' Frappato is Kleeman's suggestion for wines made with the frappato grape. This affordable Sicilian red wine is from vineyards in Menfi, in the southwest portion of Sicily, and is produced by Mandrarossa. Depending on where you live, you may need to purchase this wine online.

Alentejo is located in the southern end Portugal, inland and south from Lisbon, and is known for producing relatively modern style wines. Alentejo red wines, like the Herdade do Esporão 'Monte Velho' Tinto, punch well above their weight, says sommelier Jonathan Kleeman. "Alentejo is a sun-drenched region that produces incredibly generous, approachable wines. A blend from this area mixes indigenous grapes like Aragonez and Trincadeira with international varieties."

When drinking an Alentejo red, Kleeman says to expect medium to full-bodied structure. He describes the wines as very drinkable styles with soft tannins, red and dark fruits, and undertones from oak aging. You can pair this wine with roasted or grilled meats, such as lamb, hearty stews, and mature cheeses.

The Herdade do Esporão 'Monte Velho' Tinto wine, in particular, is a deep ruby color with a good depth of fruit. To find a bottle in the U.S., you may need to search online or look to specialized wine retailers that will ship throughout the U.S.

The Kirkland Cotes du Rhone Villages is the least expensive wine on the list. But, that doesn't mean it tastes any less delicious. In fact, wines labeled Côtes du Rhône Villages have to meet stricter quality standards and follow more specific rules than regular Côtes du Rhône wines. These rules are designed to keep the wines consistent and high quality — and it has succeeded with this Kirkland wine.

"I am always so surprised at how genuinely good the Kirkland wines are, especially for the price," says sommelier Megumi Calver. "In fact, the 2023 vintage got a 91 rating from Wine Enthusiast."

Overall, this wis a medium-bodied wine with ripe, juicy dark cherries, blackberries, and raspberries that are balanced by some peppery spice, herbal notes, and smooth tannins, says Calver. She says this wine is perfect for a BBQ with grilled steak and vegetables, a burger, or lamb chops. You could even pair it with mushroom dishes or some nutty cheeses like Gruyère or Comté, she says.

Calver considers this wine a steal at less than $8 from Costco, though you do need a membership (or a friend with one) in order to buy a bottle. But, while you're there, she suggests also checking out their Chianti Classico Riserva for $9.