25 Best (and Affordable) Red Wines to Drink in 2024, According to Top Sommeliers

If you’re looking for a sweet red with a touch of fizz, Forbidden Kiss Sweet Red Sparkling Wine is great, says Brian Gelb, vice president of wine merchandising at Total Wine & More. Made in France via the ancestral method, it’s a modern take on a classic style. The carbonation comes from the natural fermentation of sugar. There’s no added carbonation or sugar. “This wine pairs brilliantly with a molten chocolate cake due to its natural sweetness, red fruit, and full-bodied sparkling style,” he says.

Quady Red Electra Moscato has a slight effervescence and is brimming with juicy cherry and pomegranate flavors. It’s a fun, sweet red wine to enjoy with chocolate or brownies. The moscato is made with orange and black muscat grapes that are naturally sweet and musky. This moscato could also be used to make a boozy sorbet for dessert. Pour it over a scoop or two of raspberry sorbet in a coupe glass.

Bodini Malbec from Northern Mendoza, Argentina, is what Spain Wine Bar uses for the base of its red sangria. “The estate-grown fruit is a surprising value that possesses soft tannins and expressive notes of plum and blackberries,” says Ramon Campos, bar manager of Spain Wine Bar. Beyond the wine, sangrias are often made with a nip of brandy, fresh fruit, and a splash of juice, typically orange. Any leftover bottles could pair with barbecue ribs or pizza.

Ripe berries are the star of the show in this soft and fresh bottle of Campo Viejo Reserva. With a little bit of spice, the Spanish red wine is a no-brainer for sangria (and, at just over $10 bucks for a bottle, you can make a few pitchers for any patio parties you’re throwing).

Chill Conundrum Red Blend ever so slightly (you want it in the 55- to 60-degree Fahrenheit range) before serving. Your palate will pick up some decadent notes of dark berries and chocolate. It’s a great cheap red wine to crack open and sip while snacking on hard cheese while prepping dinner.

Consider Au Bon Climat Santa Barbara 2022 Pinot Noir your house wine. It’s perfect for all occasions, all kinds of company, and all nights of the week, says sommelier Alison Morris Roslyn, a wine consultant with Francey Not Fancy. “This is a terrific wine to break out in spring, especially if you’ve been drinking heavier red in winter like Bordeaux blends, Napa Valley cabernets, or Syrah,” she says. “It has fantastic cranberry and red fruit, and an Old World earthiness that feels more French than California coast.” Morris Roslyn likes to pair it with pepperoni pizza, burgers, charcuterie, or just sip it on its own.

Many affordable pinots become massive productions. But Oregon Territory 2021 Pinot Noir is well-crafted and stays true to its region as a light and complex pinot, says Kevin Flannery, sommelier and owner of Vinyl Steakhouse in New York City. With notes of stewed cherries and strawberries, fig, and forest floor, this wine evokes warmer spring days, but can still be enjoyed by a firepit, he says. This pinot pairs incredibly with a grilled pork chop or salmon. “The grilling element is important so that those earthy tones can really come alive with the grit and char of the grilled meats and seafood,” he says. “Using mushrooms in the dish would add an extraordinary element to either of these proteins of choice.”

Linganore Steeplechase Red is an easy-on-the-wallet semisweet red wine that’s great for a few reasons. It works well as a mulled wine, as a light sipper for cheese and apps, and has a nice hint of cherry so you can also save it for dessert.

When it comes to this category of wine, look for something with a bit of a sour note and effervescence to balance out the sweetness, suggests sommelier Samantha Welch, director of operations for Novo, Luna Red, and Robin’s in San Luis Obispo, CA. This semisweet ruby red Molo 8 Lambrusco Mantovano bursts with wild berries. It’s a tremendous value, she says, and it’s a great picnic pairing with ham and cheese sandwiches.

Tasca D’almerita Regaleali Nero d’Avola from Sicily is silky and boasts ripe mulberry and cherry notes with a soft hint of vanilla. Grapes are harvested from a 1,500-acre estate with a dozen different soils that the winemaking family considers to be the “blessed hills of Regaleali.” Lucky for us, there’s a good number of nero d’Avola bottles in production so it’s not too hard to track down. It shines with cured meat, sausage, rabbit, and pasta.

Marenco Pineto Brachetto d’Acqui 2020 is a fun sparkling red wine for dessert, says John Cassanos, beverage director at Tre Rivali in Milwaukee, WI. “With low alcohol and sweet red fruit, it’s a perfect wine with chocolate, panna cotta, or coeur la crème.”

Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Merlot is a plummy, fruit-forward merlot that can be used to marinate short ribs or make a fruit-forward demi-glace sauce to ladle over white meat or risotto. It would also be a decadent addition to a chocolate cake recipe. 

A great cooking wine is also one you want to sip while preparing dinner. That’s where Madeira Rare Wine Co. Sercial Special Reserve delivers. With a well-balanced acidity and nutty flavor, it’s the ideal aperitif, says Jose Cruz, Certified Sommelier at Sereia Miami. “It is also a great addition to vinaigrettes and sauces and pairs beautifully with cheese plates,” he says. “A chilled glass of Madeira is a great way to finish your day in spring out on a patio or by an open window.”

A wine like this Mencia can be used in coq au vin, says Roland Micu, beverage director and master sommelier at Stirrups Restaurant in Ocala, FL. Descendientes de Jose Palacios Petalos 2021 has the texture of a country wine from France, but the depth and lightness of tannin to complement that hearty and rustic dish. You’ll want to drink it while preparing spring dishes, too.

“It is medium-bodied at most, which makes it quite versatile and suitable for the sunny and warm days of spring,” he says. “It has a great, cloud-like texture, and delivers lighter tannin making it quite suitable for all types of proteins and ingredients. It isn’t too fruity, nor is it too earthy. It has quite a bit of a mineral-laden texture.”

Lo-Fi Wine Gamay/Pinot Noir is a light, chillable red from Santa Barbara County with 12.5 percent ABV. With tart red berry flavors, it’s a dream pairing for cheese and charcuterie, pigs in a blanket, and Mediterranean takeout.

Oregon’s cool climate yields some great pinot noirs. Elouan Pinot Noir is made with grapes from not one but three of the state’s wine-growing regions. It’s everything you want in a quality pinot noir: Fruit-forward tartness, a hint of spice (in this case, cloves), some earthiness, and it delivers a crowd-pleasing medium finish. On the palate, expect tart cherry and wild bramble flavors balanced with fresh-tilled earthy notes. It’s a versatile bottle to have on hand.

How’s a red wine for Cinco de Mayo sound?

As the weather shifts from winter to spring, turn your attention to wines made with the Misión grape from Mexico, suggests Dale Ott, a certified sommelier and founder of Nossa Imports specializing in Mexican and Portuguese wine.

“The grape produces wines that are a weight comparable to a Gamay, with a tart, bright, and earthy flavor all their own,” he says. “We often serve it with a bit of a chill.”

Find notes of blackberries, raspberry, and rosemary in this bottle of Bodegas de Santo Tomas Mision Tinto.

Reserve California Pinot Noir 2022 is a lighter profile red from the Kendall-Jackson portfolio, and cool California Coast sourcing gives it floral nuances and structure, along with flavors of ripe strawberry, raspberry, and blackberry, says Randy Ullom, Winemaster for Kendall-Jackson.

“Up here on the North Coast, even during the summer, our beaches can be windy and a little chilly, so this is a red wine that offers the lighter structure I’m looking for in the summer while also being a good balance for a breezy summer beach day,” Ullum says.

In addition to fruits from Monterey County, there is also a little bit of fruit from Santa Barbara County, which infuses the wine with dark cherry lushness that feels a little unexpected, he says.

Bring this bottle to a cookout, and pair it with a steak sandwich or some pulled pork.

Wines from Mount Etna are still some of the best finds and values on the market, Racine says.

“Nerello Mascalese is the grape here, showcasing a distinctive slate and smoke character because it comes from volcanic soils,” she says. “However, the body is light and tannins are low.”

This, plus notes of black pepper, balsamic, and tomato leaf, make Donnafugata Sul Vulcano Etna Rosso 2021 an excellent red wine for spring and summer.

Serve it with tomatoes drizzled in balsamic vinegar or mushrooms off of the grill brushed with herbs and olive oil, Racine suggests.

Fattoria Nittardi 2020 Ad Astra Maremma Toscana is incredibly well-made and balanced, Flannery says, with a blend of Sangiovese, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, and merlot.

“I love this wine because it punches way above its pay grade,” he says. “The wine is balanced yet powerful with wonderful notes of berries, plums, and tobacco leaves.”

It’s also a great early spring wine because you can cherish the strong tannins and grip of Sangiovese but also the delightful berry fruit coming off the nose and the herbaceousness of the cabernet franc, he says.

Try teaming it up with meats and cheeses or a beef ragu with a good amount of vegetables.

While most people are busy spending more money on red blends from Bordeaux or pinot noir from Burgundy, you can find some great values in Roussillon, and this is one of them, Morris Roslyn says.

Domaine D’Ansignan 2021 Petites Grappes Côtes du Roussillon is made with 50 percent grenache and 50 percent Carignan grapes. It has really nice dark fruit flavors like plums and cherries, bright acidity, and fine tannins, she says.

“I’d consider this a medium- to medium-minus-bodied wine, which is exactly the lighter kind of red wine you want to ease into as we come out of winter and head into warmer spring days,” Morris Roslyn says. “It’s a perfect weeknight wine that would be awesome with pizza, grilled chicken, even shish kabobs.”

Serve it on the cooler side of room temperature: high 50s Fahrenheit.

A dry lambrusco and sparkling shiraz inspired Non #7 Stewed Cherry & Coffee, which is fizzy and contains caffeine. If you pick up on coffee notes, you’ve nailed it. A cold brew coffee gives this nonalcoholic red wine its chocolate finish and adds tannins. Serve this up with dessert in lieu of an espresso martini.

Leitz made quality NA wines before it was even in fashion, Racine says. Leitz NV Zero Point Five Non-Alcoholic Pinot Noir is dry, light, with tones of hibiscus and cranberry, she says.

“This is a great wine for vegetarian dishes and lighter poultry, but it’s nothing too heavy so it can really cover a lot of ground. It’s especially a great option to take to a dinner party where you’re not sure what’s going to be served. It can handle fish to veggies to steak.

“I find this wine so surprising because you can mistake it for the original and will never feel like you’re missing out on a great bottle of wine with this flavor profile,” she says.