Top 100 Best Buys of 2021 | Wine Enthusiast
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Top 100 Best Buys of 2021

Top 100 Best Buys of 2021
Photos and animation by Ashton Worthington and Eric DeFreitas / Prop styling by JJ Chan Photo by Ashton Worthington / Prop styling by JJ Chan

From sommeliers to wine newbies, aficionados, snobs and even that one family member that says they “only drink Pinot Grigio,” one thing unites us: We all love a deal.

Discovering a tasty bottle of wine that delivers immense bang for its measly price is nothing short of transcendent. Yet, with so many options on the market, how do you know which bottles fall within that sweet spot?

Thankfully, Wine Enthusiast is here to help make sure that your hard-earned dollars are well spent. Each year, we create the Top 100 Best Buys list to help guide our readers to some of the highest-quality value wines on the market today. This year, we culled from more than 1,200 wines that earned our coveted Best Buy designation for bottles that fall within a specific price-to-score ratio and cost $15 or less.

At the top of this year’s list is a widely available Washington Cabernet Sauvignon that delivers the structure, intensity and finesse that one looks for in the variety. Other domestic gems include Oregon Pinot Noir, Finger Lakes Chardonnay and even a unique blend of Grüner Veltliner and Riesling from California’s Central Coast.

Wines from Europe are also well represented, with many selections across Italy, Spain, France, Portugal and beyond. For those who choose to soak in the full breadth the vinous world has to offer, look to more unique bottles like a Torrontés blend from Argentina or a Ribolla Gialla from Slovenia.

Hitting a wide array of red, white, sparkling and rosé wines, this ranking is the ultimate shopping list for every type of wine lover.

Click here for a downloadable PDF of our Top 100 Best Buys of 2021.


What Is Blind Tasting?

All tastings reported in the Buying Guide are performed blind. Typically, products are tasted in peer-group flights of from 5-8 samples. Reviewers may know general information about a flight to provide context—vintage, variety or appellation—but never the producer or retail price of any given selection. When possible, products considered flawed or uncustomary are retasted.

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About The Scores

*Products deemed unacceptable (receving a rating below 80 points) are not reviewed.

98-100

Classic
The Pinnacle of quality

94-97

Superb
A great achievement

90-93

Excellent
Highly recommended

87-89

Very Good
Often good value; well recommended

83-86

Good
Suitable for everyday consumption, often good value

80-82

Acceptable
Can be employed