What's Your Favorite Buy-and-Drink Red?

I’m thinking of red wines $20 to under $40, and fairly easy to find at retail. Wines with character and a nice degree of complexity that are ready to drink (not that they couldn’t age well but why bother?), that over-deliver on value. A wine to be opened and enjoyed that doesn’t need to be fawned over…

What are your favorites (producers, region or varietals)?

Some recent favorites/old reliables of mine:
La Rioja Alta Vina Alberdi Reserva
G.D. Vajra Dolcetto d’Alba
Fontodi Chianti Classico
Alain Graillot Crozes Hermitage
Muga Reserva Unfiltered
Felsina Berardenga C.C.

(Of note - I buy a lot of my domestic wines when I go wine tasting and then cellar what I like. I don’t mean to leave them off… would definitely like to hear some domestic favorites as well.)

Bedrock Old Vine Zinfandel

Good call. I wish I’d see more of that in stores in Santa Barbara.

Chappellet Mountain Cuvée

+1 for Muga Riserva. Love that wine!

The Felsina CC is a good call. Bedrock OVZ as well. It’s easy to get from the winery, not sure about retail, but Idlewild Flora & Fauna Red (blend of Dolcetto, Barbera and Nebbiolo) is my go-to pizza/red sauce Italian food wine.

17 Hudelot Noellat Bourgogne rouge

Really hard to beat this one.

Foillard Beaujolais (any of them)

Sandlands (almost any of them)

Dirty & Rowdy (ditto)

Cru Beaujolais is a good call, especially on wine lists. I’d probably cellar a Foillard for a bit, but not necessary.

It’s been awhile on the Mountain Cuvee, but I generally like Chappellet. Thanks for mentioning.

Marques de Murrieta Reserva

I’ve recently been enjoying this wine. Seems to be about $25 locally.

No brainers, all of them. I would add any poulsards you can find. Used to like Puffeney, but he sold the winery.

Some recents:
Balthazar Cotes du Rhone: $15
Burlotto Pelaverga: $23
Produttori Normale: $35
Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape: $40

A few more:

Lumpp Givry 1ers
Joblot Givry 1ers
Vajra Barolo Albe
Alain Verset Cornas
Faury St. Joseph
Lapierre Beaujolais (really a bunch of Beaujolais)
Various Savigny Les Beaune

Great picks. I had the Pelaverga recently and enjoyed it. My local shop has the Balthazae CrR… will keep that on the radar.

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Durin Rossese
Ca La Bionda Valpolicella Classico
Quinta do Montalto Vinho Regional Lisboa Nao Condenada
Domaine Dugois Arbois Ploussard La Sombarde
Fattoria Selvapiana Chianti Rùfina
Vigneti Massa Barbera Colli Tortonesi Sentieri
Burlotto Dolcetto d’Alba
Le Piane Maggiorina
Savignola Paolina Chianti Classico

All under $20.

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The Herdade do Esporão Reserva is a cellar worthy wine that goes for around $20 in the States.

Lopez de heredia Cubillo
COS Frappato
Pepiere Sur Lie