Everyone knows Napa, Bordeaux, and Tuscany. But what are the lesser-known regions that absolutely deliver—on flavor, price, or surprise factor?
I’ll go first: Portugal. Especially Dão. You can get structured, age-worthy reds for under $15. Look for grapes like Baga or Touriga Nacional.
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I’ve been on a serious kick with South African wines lately. Chenin Blanc, Syrah, Pinotage—so much personality and still affordable.
I always tell people to check out wines from Uruguay. Tannat can be big, but producers like Garzón are making it super elegant.
Georgia (the country, not the state!) has some wild qvevri wines. Orange, unfiltered, a little funky but delicious.
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Austria gets overlooked unless you’re a sommelier, but Grüner Veltliner and Blaufränkisch are so good and usually under $20.
Try wines from the Canary Islands. They’re grown on volcanic rock and taste like it—in a good way.
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Chile gets way less love than it should. Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenère from the Maipo Valley are crazy good for the price.
Languedoc-Roussillon. Used to be bulk wine central, but now there are small producers making killer Syrah/Grenache blends at bargain prices.
Australia, often just thought of for Shiraz, makes world-class bottlings for other grapes too. Cab from Coonawarra, Riesling from Clare Valley, and Chardonnay from Yarra Valley are all great.
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