It’s all very well to laud and praise the Big Deal Wines, the High-Performance Bottles, the Show Pieces of the Vinous Realms. Many of them are worthy of adulation. Are they worth the prices they often command? That’s not for you or me to determine, since we can’t afford such wines in any case. The wines we can afford will be found on this list of “35 Great Wine Bargains of 2021, $20 and Under.” Each of these performs above its price, providing an experience that is not only satisfying but gratifying above the expectation of cost.
This is a diverse group, though leaning toward white grapes and blends — 23 white, 9 red, 2 rosé, 1 cider. Geographically, we touch France (10), Spain (5), California (5), Italy (4), Chile (3); 2 each from Argentina, Austria and New York state; one each for Portugal and the state of Virginia. I don’t make stand-outs as particular bargains and good value; they’re all particular bargains and good value.
Enjoy! In moderation, of course.
Mainly samples for review; a few local purchases.
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Adroît Colombard 2019, Stanislaus County, California. 173 cases. A label from Seabold Cellars. Excellent. About $20.
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Albamar Estate Series Chardonnay 2019, Casablanca, Chile. Very Good+. About $12.
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Avinyó Petillant Blanc 2020, Penedés, Spain. 70 percent Muscat de Frontignan, 20 percent macabeo, 10 percent xarel-lo. Excellent. About $17.
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Bonny Doon Vineyard Picpoul 2020, Beeswax Vineyard, Arroyo Seco, California. Excellent. About $16.
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Ca’ di Prata Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore nv, Veneto, Italy. Excellent. About $18.
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Le Coeur de la Reine Sauvignon 2019, Touraine, Loire Valley. Excellent. About $15.
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Cultusboni “Cetamura” Chianti 2019, Tuscany, Italy. From the venerable Badio a Coltibuono estate. Very Good+. About $11.
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CVNE Monopole 2020, Rioja, Spain. 100 percent viura grapes. Excellent. About $16.
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Domaine de la Grenaudière Muscadet Sevre et Maine sur Lie 2019, Loire Valley, France. Excellent. About $17.
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Domaine La Salette 2019, Côtes de Gasgogne Blanc, France. 80 percent colombard, 10 percent each gros manseng and ugni blanc. Excellent. About $13.
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Domaine Léon Boesch “La Cabane” Pinot Blanc 2018, Alsace, France. Excellent. About $18.
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Duca di Salaparuta Kados Grillo 2019, Terre Siciliana, Italy. 100 percent white grillo grapes. Excellent. About $18.50.
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Elicio Vermentino 2019, Méditerranée, France. Excellent. About $17
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Esterhazy “Estoras” Grüner Veltliner 2019, Bergunland, Austria. Excellent. About $20.
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Famille de Boel France “Assiégés” 2019, Côtes-du-Rhône, France. 45 percent grenache, 25 percent caladoc, 15 percent each syrah and carignan. Excellent. About $14.
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Girasole Vineyards Pinot Blanc 2020, Mendocino County. Excellent. About $15.
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Les Haut Plateaux 2020, Alpes de Haute Provence Rosé, France. 40 percent each syrah and grenache, 20 percent cinsault. Excellent. About $14.
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Justin Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2020, Central Coast, California. Excellent. About $16.
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Kuentz-Bas Alsace Blanc 2019, Alsace, France. 30 percent sylvaner, 20 percent pinot blanc, 15 muscat, 10 each gewürztraminer and chasseles. Excellent. About $18.
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Lamoreaux Landing Estate Red Blend nv, Finger Lakes, New York. A cross-vintage blend of undisclosed grapes. Excellent. About $15.
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Lamoreaux Landing Gewürztraminer 2019, Finger Lakes, New York. Excellent. About $20.
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Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Villages 2019, Beaujolais, France. Excellent. About $16.
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Mount Rubi White 2019, Penedés, Spain. 100 percent xarel-lo grapes. Excellent. About $20.
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Pazo de Lusco Albariño 2020, Rías Baixas, Spain. Excellent. About $20.
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Peñalolen Cabernet Sauvignon 2017, Maipo Valley, Chile. 75 percent cabernet sauvignon, 13 percent cabernet franc, 7 merlot, 2 carmenere, 1 percent petit verdot. (These figures do not add up to 100, but this is the information on the winery’s website.) Excellent. About $20.
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Potter’s Craft Cider Farmhouse Dry, Charlottesville, Virginia. Excellent. About $14.
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Quinta do Ameal Bico Amarelo 2020, Vinho Verde, Portugal. A blend of loureiro, alvarinho and avesso grapes. Excellent. About $12.
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Raeburn Winery Rosé 2020, Russian River Valley, California. 74 percent pinot noir, 22 zinfandel, 4 grenache. Excellent. About $20.
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Secreto de Viu Manent Malbec 2019, Colchagua Valley, Chile. 85 percent malbec, 15 percent “secret blend of other grapes.” Excellent. About $15.
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Thierry Delauney Le Vignette Sauvignon Blanc 2019, Touraine, Loire Valley. Excellent. About $17.
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Tiefenbrunner Pinot Grigio 2018, Vigneti delle Dolomiti, Alto Adige, Italy. Excellent. About $19.
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Una Seleccion de Ricardo Santos Semillon 2020, Mendoza, Argentina. Excellent. About $16.
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Volver Single Vineyard Tempranillo 2018, La Mancha, Spain. Excellent. About $16.
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Weingut Stadt Krems Grüner Veltliner 2019, Kremstal, Austria. Excellent. About $16.
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Zolo Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, Mendoza, Argentina. Very Good+. About $13.
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