Whether you're celebrating Valentine's Day by enjoying a night out with your bae or catching up with the galpal crew, you're probably going to need a bottle (or two) of a great wine. But we know it's no fun to have to shell out big bucks for something you might not like. To solve any potential wine-buying woes, we picked the brains of experts in the wine field—sommeliers, mixologists, and wine experts—all over the country to hear about their top picks for under $20. This way we know they'll taste great without draining your wallet. Whether you're really into wine, or will try any and every kind, we have all the tasting notes you need so you can sound ~ fancy ~ while ordering and imbibing.1Robert Mondavi Bourbon Barrel-Aged Cabernet Sauvignon, $142Kim Crawford 2014 Pinot Noir, $18Wine drinkers who love a great bargain should take note of this award-winning brand that you can easily pick up on your next grocery shopping trip. The $6.96 bottle of red wine that won high honors over the summer is now available at 500 Walmart locations across the U.S.When you think of fine wine, you probably don’t consider the bottles you find on shelves at Walmart.

Surprisingly enough, Decanter World Wine Awards named La Moneda Reserva’s Malbec, a wine sold in the big box store, as its Platinum Best in Show back in June. According to the Decanter World Wine Awards website, the wine competed against 16,000 other varieties from around the world in a blind taste test. La Moneda Reserva’s Malbec is made by Asda, who is a subsidiary of Walmart. The brand’s website describes the flavor as a mixture of “succulent juicy berries, freshly crushed black fruit, creamy vanilla yogurt and pepper spice.”best wine under 15 dollars240 global judges and wine experts were present for the wine-tasting. best wine list new jerseyThey were most impressed with the company’s ability to combine value and quality, saying it was the type of wine “consumers all over the world are interested in.”compare wine box prices

These judges don’t take these awards lightly. They only give them when they feel completely confident in the wine.Over the summer, wine fans everywhere flocked to their local Walmart in search of the wine, making it difficult to find in stores or online. But there’s good news: you can buy it We can only hope the company quickly replenishes Walmart’s supply as soon as possible.At the Store, Buy These 2 Items to Make Redneck Wine Glasses: The Buyer's Guide to 75 of the Best California Winesbest food for rose wine Best $15-and-Under Rosé Winesbest font wine label 50 Wines You Can Always Trustgold top wine glasses Where to Find Some of the Best New Zealand Pinot Noir 7 Great Female Italian Winemakers You Should Know The Holiday Wine Wheel

Etienne Hugel, In Memoriam Italian Winemakers Look Toward the Past The Dos and Don'ts of How to Talk to Your Sommelier What It Takes to Become the Best Sommelier in the World After tasting more than 300 affordable American wines, Ray Isle reports on his most exciting Merlot and Pinot Noir finds.Additional research by Megan Krigbaum 2013 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Columbia Valley Merlot ($11) This dark Merlot from Washington state is so luscious that it’s hard to stop drinking it. A touch of spicy oak keeps the wine’s Rubenesque fruit from becoming overwhelming. 2014 Clos du Bois North Coast Merlot ($12) Frank Woods founded Clos du Bois in 1974 in pursuit of producing approachable, balanced wine. Over 40 years later, winemaker Melissa Stackhouse honors Frank's vision by crafting wines that are an expression of Old World sensibility in California. 2014 Raymond R Collection California Merlot ($12) Sourced from California's finest vineyards, this medium-bodied, minty Merlot is more structured and focused than many similarly priced bottles.

2013 Castle Rock Mendocino Pinot Noir ($12) Castle Rock's winemaker Eric Laumann makes some of the best value Pinots around, from many of California’s top regions. In 2013, his herbal Mendocino bottling shines the brightest. 2013 Mark West California Pinot Noir ($11) Jason Becker, the winemaker for this bargain Pinot specialist, uses grapes from throughout California—the Central Coast, Sonoma County, Mendocino, Napa Valley and, as the winery puts it, “other”—to fashion a balanced, cherry-inflected red. 2015 DeLoach California Pinot Noir ($11) French Burgundy négociant Boisset purchased DeLoach in 2003, and made a wise decision naming Brian Maloney winemaker—as this light-bodied but flavorful bottling makes clear. 2014 Chalone Monterey County Pinot Noir ($12) High up in Monterey’s Gavilan Mountains, Chalone made its name with pricey estate Pinot Noirs. But the winery also produces a fine bargain Pinot, as shown by this streamlined cuvée, its fruit sourced from vineyards around California’s Monterey County region.

Pick up a pack of TJ's brand new canned wine in refreshing white or rosé — ideal for all your upcoming fun in the sun.Simpler Wines Canned White & Rosé, $4.99, available at Trader Joe's.TJ's Grifone rosé is crisp and fruity without being overly sweet; the ideal under $5 warm weather refresher.Grifone Rosé, $4.99, available at Trader Joe's.This dry and bright green-white wine sings in spring with fresh notes of melon and apple — with a bit of bubbly effervescence to boot.Espiral Vinho Verde, $4.49, available at Trader Joe's.This bold, fruit-forward pinot boasts creamy hints of vanilla and pairs delectably with a cheesy charcuterie spread.Sphere Monterey County Pinot Noir, $6.99, available at Trader Joe's.It's officially springtime, y'all — and you know what that means? Rosé-time.Josefina Syrah Rosé, $5.99, available at Trader Joe's.Pontificis' French white has a delicate finish with fresh floral and fruity notes — ideal for sipping over your upcoming spring suppers.Pontificis Viognier-Roussanne-Marsanne, $6.99, available at Trader Joe's.

This Chilean Cab-Sauv sips like a true Californian with bold hints of dark fruits layered on top of a creamy vanilla-mocha finish — serve it up at your next steak (or pasta) dinner.Denada Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, $7.99, available at Trader Joe's.Having a Friday fish feast? Pick up a bottle (or five) of this balanced Italian Pinot with hints of fruit and crisp citrus.Grifone Organic Pinot Grigio, $4.99, available at Trader Joe's.TJ's also does rosé all day with this California grenache — sweet and tangy with notes of ripened raspberries and cherries.Green Fin Grenache Rosé, $4.99, available at Trader Joe's.This California red blend has fresh notes of raspberries and strawberries with hints of toasted oak. For just under $4, it's less than $1 a glass.Terrain Vineyards 2014 Red Blend, $3.99, available at Trader Joe's.An Italian Pinot Grigio, Villa Sonia's 2013 bottle is light, crisp, and less than that cocktail you bought last night.Villa Sonia Pinot Grigio, $5.99, available at Trader Joe's.

This wine is not actually black, it's still a red — but a very dark, rich, red with fruity tasting notes and a spicy finish. Serve it at your next seance.Moon X Black Pinot Noir, $6.99, available at Trader Joe's.We're used to seeing bordeaux wines in reds, but leave it to TJ's to deliver us something out of the ordinary. Pick up a bottle of the Chateau de Sequin's white with a light-floral and tart-citrus finish.Chateau de Sequin Sauvignon de Sequin Bordeaux, $6.99, available at Trader Joe's.A California Pinot, Cherry Blossom is bursting with the taste of rich berries and chocolate — and again, costs less than your morning latte.Cherry Blossom Pinot Noir, $3.99, available at Trader Joe's.Pacific Grove's Chardonnay is a small-batch, barrel-aged wine with crisp and creamy tasting notes. Serve this up with your favorite shellfish dish.Pacific Grove Chardonnay, $5.99, available at Trader Joe's.TJ's Petite Reserves are special wines offered at special prices (a.k.a quality for cheap). This Zinfandel boasts a peppery spice with bold raspberry and cherry flavor.