Best Wine Under $20: Red, White and Sparkling Picks

The best wine under $20 is easier to find than most people think: plenty of bottles at this price earn 90 points or more from professional critics. Our top picks are Borsao Tres Picos 2022, a Spanish Garnacha with 91 points for about $18 to $19, Eroica Riesling 2024 from Washington for white, and Gruet Brut from New Mexico for sparkling. This page is for anyone shopping for a dinner party, a gift or a better weeknight bottle, sorted by red, white and sparkling.

How we picked

We don’t taste the wines ourselves. Each pick has at least one published professional score for the exact vintage named, and a typical US shelf price that we checked at two or more retailers in October 2026. We then applied the thresholds in our Blue Book Value method: a wine with 90 to 92 points is a Great Value at $20 or less, and 88 or 89 points is a Great Value at $15 or less and a Good Value up to $20. When a wine has two scores, we use the middle (median) of them. Prices vary by state and store, so use ours as a guide.

The best wine under $20 at a glance

Wine	Critic score	Typical price (Oct 2026)	Verdict
Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha 2022 (Campo de Borja, Spain)	91, Wine Enthusiast	about $18–$19	Great Value
A to Z Pinot Noir 2023 (Oregon)	91, Wine Enthusiast	about $16–$19	Great Value
Hahn Cabernet Sauvignon 2024 (California)	91, Wine Enthusiast	about $13–$14	Great Value
Chateau Ste. Michelle & Dr. Loosen Eroica Riesling 2024 (Columbia Valley)	91, Wine Enthusiast; 92, Wine Review Online	about $16–$20	Great Value
Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2024	90, Wine Enthusiast	about $11–$15	Great Value
Josh Cellars Sauvignon Blanc 2025 (Central Coast)	90, Wine Enthusiast	about $12–$17	Great Value
Gruet Brut NV (New Mexico)	89, Wine Enthusiast	about $17–$18	Good Value

All scores are on a 100-point scale. NV means non-vintage, a blend of several years that sparkling wine houses use to keep a consistent style.

Best red wine under $20

Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha 2022

• Score: 91 points, Wine Enthusiast (April 2026 issue). Retailers also quote a James Suckling score, but we couldn’t confirm its vintage, so the verdict uses the Wine Enthusiast score.
• Price: about $18 to $19, checked October 2026 ($18.99 regular price at Binny’s and $17.99 regular price at PJ Wine, both for the 2022).
• Verdict: Great Value.

In our view, Garnacha (Grenache) from Campo de Borja in northeast Spain is one of the best places to look for red-wine value. Wine Enthusiast’s reviewer describes a deep ruby wine with cherry blossom, mixed berries, tobacco and vanilla, held together by smooth tannins and lively acidity. Our pick for red: it is rich enough for grilled lamb or chorizo but fresh enough for a plate of roasted vegetables.

A to Z Pinot Noir 2023

• Score: 91 points, Wine Enthusiast (October 2026 issue), the only professional score we found.
• Price: about $16 to $19, checked October 2026 ($17.99 regular price at Binny’s, $17.09 at Wine Library, $18.95 at BuyWinesOnline, all for the 2023). At the $22 to $26 some stores ask, it would be a Good Value.
• Verdict: Great Value.

The reviewer liked this screw-capped Oregon Pinot for its simplicity: raspberry with herbal notes of oregano and bay leaf, then red cherry and black tea. Pour it with salmon, roast chicken or a mushroom dish. For three more bottles, see our best Pinot Noir under $20.

Hahn Cabernet Sauvignon 2024

• Score: 91 points, Wine Enthusiast (July 2026 issue), the only professional score we found.
• Price: about $13 to $14, checked October 2026 ($13.33 at Lisa’s Liquor Barn, $12.99 at Marketview Liquor, $13.99 at Binny’s).
• Verdict: Great Value.

Wine Enthusiast’s reviewer found an opulent Cabernet with baked strawberry, raspberry and spice, then cherry and pomegranate with grippy tannins (the drying feel that comes from grape skins and oak). It is the cheapest red here and our choice for burgers and steak. Our best Cabernet Sauvignon under $20 list has seven more.

Best white wine under $20

Chateau Ste. Michelle & Dr. Loosen Eroica Riesling 2024

• Scores: 91 points, Wine Enthusiast (May 2026 issue); 92 points, Wine Review Online (June 2026). Median: 91.5.
• Price: about $16 to $20, checked October 2026 ($15.94 at Saratoga Wine, $19.95 at BuyWinesOnline and $19.99 at Binny’s, all for the 2024).
• Verdict: Great Value.

Eroica is a collaboration between Washington’s Chateau Ste. Michelle and the Riesling producer Dr. Loosen. Wine Enthusiast’s reviewer describes a mix of orchard and tropical fruit, with passion fruit and peach competing for attention, while Wine Review Online’s reviewer found peach, honey, apple, citrus peel and white flowers, with sweetness and acidity in balance. It is slightly sweet (off-dry) and only 11% alcohol. Our pick for white: the highest-scoring wine on this page, and a natural partner for spicy Thai or Indian food, pork or a cheese board.

Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2024

• Score: 90 points, Wine Enthusiast (July 2026 issue), the only professional score we found.
• Price: about $11 to $15, checked October 2026 ($14.95 at BuyWinesOnline for the 2024; $10.99 at Binny’s; Wine On Sale asks $18.95).
• Verdict: Great Value.

The reviewer calls it another excellent white value from this producer’s 2024 vintage, with tropical passion fruit, a nutty note like macadamia, ginger and lemon. It is dry and crisp, so serve it well chilled with goat cheese, fish tacos or a green salad. If you like Sauvignon Blanc and want to trade up, our guide to Sancerre wine covers the French classic.

Josh Cellars Sauvignon Blanc 2025

• Score: 90 points, Wine Enthusiast (October 2026 issue), the only professional score we found.
• Price: about $12 to $17, checked October 2026 ($13.09 at Wine Library and $16.95 at Wine On Sale, both for the 2025; $11.99 regular price at Binny’s).
• Verdict: Great Value.

The reviewer found lime, star fruit, plum-apricot and fresh grass on the nose, with a creamier palate of lychee and nectarine. That rounder feel makes it a good choice for people who find some Sauvignon Blancs too sharp. Try it with shrimp, chicken salad or sushi.

Best sparkling wine under $20

Gruet Brut NV

• Score: 89 points, Wine Enthusiast (reviewed April 2026, October 2026 issue). Two retailers also cite an 87 from Wine Spectator, which one of them dates to September 2024, so it most likely applies to an earlier release of this non-vintage wine. Either way the verdict is the same.
• Price: about $17 to $18, checked October 2026 ($16.99 at Flask Fine Wines, $18.12 at Saratoga Wine, $17.99 regular price at Binny’s).
• Verdict: Good Value.

Gruet is a New Mexico winery that makes sparkling wine from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the main grapes of Champagne. Wine Enthusiast’s reviewer describes apple and dry hay aromas, then lemon-lime, apple and a stony note over a creamy texture, with fairly gentle acidity. The reviewer’s advice, roughly, is to keep a bottle in the fridge at all times at this price. It is a good choice for toasts, fried snacks or brunch. For Italian bubbles, see our guide to the best Prosecco under $20.

How to find more good-value wine

The wines on this list share a few traits that you can look for on any shelf:

• Less famous regions. Campo de Borja in Spain, Washington’s Columbia Valley and California’s Central Coast give far more score per dollar than Napa, Burgundy or Champagne.
• Widely distributed brands. Wines made in large volumes, such as Chateau Ste. Michelle’s and Hahn’s, are easy to find in many states, so you can compare prices between stores.
• Scores with a named source and vintage. A shelf tag that says “91 points” without a publication or year isn’t telling you much. Our guide to wine ratings explains how to read them.

We recheck these prices at least every three months. If a new vintage arrives with a different score, we’ll update or replace the pick.