It’s time again for my annual report on the wines I’ve tasted over the past year that deliver top value as well as sheer deliciousness. Happily, while sampling 2,705 (yes, I checked that count) red, white, rosé, orange, and sparkling examples, I found more great vino at a reasonable price than ever. And that’s despite the pandemic, recent extreme weather that decimated crops and reduced quantity, and this year’s logistical problems including a glass bottle shortage and shipping delays! So where to look for 2021’s best buys? I was surprised by the number of good values coming from Italy, from bright whites to savory reds from lesser-known regions such as the Marche and Puglia. Newly popular Portugal has a wealth of hidden gems, especially from little known grapes like sousão and antão vaz. (I’d never heard of the latter until this year.) In France, look to the south in Roussillon, with a new wave of vignerons making wines from organic grapes and old vines. Riesling from everywhere is still woefully undervalued, as are such regions as Alsace and Beaujolais. Inexpensive pinot noir from Chile is just getting better and better. Among the fizz category’s top buys, some of my favorites are trendy pet nats, or petillant naturel-style wines; they’re made by the methode ancestrale, in which partially fermented wine is bottled and then finishes fermenting, trapping carbon dioxide in the bottle. And don’t forget Bordeaux. In top vintages such as 2016, second wines from classic estates and cuvées from smaller châteaux can be super buys, as are many of the region’s whites. Naturally, the producers I’ve recommended in previous 50 under $50 columns are still turning out go-to bottles, but here I’ve tried to highlight what’s new. My last piece of advice, as always, is to shop around. The holiday season is prime time for sales and discounts, particularly for bubbly. There’s more of it than ever!2019 Gerard Bertrand Heritage An 825 Cremant de Limoux Brut ($18)Innovative winemaker Bertrand produces a wide range of inexpensive, reliable wines in the south of France, like this sparkling blend—a fine aperitif, especially with goat cheese. NV Louis Pommery Brut California ($20)The noted French Champagne house unveiled a California sparkling wine four years ago. The latest version is crisp, mineral, vivacious.2018 Bisol Crede Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Superiore Brut ($21)Yes, there are proseccos worth drinking straight. This one is fresh, fruity, mineral-like, and widely available. NV Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups Montlouis Triple Zero ($30)This lightly fizzy pet nat is made from very old chenin blanc vines by top Loire Valley winemaker Jacky Blot. It’s dry and herbal, with subtle pear notes.2020 Bichi Petillant Naturel rose Pet Mex ($37)Fresh and vibrant, this pet nat rosado with a fun label put Mexico’s Bichi winery on the world’s natural wine map.
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