Huntington Quarterly Autumn 2022

UpFront Top Wines under [w i n e ]

By Matthew DeBord

$20

L ong ago, when I entered relative adulthood and was able to buy my own wine a regular basis, the “cheap” category was just that. The wines were mediocre at best; there was a vast amount of “jug” wine that was more about volume than quality; and anything under $20 was a risk. Luckily, by the late 1980s, that situation was rapidly

days when only bland whites were found in the bargain bin. Let’s get to it! 1. Kermit Lynch Cotes du Rhone ($15) Currently available in the 2020 vintage, this is the best under-$20 red wine money can buy. Kermit Lynch is a legendary importer fromNorthern California who has long looked to France’s southern Rhone region to

changing thanks to a growing U.S. market for wine and a massive num ber of technological advancements in winemaking. Fast forward to the present, and even wines under $10 can be quite good; while the $20 price is so saturated with quality that you literally can go into almost any wine shop, grab a $20 bottle off the shelf and be guaranteed an experience that would have impressed a 1970s era oenophile who wouldn’t pop a cork for anything except a reputable French Bordeaux or Burgundy. Over the years, I’ve amassed a decent list of reliable wines under $20 that are unlikely to fail you, no matter the setting or the menu. My list is hardly definitive, but you

find overlooked gems. This wine is his entry-level masterpiece, show casing his preferred full, rich, fruit style, but with layers of pleasing complexity. I used to buy this wine by the case and keep it on hand as my go-to house wine. 2. Monte Antico ($13) The Italian “Super Tuscan” reds that redefined the country’s repu tation are expensive and hard to get, but this bottling is well known among enthusiasts as a “secret” Super Tuscan that’s produced near some fancy Italian vineyards but doesn’t carry a huge price tag. It tastes like a wine that costs three times more, with supple fruit and substantial complexity.

Winemaker Kermit Lynch’s, whose Cotes du Rhone is the best red wine under $20 that money can buy.

should be able to locate what’s on it in most wine shops, grocery stores and online retailers. The biggest plus is that you can now obtain reds, whites, roses and sparklers that all delight for $20 or less. Gone are the

3. Coppola Rosso ($13) The famous movie director’s winemaking organiza tion has produced this California red blend for over a decade now, much to the delight of bargain hunters.

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