15 Festive And Delicious Holiday Wines For Under $15
Here are some excellent bottles that will warm up any holiday and keep you under budget
We've asked our wine columnists and our Editorial Director, wine enthusiast Colman Andrews, which wines they would sip under the strict budget of $15 per bottle (remember, cost can vary from states to stores). Here are the bottles we'll be toting to parties and setting at our Christmas tables.
Artazuri Garnacha Rosado 2013 ($9)
"Garnacha (Grenache) rosés from Spain's Navarra region are always a great buy. Medium in body, with an aroma of strawberries, this wine has enough spice and fruit on the palate to elevate it out of the 'summer cooler' category." — Colman Andrews, Editorial Director, The Daily Meal
Assobio Quinta Dos Murças Esporao 2011 ($13)
"This blend of Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, and Touriga Nacional is unusually rich and complex for a wine in this price range, with oak and fruit in the nose, a big, grapey flavor, and plenty of weight." — Colman Andrews, Editorial Director, The Daily Meal
Baron de Luze Bordeaux Rouge 2010 ($14)
"When you want a red wine that goes with so many foods — especially red meats and red sauced dishes — there is no better choice than a bottle of red Bordeaux. Of course, some of the most-expensive wines in the world come from this region of coastal southwest France, but Bordeaux is big enough that is has some of the best bargain wines in the world as well. This mixture of merlot and cabernet sauvignon has tart blackberry flavors with a lean, bacon-flecked finish, and a good mouth feel." — Roger Morris, wine columnist
Canti “Millesimato” Prosecco Extra Dry 2012 ($13)
"Proseccos are to northeast Italy what sparkling moscatos are to Italy's northwest. This one is from the Veneto region and is typical of the floral, fruity style that makes proseccos attractive to people who find Champagne too pricey and too austere. Of course, you can love both, but this one can be served as an appetizer or party wine when you want something that is pleasant if not stunning — mild, creamy, lightly sweet, and a little toasty in the finish." — Roger Morris, wine columnist
Château de Jau Le Jaja de Jau 2012 ($9)
"Hailing from France's Roussillon region, with hints of black fruit, pepper, and smoke, this is a wine I take home at the end of the night. It's got a medium body, acidity, intensity, and a short finish. This is a wonderful choice for a small gathering and for pairing with heavier, comforting meals that warm you in the winter." — Amanda Jean Black, Drink Editor, The Daily Meal
Concha y Toro Casillero del Diablo Chile Chardonnay 2012 ($10)
"This juicy, lively, full-bodied wine has interesting flavors of tropical fruits, including an under-layer of banana. It's midway between a toasty, big chard and an austere, crisp one, which should please many people. Concha y Toro is one of the big boys of Chilean wine, which means that it can get its hands on a lot of nice fruit, make good wine from it and sell it at a reasonable price — a hallmark of Chilean wines, by the way." — Roger Morris, wine columnist
Fat Barrel Sweet Smaak Sunset Moscato 2012 ($12)
"Though I am (and will forever stay) a red wine drinker, this is one blush that pairs do well with my super-girly moments (hey, they happen from time to time). Flavorful florals and fruits like raspberry, cherry, and strawberry accompany the light-medium body, and medium–high intensity. This is the wine to break out for a mid-afternoon holiday gathering or to start off the cocktail party right." — Amanda Jean Black, Drink Editor, The Daily Meal
Ironstone 2012 Petite Sirah ($13)
"This big, bold, inky red has a brooding nose loaded with dark fruits. Its firm palate is filled with plums, blackberries, and spice. It's big enough to pair with that standing rib roast, but juicy enough to drink on its own. This is a perfect holiday wine, just don't leave it out or Santa might drink it." — Gabe Sasso, wine columnist
Morgante Nero d'Avola 2012 ($14)
"Produced under the supervision of Riccardo Cotarella, Italy's most famous consulting winemaker, this is a rich and jam-y Sicilian wine with flavors of smoke and earth — perfect to pair with a hearty Italian dishes or roasted meats." — Colman Andrews, Editorial Director, The Daily Meal
Redtree California Pinot Noir 2013 ($8)
"It's seldom that you will get a complex, great, and memorable wine for under $15, but you can get some very enjoyable ones for that price, even for under $10. The Cecchettis are a California wine family with a variety of brands, including Redtree, which is meant to provide fruit-forward and easy-drinking wines. This affordable pinot noir fits the bill — bright red fruit with lots of fresh cherries, good acidity, and a nice tanginess at the end." — Roger Morris, wine columnist
Simonsig 2012 Chenin Blanc ($15)
"This super aromatic South African white will work perfectly as welcome wine throughout the holiday season. Hand your guests a glass of this as they walk through the door and they may just drink it all night. There is lychee fruit, papaya, and more on the nose followed by a host of stone and tropical fruits on the substantial palate. The crisp finish has a pleasing honeyed edge to it." — Gabe Sasso, wine columnist
Sobon Old Vines Zinfandel 2010
"This classic Amador County Zinfandel has a medium body, but is intense in flavor with spice and blackberries in the nose, and a flavor of blackberries and oak that pair with a long finish." — Colman Andrews, Editorial Director, The Daily Meal
Underwood Pinot Noir 2013 ($12)
"Whatever you think about wines from the Pacific NW, you can't deny that they're not doing some amazing things up there; that includes Union Wine Co. which is making wine hip(ster) again. How can wine be made hipper, you ask? Underwood put their pinots in a can! Not since Francis Ford Coppola put his sparkler in a pink one and called it Sofia has wine been treated this way, and gotten away with it. Luckily for you, this pinot noir comes in both a bottle (so you can look respectable at the party), and a can (so you have your stocking-stuffers covered for every one 21 and older). The wine itself has a medium intensity with notes of red fruits, and it pairs well with red meat and a wide variety appetizers." — Amanda Jean Black, Drink Editor, The Daily Meal
Valserrano Rioja Blanco 2012 ($13)
"Many Rioja producers make their white wines in the nearby Rueda region, but there are still good white wine grapes grown in Rioja itself. This is a pleasant example of what Malvasia and Viura can produce there — a floral, citrusy, well-balanced wine with a faint hint of Christmas spices in the mouth. This is a good wine to pair with duck or turkey." — Colman Andrews, Editorial Director, The Daily Meal
VRAC Macon Villages Chardonnay 2013 ($12)
"This wine falls into a category I like to call 'bistro bottles' because you can take it anywhere, have it with anything, and it's priced well. The medium body, acidity, and intensity are accented with apple and tropical fruit notes, uplifting any dish, but it's strong enough to drink on its own while circulating through the party." — Amanda Jean Black, Drink Editor, The Daily Meal