Best Red, White, and Rosé for $25 or Less

A bargain, of course, is relative. For Elon Musk, purchasing a small city or two might be pocket change. For normal F&W readers — as far as we know Mr. Musk is not one — great bottles that hover around the $20ish-and-under zone seem about right.

And the truth is, you can find excellent bottles of wine at that price, from just about every country in the world that makes wine including Spain, South Africa, Argentina, France, and beyond. Here are 14 great possibilities to look for the holiday season.

White wines

2023 Essay White ($12)

The name is a joke — ”essay” as in “S.A.” as in South Africa, where this wine hails from — but the wine itself certainly isn’t. A citrusy, lightly savory Chenin Blanc, Viognier, and Roussanne blend, it’s a total steal at this price.

Rouvalis Asprolithi ($19)

The impressively talented Theodora Rouvali makes this stunner of a white from mountain vineyards planted with the Greek Asprolithi grape: it’s minerally and crisp, full of lightly herbal citrus and melon flavors.

2023 De Wetshof Limestone Hill Chardonnay ($20)

South Africa’s De Wetshof winery uses no oak on this perennial great-deal Chardonnay. Think golden apples and lime zest, with crisp minerality—in essence, a bright, southern hemisphere nod to Chablis.

2023 A Coroa Godello ($22)

Godello is the signature grape of northwestern Spain’s Valdeorras region, and A Coroa’s version is a benchmark (it should be – they’ve been growing Godello since the 1750s). It’s a medium-bodied but super-crisp white, its citrus flavors edged with fresh herb accents. 

2022 Raeburn Sonoma County Chardonnay ($20)

This white will be a definite crowd-pleaser for fans of classic California Chardonnay. It’s rich and luscious, for sure, its ripe pear-melon flavors filled out with vanilla oak notes, but there’s enough acidity here to frame those flavors effectively.

2022 Tatomer Hinter der Maur White ($22)

Graham Tatomer is a California Central Coast Riesling guru (his Kick-On Ranch Riesling is one of the best in the country), but this largely Gruner Veltliner white is equally impressive. It’s so lively it practically bounds across your palate, full of energetic nectarine-pear flavor.  

Red wines

2022 Doña Paula Estate High Altitude Malbec ($15)

This Argentine red’s hints of black tea and forest floor can’t help but suggest late Fall, and its plummy fruit and firm tannins bed for something cooked low and slow—a smoked turkey, maybe, or a classic pot roast.

2021 Franciscan California Cabernet ($16)

This California red is a kind of muscle-car interpretation of Cabernet Sauvignon: powerful and not exactly subtle, but a lot of fun. It’s rich and ripe, with black currant fruit, toasty oak, and enough tannins throughout to give it structure. 

2021 Cannonball California Cabernet Sauvignon ($16)

There’s surprising elegance here for such an affordable Cabernet. Its blue- and blackberry flavors are relatively restrained, though they seem to gain a subtle richness with each sip; light black pepper notes add complexity. 

2021 Badenhorst Family Wines Secateurs Red ($19)

South African winemaking star Adi Badenhorst’s affordable Secateurs line of wines (the name refers to vine-pruning clippers) always seem to overdeliver; in the 2021 vintage, this spicy, savory blend of Shiraz, Grenache, and Cinsault is a particular standout.

2020 St. Francis Old Vines Zinfandel Sonoma County ($23)

Fruit from 60- to 110-year-old vineyards scattered throughout Sonoma County goes into this ebulliently fruity California red. It tastes like spiced boysenberries with a dash of cracked black pepper; and while its a big wine, it’s balanced. Sort of like Mike Tyson on a balance beam.

2023 Lioco Indica Red Table Wine ($25)

Lioco’s Indica is one of those shape-shifting reds that tastes equally good either at normal temperature or chilled down in the fridge. A blend of 88% Carignan and 12% Valdiguie, it smells of violets and red berries, and is light- to medium-bodied with fine-grained, supple tannins.

2021 Raul Pérez Ultreia St. Jacques ($25)

Year in and year out, Spanish wine star Raul Pérez’s basic Bierzo red is one of the great bargains in the wine world. Made from the local Mencia grape, it’s earthy and dark-berried, with hints of olive and black pepper. Drink it now, or cellar it for up to ten years if you like.