The Insider Secrets to Finding the Best Value Wine, According to Sommeliers

Wine, be it a bold Cabernet or creamy Chardonnay, might be one of the finer things in life—but you don’t need to spend a small fortune on a delicious bottle.

“Some of the most exciting wines we taste are not the most expensive bottles,” says Juan Pablo “JP” Trillo Molina, wine director and lead floor sommelier at The Tasting House Wine Bistro in Los Gatos, California. “Price can reflect scarcity, reputation, vineyard costs, aging, and production methods, but it doesn’t necessarily tell you how much you’re going to enjoy the wine.”

Chris Tanghe, master sommelier and co-owner of Walter’s Wine Shop and Upwell Wine & Coffee in Seattle, agrees and underscores a budget-friendly bottle’s drinkability. “The better wine is often less expensive than better-known labels which generally need more time in the bottle and carry a premium due to their cachet,” he adds.

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One small thing: Choosing the right bottle is tricky, to say the least. Sifting through a treasure trove of different vintages, varietals, and vineyards is difficult enough, but when you add pricepoint into the equation? The entire endeavor can be overwhelming.

Fortunately, the pros are sharing their insider tips to stretch your dollar on delicious vino. 

1. The Price is Right

How much should you spend on wine? While there’s something at virtually every pricepoint, Molina says $25 to $45 often offers excellent value.

“There are certainly terrific wines below $20, but you may have to hunt a little harder,” he says. “At $25 or $35, there is an enormous amount of really good wine available.”

That said, Molina says there’s more to value than price alone. “A $50 bottle that drinks like an $80 bottle can be an extraordinary value, too,” he adds.

2. Location, Location, Location

If you want to get the best bang for your buck, look to under-the-radar appellations. While Tanghe says France’s Burgundy region can get costly, Loire Valley has lots to offer. 

“Spain in almost its entirety is grossly underpriced due to its isolationist governance when the rest of the world’s wine economy was growing quickly,” he adds. “Portugal and Austria always over-deliver as well, and I’d go on record to say that Austria’s overall average quality is the best in the world.”

The same logic applies stateside, Molina says. “One of my favorite strategies is to shop just outside the most famous appellations,” he adds. “Great vineyards don’t suddenly stop at an AVA boundary.”

Molina particularly enjoys areas such as Anderson Valley, Paso Robles, Santa Barbara County, and the Santa Cruz Mountains.

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3. Go for Obscure Grapes

Cabernet Sauvignon might be king in Napa Valley, but many bottles come with a triple-digit price tag. If you want to cut costs, consider varietals that are less popular, yet equally tasty. 

“Don’t underestimate the ‘less fashionable’ grape varieties,” Molina shares. “Chenin Blanc, Riesling, Gamay, Cabernet Franc, Grenache, Albariño and many Italian and South American wines can offer tremendous drinking for the money.”

4. Ask a Pro

When in doubt, enlist an expert. Sommeliers and wine shops have lots of knowledge—and are prepared to dish out some well-priced recs.

“Any shop worth its salt will have tasted everything it puts on the shelf,” Tanghe says. “If a bottle is inexpensive it should still be tasty if they’ve done their due diligence.”

While asking an expert for a great Pinot Noir under a certain price point can yield plenty of choices, keep an eye out for a shop’s shortlist.

“I look for a shop with a curated selection rather than simply hundreds of labels,” Molina says. “If someone can tell you why a bottle is on the shelf, that’s usually a very good sign.”

Apps like Vivino and Wine-Searcher can help you rate and record bottles you’ve enjoyed, there’s nothing like an insider pick. “Over time, that person can become much more valuable than an algorithm because they aren’t just telling you what other people liked,” Molina says. “They’re learning what you like.