The Best Affordable Red Wine, $15 and Under
Need a killer red wine at a non-lethal price? Our roundup of the best $15-and-under reds is just the answer. We've opened hundreds of bottles in our tasting room to come up with this collection of remarkable values—keep it bookmarked on your phone for the next time you find yourself looking at a wall of bottles and wondering what to buy.
2019 Luzón Verde Organic Red ($8)
Aging without oak keeps the bold red berry flavors in this organic Monastrell center stage‚ and the price low. $9 at vivino.com
2019 Badia a Coltibuono Cetamura Chianti ($10)
Classic Chianti, with wild cherry and dry leaf notes, for a modest price. $10 at garyswine.com
2019 Banfi Col di Sasso ($10)
A well-priced, cherry-scented Cabernet-Sangiovese blend. $10 at vivino.com
2015 Luzón Verde ($8)
Aging without oak keeps the bold red berry flavors in this organic Monastrell center stage‚ and the price low.
2019 Bodegas Nekeas Vega Sindoa Tempranillo ($10)
Juicy red-fruit flavors and a bit of spice make this delicious red perfect for barbecues. $13 at wine.com
2019 Bogle Petite Sirah ($10)
This red has intense blueberry fruit, yet the wine never seems dense or heavy. $14 at wine.com
2018 Joao Portugal Ramos Loios Vinho Tinto, Alentejano ($10)
An appealing, herb-laden red blend of the indigenous Aragónez, Trincadeira, and Castelão varieties.
2018 Ravenswood Vintners Blend Old Vine Zinfandel ($10)
There are nice vanilla tones in this flavorful, berry-driven red, thanks to a year of oak aging. $11 at wine.com
2019 Cusumano Nero D’Avola Sicilia ($11)
Bright and intensely fruity, with ripe plum and coffee flavors. $12 at wine.com
2018 Di Majo Norante Sangiovese Terre degli Osci ($11)
This lush, dark, and fruity Italian red is packed with far more flavor and complexity than its price might suggest. $13 at wine.com
2020 Elsa Bianchi Malbec ($11)
Made with grapes from the Doña Elsa vineyard, this juicy, dark berry-flavored Malbec is another great value.
2019 R Collection by Raymond Field Blend ($11)
A sturdy, spicy kitchen-sink blend that includes Cabernet, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Syrah. $14 at wine.com
2018 Cline Lodi Zinfandel ($11)
Older vineyards throughout the Lodi region give this Zin spicy robustness that’s a surprise at the price.
2017 d’Arenberg The Stump Jump Shiraz ($11)
Named for a 19th-century plow invented in South Australia, this vibrant Australian wine has plenty of berry-driven flavors. $11 at wine.com
2019 Trivento Reserve Malbec ($11)
Spicy plum notes drive this affordable, tasty Argentine malbec. $11 at wine.com
2018 Masciarelli Montepulciano d’Abruzzo ($12)
An impressive Italian value from the coastal Abruzzo region, this has plenty of wild berry fruit and structure; great for herb-rubbed roast pork loin. $12 at wine.com
2018 Doña Paula Estate Malbec ($12)
Made with grapes from Luján de Cuyo and Uco Valley, this Malbec offers waves of plum, red currant, tobacco, and smoke.
2018 Sierra Cantabria Tinto Rioja Crianza ($12)
A reliable value, this Rioja red offers exuberant black-fruit flavors and a pleasant herbal edge.
2018 Olivares Altos de la Hoya Jumilla ($12)
Made from ungrafted old vines, this great-value Monastrell-Garnacha blend is loaded with berry and mineral flavors.
2018 Perrin & Fils Côtes-du-Rhône Villages ($12)
Exuberantly fruity, this red from France’s Rhône Valley yields raspberry and sweet cherry tones. $13 at wine.com
2019 Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Villages ($12)
For a basic Beaujolais, this offers an appealing depth of flavor and elegance. $13 at wine.com
2019 The Pinot Project California Pinot Noir ($12)
Russian River Valley-like character (cherry cola notes and lots of spice) at a third the cost—what’s not to like? $14 at wine.com
2019 Union Wine Co. Underwood Pinot Noir ($12)
A peppery red that draws from vineyards throughout Oregon. $15 at wine.com
2019 M. Chapoutier Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Rouge ($13)
Vines that average over forty years old provide the fruit for this powerful red. $17 at wine.com
2018 Tasca d’Almerita Regaleali Rosso Nero d’Avola ($13)
This juicy Sicilian red from a classic producer is an excellent value. $13 at wine.com
2019 Dow Vale do Bomfim ($13)
Dow, one of the great names in Port, also makes this polished, dry table wine. $12 at vivino.com
2019 Zolo Cabernet Sauvignon ($13)
High altitude vineyards in Argentina give this boysenberry-fruited Cabernet both power and balance.
2018 Codirosso Chianti ($13)
This garnet-hued Chianti is hard—maybe even impossible—to beat at the price. A little Malvasia Nera helps give it a soft texture, while Sangiovese provides that classic Tuscan cherries-leather-and-spice character. $13 at vivino.com
2018 Bibi Graetz Casamatta ($14)
Made from Sangiovese, Graetz’s entry-level red is a super value, with lush, energetic plum and cherry flavors. $14 at wine.com
2018 Delas Saint-Esprit Côtes-du-Rhône ($14)
The rugged southern Rhône region of the Ardèche—famous for its spectacular river gorge—yielded this red loaded with notes of luscious raspberry. $12 at wine.com
2018 Fontanafredda Briccotondo Barbera ($14)
One of Piedmont’s most reliable bargains, this delivers loads of spicy, supple black cherry flavors. $15 at wine.com
2017 Argiolas Perdera Monica de Sardegna ($14)
In the right hands, the Sardinian Monica grape yields sleek, juicy, raspberry-driven reds, like this one. $14 at wine.com
2018 Mazzei Badiola ($14)
This sturdy, raspberry-inflected blend is a terrific everyday-drinking wine. $14 at vivino.com
2019 Cantele Salice Salentino Riserva ($15)
The warm Puglian sun gives this Italian red plenty of dark, spicy richness. $13 at vivino.com
2019 Allegrini Valpolicella Classico ($15)
Aging in steel tanks keeps this bottling’s juicy, supple red-fruit flavors bright—and the price reasonable.
2019 La Carraia Sangiovese ($14)
Bright and zippy, this Sangiovese from Italy’s Umbria region is all about pure red-berry fruit.
NV St Cosme Little James Basket Press Red ($15)
A non-vintage blend that’s peppery, spicy and altogether exactly what you expect from France’s Rhône Valley. $17 at wine.com
2019 CUNE Crianza Rioja ($15)
An impressive Rioja from one of the region’s most acclaimed producers. $17 at wine.com
2017 Periquita Reserva Setúbal ($15)
From an emerging coastal region, this cherry-driven blend of Castelão, Touriga Nacional, and Touriga Franca is very fresh. $20 at vivino.com
2019 Fowles Wine Farm to Table Pinot Noir ($15)
Chewy raspberry fruit and spice notes from Australia’s premier Pinot Noir region, Victoria. $18 at vivino.com
2015 Marietta OVR Old Vine Red Lot 71 ($15)
A berry-rich non-vintage Zinfandel blend that’s great year in and year out. Buy it by the case.
2019 Emilio Moro Finca Resalso Ribera del Duero ($15)
An earthy red whose firm tannins, spice, and acidity make it ideal for burgers, lamb, or steak. $18 at wine.com
2018 Foxglove Zinfandel ($15)
The juicy wild berry and herb flavors in this great-value Zinfandel finish with tart acidity. $15 at vivino.com
2018 Grounded by Josh Phelps California Cabernet Sauvignon ($15)
California’s beneficent climate comes through in this generous, dark cherry-inflected red. A hint of tobacco gives complexity to the finish.
2018 Ravenswood Old Vine Zinfandel ($15)
Petite Sirah and Carignane add weight to this exuberant Zin. $15 at vivino.com
2018 Columbia Crest H3 Cabernet Sauvignon ($15)
Lavishly oaked, with caramel, chocolate, and cedar flavors filled out with black fruit. $15 at wine.com