Under $20

This wine shows aromas of ripe blackberries and blueberries, vanilla, licorice, dark chocolate and sweet tobacco. Hints of nut shell, too. Medium-to full-bodied with fine, polished tannins and a sleek, silky texture. Juicy, with delicious fruit on the palate and notes of walnuts and chocolate to close. Firm, flavorful finish.

Review is on the 2018 vintage.
#44 on The Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2021.

90 pts Wine SPectator
A fresh and elegant red that draws you in with an enticing nose of dried flowers and spices, layering notes of pureed raspberry, dried cherry, wild sage and citrus on the palate, with a subtle streak of salinity and light, supple tannins. Drink now through 2026.

91 pts Vinous
The 2018 Cannonau di Sardegna Riserva is a very pretty yet understated effort that slowly comes to life in the glass with a display of fresh roses, cardamom and wild strawberries. This is silky and cool-toned with a pure display of mineral-tinged red and blue fruits, gaining an inner sweetness toward the close. Round tannins mix with residual acids to create a push and pull of tension through the finale, as this tapers off to a flourish of violets and spice. The 2018 is a wonderfully harmonious and pure expression of Cannonau

#79 on The Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines of 2023!

91 points Wine Spectator
An elegant red, with fine tannins enmeshed with flavors of pureed raspberry and black plum reduction, soft fig, thyme and lavender accents, while a minerally underpinning echoes on the finish. Drink now through 2028.

92 points Wine Advocate
The bread-and-butter wine here is the 2021 Bela, produced with Tempranillo from the village of Villalba de Duero (mentioned on the label), from sandy and clay rich soils on limestone mother rock that delivers powerful but not overripe wines with a short-ish élevage to achieve a fine-boned and fresh wine. The grapes were picked between October 1st and 25th, mostly Tempranillo but some 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot too, and it matured in French oak barrels for nine months. it's ripe without excess, with very integrated oak and a velvety palate with silky tannins. It reminds me of the historical wines from the early 1990s, Valribeño and so on, with some rusticity but very honest and characterful. With time in the glass, it develops a precise note of licorice intermixed with berry fruit and some spices and herbs.

Organic

94 points James Suckling
A pretty and balanced wine with blackberry, chocolate and walnut aromas and flavors. Medium body. Fine tannins and a polished finish. Shows finesse for Toro. Aged for 14 months in wood, a small percentage of which was used. From organically grown grapes.

92 points Wine Advocate
The entry-level 2021 Termes wants to be an approachable and easier-to-understand varietal expression of the Tinta de Toro/Tempranillo sourced from younger vines (25 to 50 years old). It's ripe at 15% alcohol, juicy and fruit-driven, with a tender mouthfeel and fine tannins. Forty percent of the barrels used for the aging were 400-liter ones, and only 20% of them were new. The élevage lasted for 14 months

#30 On The Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines Of 2024!

92 points Wine Spectator
There's an alluring, wild quality to this red, with chaparral and mountain herb notes up front. In contrast, olive, peppercorn and fresh leather accents chime in to join the concentrated core of plum and berry flavors, which lengthen nicely around fresh acidity before finishing smooth, with a lingering herbal element. Drink now through 2040.

93 points Jeb Dunnuck
A village wine sourced from estate sites in San Vicente de la Sonsierra and Labastida, the 2021 Crianza is all Tempranillo grown in an extreme diversity of soils. Freshness and finesse are the markers of the area, and both are well represented here. Medium-bodied power supports generous, velvety layers of ripe raspberry complemented by an undercurrent of chocolate and wood spice. Pretty, there’s a hint of saline and leather that lead to a lengthy finish. This should drink well over the next decade.

92 points Wine Advocate
The pure Tempranillo 2021 Crianza, a modern classical red from a great year, shows the power, elegance and freshness of the year, with pristine fruit and very integrated oak after it spent 14 years in barrel, some of them American. It has tension and the elegant tannins from the year. It's approachable and will also be long lived. This is one of the finest years for this red that represents very good value. 400,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in November 2024.

93 points James Suckling
Peppery and floral nose with some dark cherries, graphite, peppermint and wild herbs. Juicy and fine-grained on the palate with silky, close-knit tannins. Pretty long and bright.

Organic

This is the most important wine of the estate, a serious red vinified to reflect its capacity to age. The grapes are harvested at a point of slight surmaturit?? which captures the profound scents and flavors of the surrounding hillside garrigue. The cuvaison continues for at least a month; then, the wine is racked into tank for aging. The wine is bottled twenty to twenty-four months after harvest. As the wine ages in bottle, it develops enticing notes of juniper, rosemary and thyme as well as the savory flavors of wild berries and a hint of the "animal" all in all, one of the more compelling values in all of France.

Ruby red colour with medium depth rim. Intense, fresh aroma. Complex notes of plum, enveloped against a very enjoyable balsamic undertone. Delicate leather and spicy touches that recall a subtle toastiness enhance the wine's finesse and elegance. Its broad, well-rounded tannins and ripe fruit provide a balanced, full-bodied mouthfeel. A pleasant, luscious and tasty wine in mouth. - Winery

Winemaker's Notes:
Petite Sirah is known for its concentration and intensity, the 2015 vintage is no exception. Inky purple in the glass, this deeply colored wine resonates with juicy blueberries and hints of freshly turned earth. Succulent and savory notes of dark berries and roasted spices create a supple and mouth-filling texture. Aging in American oak for 12 months captures and concentrates the flavors, leading to a finish with chalky and chewy tannins laced with vanilla, toasted brown sugar and dark cocoa.
Pairs well with smoked lamb shoulder with rosemary, braised short ribs with blackberry barbecue sauce, and smoked Gouda cheese.

93 points Wine Enthusiast
This Chenas does its job even in a cooler vintage. Red raspberry, black tea, black plum, blackberry and strawberry open on the nose. On the palate concentrated fruit combines with dried field grass and reveals layers of flavor imparting depth. This is an elegant, layered wine.

Stephane Aviron strives for a style that is elegant and fine in the Chenas without too much concentration. The wine is very drinkable. With his subtle approach to winemaking, the terroir is able to express itself very clearly and precisely.

Tasting Notes:
This bold Cabernet opens with flavors of black cherries and blackberries with a touch of currants and vanilla, complemented by earth and mineral notes. Deep berry flavors lead to a soft tannin cocoa finish.

Food Pairing:
Pasta Bolognese, Braised Lamb Shank, Beef Pot Roast, Strongly Flavored Cheeses.

Winemaker Notes:
Gorgeous in the glass, this Merlot is a perfect, everyday wine. Aged for 12 months in American oak barrels, this wine is delicious for just about any occasion and food pairing.
Pairs well with a margherita pizza, aged white cheddar cheese, and a cheeseburger.

Winery Notes:
"The bouquet is rich with dark fruits, cinnamon, clove and subtle oak aromas. The wine is juicy on the palate with bright red cherries and blackberry flavors prominent, accented by delicate vanilla flavors and toasty oak, finishing long with round, soft tannins. The complex flavor of this wine complements just about any well-seasoned meat such as beef, pork, or lamb, followed by an indulgent dessert or espresso."

Organic / Biodynamic / Natural

92 points Wine Advocate
The 2021 Los Cantos de Torremilanos, a village red from Aranda del Duero, was produced with Tempranillo and 7% Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes. It 2021, the longer cycle allowed for good ripeness and more development of aromas and flavors. It has 14.5% alcohol, keeping the freshness, and it's balanced and tasty, with very integrated oak after 16 months in 225-liter oak barrels. 113,000 bottles and 1,000 magnums produced. It was bottled in November 2023.

Finca Torremilanos continues with their environmentally minded approach. Not only are their 198 hectares certified organic and biodynamic, but they go beyond that and installed solar panels in 2023 that cover 40% of their electricity needs. Production is 500,000 bottles.

The Hanging Vine pinot noir packs a lot of varietal purity for the price-tag. It's got lots of that special bright red cherry note that is almost always lacking in the budget category. There's a nice full-feeling to the finish and should pair well with lighter meats, salmon, and snacks. For the money, there is almost nothing else in this category with this much pinot character. - PJ

Skyside Central Coast Pinot Noir boasts an intoxicating nose with bright fruit including cherry, rhubarb and raspberry, beautiful lilac, and subtle hints of forest floor and fresh mushrooms. The wine has a silky entry expanding with rose, berry and baking spices. The finish brings hints of minerality with milk chocolate and nice structure from the tannins and oak to build a lengthy finish.

Carnivor wine is a feast for the glass. Boldly blended Carnivor Cabernet is layered with notes of dark cherry, blackberry jam and perfectly toasted oak. - Winemaker Notes

Deep, inky red in color, this wine offers up seductive scents of cassis, licorice, ripe plum and blackberry intermingled with hints of toasty oak and nutmeg spice. Concentrated fruit envelops the palate, with deep, luscious flavors that echo the nose. It has a rich, full-bodied structure, hints of sweet oak, and a long, pleasing finish. - PJ

Winemaker Notes:
Line 39' fruit-driven Pinot Noir has fresh fruit and herbal with rich flavors of raspberries and black cherries on the palate and soft, supple tannins.
This Pinot Noir pairs well with lamb, pork and pasta dishes.

Winemaker's Note:
Do you dare an exploration into the dark unknown? This sinfully delicious Red Wine just might set you down a path of gluttonous pleasure. Crafted from the diverse and hallowed soils of the Lodi Appellation, where greedy winemakers hunger to craft not just wine, but also a lifestyle of sin. Here for six generations, we’ve tempted evil’s wrath and are eternally damned to deliver decadent wines like our Seven Deadly Red.

90 Points Wine Enthusiast
The primarily floral, sweet nose features aromas of vanilla bean, violets, cherry syrup and macerated blackberries, while a dusting of stoniness provides just enough savory balance. The palate is also sweet, full of berries and whipped cream, before a mocha finish where tannins and acid boost the coffee bitterness.