March 2022
Delicious wine doesn’t have to be inaccessible. Yes, great wines can cost a pretty penny, but many producers and wine shops today are keeping an eye on the price range they stock by offering at least a handful of wines at relatively attainable prices.
The key to finding these wines can be as simple as asking the right questions. When visiting your local wine shop, be forward about your budget, as owners typically have great bottles to recommend at most price points. Here’s what wine pros from around the country recommend for the next time you’re seeking a delicious wine that costs $20 and under:
CARDEDU ‘BUCCE,’ SARDEGNA, ITALY, $20
“I’ve always had an affinity for wines from Sardinia and specifically the wines from Cardedu. For the ‘Bucce’ bottling, Sergio Loi takes Vermentino and Nasco and leaves them on the skins for two days while direct pressing the Cannonau. The result is this beautifully floral, salty, fresh wine that reminds me all skin-contact wines are not made the same. It’s such an expressive and exciting wine that its $20 price point feels like stealing. Give me this and a Vongole pizza and I’d never ask for anything again.” —Eric Moorer, director of sales at Domestique Wine in Washington, D.C.
