Red, White, and Rosé Wine Values for Summer Sipping, Parties, and Picnics

We tasted several hundred value wines over the past six months and narrowed this selection to those priced under $25 and scoring 15/88 to 17/92 on the respective 20-point and 100-point scales. The 22 wines are from five countries and are listed in order of price from $15 to $25, then by vintage date when prices are the same.

The sources were Costco, local merchants, grocery stores, and online flash-sale sites. Spanish wines often have the best price-to-quality ratio, most notably the Rioja Reservas, which are aged as required by law. Check local grocery stores for inventory-clearing sales as new vintages arrive. You can sometimes find a tasty value wine with a few years of age on it.

The vintages listed here may have changed, but the producers are among the most trusted for consistency, so you can most likely be happy with different years. Enjoy!

RED WINES

• $16 Spanish value (Von’s) 2021 Marqués de Riscal Rioja Reserva. Mid garnet, rim variation, viscous (14.5 alc.); big red fruit, jam, wood nose; mid acids; mid tannins; long semi-deep, slightly hot red fruit finish. 16/90.
• $17 (WTSO) Willamette Valley, Ore., 2023 Violet Vines Pinot Noir Violet Vines Estate Vineyard. Light-mid ruby, viscous (14.0 alc.); red fruit, stemmy, smoky nose; mid acids/tannins; mid+ depth; long semi-tight slightly hot red fruit finish. 16/90.
• $19 Mendoza 2023 Bodega Catena Zapata Malbec Catena High Mountain Vines. Mid-violet/ruby, viscous (13.5 lc.); red fruit, raspberry, light spice, white pepper nose; low acids; soft tannins; easy-sipping balanced red fruit finish. 16/90.
• $19 (Von’s) 2023 Decoy Limited Red Wine Napa Valley. Mid-dark garnet, rim variation, viscous (13.9 alc.); herbaceous, red fruit, berries, mint nose; low-mid acids; mid+ tannins; long semi-deep chewy red fruit finish. 16/90.
• $20 Anderson Valley 2023 Brick & Mortar Pinot Noir. Light-mid ruby, viscous (13.5 alc.); red fruit, cherry compote, light spice nose; mid acids/tannins; long, balanced, red fruit finish. 16-16.5/90-91.
  

  Juan Gil Silver Monastrell

• $20 Spanish BBQ/pizza wine 2023 Bodegas Juan Gil Monastrell Jumilla Silver Label. Mid ruby, rim variation, viscous (14.5 alc.); red fruit, ripe grape, plum nose; mid acids/tannins/depth; semi-long chewy red fruit finish. 15.5/89.
• $21 Italian 2022 Tenuta di Nozzole Chianti Classico Riserva. Light-mid ruby, brick edges, viscous (14.0 alc.); earthy, red fruit, spice, wood nose; low-mid acids; mid tannins; long semi-tight red fruit finish. 16/90.
• $22 Sonoma 2022 Dry Creek Vineyard Zinfandel Heritage Vines (81% Zin, 18 Petite Sirah, 1 Carignane). Light-mid ruby, viscous (14.5 alc.); black berries, brambles, pepper nose; mid acids/tannins/depth; balanced, semi-hot berry finish. BBQ, pizza, burger wine. 16/90.
• $23 Livermore, Calif., 2022 Wente Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Charles Wetmore. Mid-dark garnet, viscous (14.5 alc.); berries, herbaceous, black fruit nose; mid acids; mid+ tannins; long, chewy, slightly hot black fruit finish. 16/90.
• Super $25 Spanish red NV Bodegas Juan Gil Monastrell Jumilla Hijos de Juan Gil Guerrero 110 Anniversario. Mid ruby, viscous (14.5 alc.); bright, red fruit, cocoa, tobacco, mint, black pepper nose; mid plus acids; medium to full tannins; long, deep, red fruit, slightly hot finish. 17/92.

WHITE WINES

• $15 (local grocery) Sonoma, 2023 Chalk Hill Sauvignon Blanc. Sharp mid-gold, viscous (14.6 alc.); pyrazine, new-mown hay, lime, grapefruit nose; mid acids; mid depth; long, crisp, citrus finish. 15.5/89.
• $17 (Von’s) 2024 Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay Sonoma Coast. Sharp mid gold, viscous (14.1 alc.); tropical, stone fruit, peachy nose; low-mid acids; round, ripe, easy-sipping stone fruit finish. 15.5/89.
• $18 Spanish find (Wine Access) 2023 Bodegas Eidosela Rías Baixas Ethereo. Sharp mid straw gold (13.0 alc.); green fruit, citrus, saline, peach nose; mid acids; mid depth; semi-long crisp green fruit finish. 15.5/89.
• $20 Italian 2022 Canus Friuli Colli Orientali Ribolla Gialla. Sharp mid-gold, some tears (13.0 alc.); pear, light floral nose; low acids; soft, fruity, easy-sipping party and appetizer wine. 15/88.
• $22 Burgundy 2023 Joseph Drouhin Mâcon-Villages. Sharp mid straw gold, low viscosity (13.0 alc.); stone fruit, light tropical nose; mid acids; mid body; easy-sipping crisp stone fruit finish. 15/88.
• $23 French Chardonnay (WTSO) 2023 Pascal & Mireille Renaud Pouilly-Fuissé Cuvée Vieilles Vignes. Sharp, mid-dark gold, viscous (13.0 alc.); stone fruit, honey, citrus nose; mid acids; mid depth; semi-long citrus and stone fruit finish. w/scampi. 16/90.
• $20 Spanish Albariño 2024 Paso Torre Penelas Pazo das Bruxas. Light-mid green straw gold; green apple, saline, sea shell, floral nose; mid acids; mid body; long crisp green fruit and saline finish. w/cheeses. 16/90.
• $20 (WTSO) French Sauvignon Blanc 2025 Jean-Paul Picard Sancerre. Light-straw gold; slate, new-mown hay, honeysuckle nose; mid acids; mid depth; long, crisp citrus finish. 15.5/89.
  

  Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc

• $21 California 2024 Duckhorn Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc North Coast. Pale, almost colorless, viscous (14.1 alc.); herbaceous, citrus, grassy, boxwood nose; low-mid acids; mid body; semi-long, slightly hot citrus finish. 15.5/89.
• $24 summer French sipper 2024 Le Clos du Caillou Côtes du Rhône Blanc Bouquet des Garrigues. Sharp mid-green gold, viscous (14.0 alc.); honey, floral, green fruit, lime nose; low-mid acids; mid epth; round semi-lush fruity finish. 16/90.

ROSÉ

• $20 Santa Ynez Valley, Calif., 2024 Dragonette Cellars Rosé (Grenache and Mourvedre). Sharp mid-salmon (13.2 alc.); red fruit, strawberry, melon nose; mid acids; mid depth; semi-long, round red fruit finish. 15.5/89.