Best Value

Some deals are just too good to pass up. Our Best Value category digests that rarest of breeds: Top-rated products at prices that are incredibly appealing. We include products across the board in this section.

Top Best Value Posts:

Top 10 Bourbons Under $20
Wines of Lula Cellars, 2018 Releases
Jim Beam Distiller’s Cut

Book Review: A Passion for Whisky

By Rob Theakston | September 17, 2023 |

The tiny Scottish island of Islay counts around 3,000 people as full-time residents but welcomes tens of thousands of tourists annually and counts hundreds of thousands, if not more, fans around the globe swearing regional allegiance. That may prove to be an unsubstantiated hot take in the end, but right now Islay seems to be…

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Review: 2021 Frescobaldi Castiglioni Chianti DOCG

By Christopher Null | September 10, 2023 |

If you can find a better value in Chianti than this, particularly a DOCG expression, I’d love to hear about it. Tart with notes of cherry and a light layer of rhubarb, this wine exudes the most iconic essence of sangiovese, lightly herbal with a slightly balsamic edge that gives the wine a bracing, mouth-puckering…

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Review: 2021 Textbook Cabernet Sauvignons – Napa Valley and Paso Robles

By Christopher Null | August 28, 2023 |

When people say something’s a “textbook” example, we know exactly what they’re talking about — especially in the wine world. It’s a genius name for a wine brand, with Jonathan Pey and Abi Horstman blending California fruit with European-inspired winemaking to produce “textbook” examples of the most popular California varietals — with a particular focus…

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Review: 2021 One Stone Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles

By Christopher Null | August 16, 2023 |

Previously we brought you coverage of One Stone’s Central Coast Rose — the winery an offshoot of Ancient Peaks — and now we turn to heartier fare, a 2021 cabernet from the Paso Robles appellation. Bold without being aggressive, particularly on the tannin front, this is one of the more approachable and recommendable budget cabs…

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Review: Cognac Park VS Carte Blanche

By Christopher Null | August 5, 2023 |

Cognac Park isn’t a household name in the U.S., but its Carte Blanche release makes a strong case that maybe it should be. While it’s just a VS release, composed of 50% Fins bois and 50% Petite Champagne eaux de vie, it drinks a lot like a more refined, rounded Cognac — at least a…

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Review: 2022 Roses for Summer – Marietta Old Vine Rose and E. Guigal Cotes Du Rhone Rose

By Robert Lublin | July 24, 2023 |

Summer is upon us, and it’s been a hot one so far. Time to pour the rosé and chill. Today we are tasting two wines that both feature Syrah and Grenache, but from different locations, one from California and the other from France. Let’s pull up a lawn chair, open them up, and give them…

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Review: Diora 2022 Rose and 2019 Pinot Noir

By Christopher Null | July 23, 2023 |

Monterey-based Diora Wines focuses on pinot noir and chardonnay, but today we’re looking at two pinot expressions — a standard red and a rose made from pinot noir grapes. Both are designed with summer sipping and affordability in mind. Let’s dive in. 2022 Diora La Belle Fete Rose of Pinot Noir Monterey – Bright strawberry…

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Review: Agavales Tequila Blanco

By Christopher Null | July 19, 2023 |

I will be honest with this one: This was the cheapest 100% agave blanco tequila that I could find that was available in a liter format (which I needed for another project for Wired). The tequila is certainly harmless, with expressive lemon notes on the nose, followed by gentle, herbal agave and a few white…

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Review: 2021 Raeburn Cabernet Sauvignon

By Rob Theakston | June 29, 2023 |

Raeburn Winery is nestled in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley, where it’s making a habit of delivering affordable wines at a level of quality above suggested price points. The vineyard’s inaugural Cabernet Sauvignon is no exception to firmly established trends. Constructed from 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9.5% Petite Verdot, and 9.5% Syrah and aged 12 months in…

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Review: Wines of Gil Family Estates, 2023 Releases

By Rob Theakston | June 22, 2023 |

Over the course of a century, the family of Juan Gil Giménez has very quietly established themselves as a family dynasty in Spanish wine lore, spanning over four generations and expanding to nearly a dozen brand names and more vineyards than one cares to count. With no signs of slowing down any time soon, it…

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