wine12 great wines under $20 a bottleDaryna TobeyThey are wines that have a place in every home, though there’s no formal name for their kind: They’re sip-with-pizza-on-a-Tuesday-night quaffs, yet they’re nice enough to bring to a friend’s house for a casual dinner. They are enjoyable right out of the bottle, and it wouldn’t be a travesty if you cooked with them. These wines are, as 90+ Cellars’ vice president and co-founder Brett Vankoski calls them, “soldiers” that protect your cellar’s more treasured bottlings from premature death. I just call these all-purpose, buy-by-the-case bottles our “house” wines.I’ve spent the last month or so evaluating dozens of under-$20 wines for Fortune. Many were “classical, seasonal, versatile and affordable,” all qualities that Colleen Holden, wine director at Eastern Standard Kitchen & Drinks in Boston, looks for in house wines. I also found that the wines I wanted to reach for again did not have too much acid, oak, tannins, or alcohol.

So how much should you spend on these wines by the case, and what should you buy? Here are our experts’ top tips on how to shop for them, along with a dozen of Fortune’s recommendations for easy-to-find, please-everyone bottles. Stick with newer vintages. Wines meant for casual drinking don’t age particularly well. “If a wine is meant to be drunk fresh,” as are most whites and rosés, says Holden, “it’s important that you’re buying the most recent vintage, or just one year prior.” A $12 2005 rosé, in other words, is no bargain.Be mindful of the alcohol content. If you’re enjoying a glass or two during the week, says Vankoski, “a 15% alcohol wine is not what you want.” Stick to wines in the 12%-to-14% range, which Vankoski likens to “session” ales, if you don’t want to be hurting at work the next day. Get it while the getting is good. Word about a great bottle at a giveaway price can spread like wildfire. Jeff Wooddy, general manager of Rochambeau Wines in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., says that shortly after turning his customers on to a $13 Médoc cru bourgeois, “it was suddenly a wine that only sold by the case …

We had a customer who would drive here from Greenwich and put six cases in the back of his Bentley, and off he went. can i buy wine online from franceWe must have sold over 200 cases of that wine.” best wine stores in sfThe moral: Buy up a few cases of a favorite now—or cry later. best jobs wine industryDon’t go too cheap. wine for 60 guestsHow much should you spend on a good weeknight wine? good red wine online indiaOur experts all give retail price ranges between $10 and $18, and they say $15 seems to be the “sweet spot” at which you’ll taste a noticeable step up in quality. best wine daily mail

Fortune’s tastings bear this out. And don’t forget: With a 20% case discount, a $15 wine will only cost you $12.Here are our dozen picks for Fortune’s favorite affordable house wines:Mulderbosch 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé Coastal Region ($14) Dry, with mouthwatering acidity. best wine to buy at fresh and easyA fuller-bodied rosé from South Africa, with raspberry and orange/grapefruit flavors.best white wine with italian foodAia Vecchia 2014 Vermentino Toscana IGT ($12) Plump, round, and minerally, with pear and melon flavors. wine offers 6 bottlesA drink-anywhere white that's not overly dry or acidic. RelatedwinesThese 5 Can’t Miss Wines Are All Under $50winesThese 5 Can’t Miss Wines Are All Under $50Arnaldo Caprai 2013 Grechetto Colli Martani DOC ($20) Has a clean feel and a sturdy backbone plus pear, mineral, and olive oil flavors.

Versatile enough to be a fine apéritif or a good accompaniment to seafood or poultry.Columbia Crest 2014 H3 Sauvignon Blanc Horse Heaven Hills ($15) The bottle should say “springtime fresh” on the label; shows citrus and stone fruit couched in a clean, pleasing mouthfeel. Will have wide appeal.Dourthe 2013 La Grande Cuvée Bordeaux AOC ($13) A crisp white with herb, mineral, and citrus flavors. Just the thing for the raw bar—or enjoy it on its own.Hanna 2014 Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley ($19) A taste of summer: This California white wine has sunny peach and pear flavors, a smooth, river-rock feel, and good length on the finish.Santa Cristina 2014 Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie ($12) Has bright green apple and grapefruit flavors; pretty straightforward but delivers a good, everyday wine at an affordable price.Château Saint-Sulpice 2012 Bordeaux AOC ($15) Approachable but not simple; red fruit has nutty, earthy nuances and a nice mocha note on the finish. One to drink with dinner.

70% Merlot.Enrique Mendoza 2012 La Tremenda Monastrell Alicante ($12) Has pleasing spice and herbal accents to the cherry/blackberry fruit; it’s the easy kind of Spanish wine you’d order by the glass at your favorite tapas bar.La Follette 2013 Pinot Noir North Coast ($20) A forward California style with a soft feel, it’s rife with berry and cherry flavors. More nuanced than a basic Pinot, but still affordable.Masseria Li Veli 2013 Passamante Negroamaro Salice Salentino DOC ($13) Well balanced and easy to drink, with forward but tangy berry-basket flavors. Delivers nice quality at a bargain price. You totally want this with red-sauced Italian fare.Qupé 2012 Syrah Central Coast ($20) California Syrah with an Old World soul: big, juicy, black and purple fruit with earth, clay, smoke/mocha, and fresh herbal nuances.My name is Katherine. I'm Trey's big sister. Do you ever use made up words? My brother used to be a grammar snob in college and would make fun of me for it a lot. “Heyyyoo” is one of my longtime favorites.

It’s a way to say "hello" with enthusiasm or “Yup, that’s awesome” or even “Hey. (which uses the ever popular overuse of periods. to. add. emphasis.). In fact, Emma made me a coffee cup for Christmas last year with “Heyyyoooo!” on it. We love gifts from Emma! Anyway, I'm a social worker and live in St. Louis, Missouri with my husband and two awesome dogs. While I'm not a blogger or anything (gasp), I do love good food and good wine. I worked for a fancier restaurant in college that made all their servers take a class on wine, so we had smart-sounding answers for our tables. Safe to say, I've been hooked ever since, trying to learn and explore as much as wine has to offer as possible. I like to think of it as a healthy obsession—good for my mental health. 😉 Emma and Elsie asked me if I would be interested in writing about great wines under $20. Although I am definitely no expert, I was super excited to share some great wines with y’all. Today’s post is devoted to a fun line-up of yummy whites!B

efore introducing the wines, there are a few things that should be noted: OK, now for the wines. They are listed in order from sweetest to fuller-bodied.First up: Marco Negri Moscato D’Asti. This is a super yummy and very sweet bubbly white. (Bee tee dubs, if you’re new to wine and you like sweet, Moscatos are the way to go.) It was my favorite wine when I was in my early twenties. I still really enjoy this with the right dessert pairing, like a warm apple crisp.Price: $18Next up: 2012 Chateau St. Michelle Riesling. Cheateau St. Michelle wines have been around for a while, and most years they offer pretty solid wines under $20. Their Riesling is really good! It’s a little sweet, but not too sweet. Also, fun fact I learned when my amazing husband took me to Sonoma for my 30th, Rieslings pair really well with spicy cuisine. Try this wine with some Indian food or other spicy Thai dishes. It sounds weird, but they are so good together!Price: $6-11This next wine is a suggestion from my friend, Alex. T

he 2012 Alois Lageder Pinot Grigio is really interesting and delish! It also happens to be one of Elsie’s favorites (for good reason!). Most Pinot Grigios are a little on the sweeter side. Not this bottle. This wine is like a Savignon Blanc hooked up with a nice light Pinot Grigio. Enjoy this wine with a nice citrus salad. Price: $14-17The Domain Chandon Brut Classic is one of my favorite bubblies right now. The past few vintages have yielded some great champagne (technically you can’t call it Champagne if it’s not from Champagne, France, but sometimes I do it anyway) with high ratings from experts (87-90 points). I love to serve this with a champagne fondue with French bread and green apples. Yrice: $13-17The 2012 Pepiere Muscadet Clos De Briords is another recommendation from Alex. I had never had a Muscadet before trying this wine, but I loved it! This is one of those wines with a funny description: “brilliant nose of wet rocks.” Not sure I got wet rocks on the nose, but it was a great wine! T

ry it with oysters or scallops. Price: $15-18The 2012 Argyros Santorini Atlantis White was one of Emma’s favorites. It is fabulously both complex and simple. This white has a nice mix of body and zest and is easy to drink by itself or enjoy with light citrus dishes.Price: $13-16This was another one of Alex’s spot-on suggestions. This Martin Codax Albarino is a nice, clean white. Try this great wine with rosemary chicken, seafood, or light, olive oil based pastas.Price: $11-15So after I transitioned out of my sweet wine phase, I got into big bold reds. I stayed there for quite some time. Then about two years ago, I really started to get into Sauvignon Blancs. I enjoy a good glass of Sauvignon Blanc year round now…and I’m having trouble thinking of a wine that I go to more frequently. They are grassy, light, but complex. And I find them super easy to drink. The 2011 Drylands Sauvignon Blanc is delish!  And you can often find it for a good price! It’s crisp, earthy, zesty, grassy, and just yummy. H

. to this guy. Enjoy this with asparagus, scallops, zesty dishes, or with me on my back porch!Price: $13-18This next wine is a special wine to me. I used to sing jazz music at fine dining restaurants in college (Kocktails with Kat). That was a really fun season for me. With an amazing drummer and fabulous piano player next to me, I got to sit on a tall bar stool, sing my favorite jazz songs, and drink a glass of Simi Chardonnay. Simi is a classic chardonnay that offers a great mix of acidic and buttery textures. If you’re looking for a nice crowd-pleasing chardonnay, this one is a winner. Price: $12-17Last, and definitely not least, is a nice creamy chardonnay. For the price, the 2011 Souverain Chardonnay offers a buttery and smooth Chardonnay. This will go well with a risotto, scallops seared in butter, or a creamy butternut squash soup. (Most of the really buttery chards are over $30, but if you like really creamy chardonnays, these are worth the price for a special occasion.) P Credits // Author: Kat Montgomery, Photography: Sarah Rhodes and Trey George