15 Best Wines for Beginners Ranked (2023 Updated)
Last Updated on September 22, 2023 by Lydia Martin
For new wine drinkers, learning to drink wine shouldn’t be intimidating. Actually, it’s fun, especially if you know how to pick the right bottles.
If this is your first step in your wine journey, where do you start?
To save you from the hassle, we’ve listed the best wines for beginners. Read on.
Top 15 Wines For Beginners & Newbies
15. Banshee Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
Average Price: roughly $22/750ml
Alcohol Content: 14.7% ABV
Why We Like It: Banshee, a red wine, is made from the most popular grape variety—Cabernet Sauvignon. It has black pepper notes with vanilla undertones.
The finish is smooth, making it one of the best sipping wines for beginners.
If you’ve tried Pinot Noir wines, the flavors of this red wine are kind of close, but this Banshee has more tannins.
This is not a dessert wine; the alcohol is on a higher level but not harsh.
14. 2018 True Myth Cabernet Sauvignon
Average Price: roughly $20/750ml
Alcohol Content: 14.2% ABV
Why We Like It: This is a full-bodied red wine made in the Paso Robles region. 2018 True Myth is a superb value for a great Cabernet Sauvignon.
We like its powerful dark fruit flavors, such as blackberries, blueberry, and plum, as well as spice and cola—all with a touch of toasty oak.
Yes, it has complex flavors but has softer tannins, keeping it from feeling overpowering.
Read: Top Cabernet Sauvignon Options Under $25
13. Curran Grenache Blanc
Average Price: roughly $22/750ml
Alcohol Content: 12.8% ABV
Why We Like It: Curran is a medium-to-full-bodied wine with rich fruits and floral notes. It’s one of the white wines with a good balance of acidity and soft texture.
If you don’t feel like red wines, try this off-dry white wine. This is a fruit-forward wine, but not too sweet– a perfect wine for beginners.
If you like spicy foods, this wine pairs well with Thai, Indian, and Mexican dishes and cream sauces.
12. Val D’Oca Extra Dry
Average Price: roughly $15/750ml
Alcohol Content: 11% ABV
Why We Like It: This is the first we’ve tried Val D’Oca, and we can say it’s the best sparkling wine for beginners. Val D’Oca is fruity and light, as expected from Prosecco wines.
It has varying sweetness levels, so it caters to each wine palate. If you’re not into sweet wines, look for “brut” on the wine label.
But if you like sweets, go for “Dry” or “Extra Dry.”
11. Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Villages
Average Price: roughly $14/750ml
Alcohol Content: 12.7% ABV
Why We Like It: This red wine is medium-bodied and made from Gamay grapes–a cousin of Pinot Noir. But this is fruitier and less oaky, making it an ideal red wine for beginners.
If you like your wine [1] a bit sweeter, try this Louis Jadot in its simplest form.
This is one of the best red wines from Beaujolais Nouveau–pleasant aromas, balanced profile, and smooth finish.
Read: Recommended Cheap Wines Below $5
10. Decoy Merlot 2019
Average Price: roughly $22/750ml
Alcohol Content: 14.1% ABV
Why We Like It: Merlot wines offer medium-to-full-bodied character, and Decoy is a great sample of a good quality Merlot.
It’s subtle, with a very smooth palate, the right amount of tannins, plus sweet and fruity flavors.
If you’ve been to any wine school before, it’s impossible to not find Merlot red wines.
Due to its mellow character and balanced profile, it’s considered one of the most recommended beginner wines.
9. 2019 Willamette Valley Vineyards Whole Cluster Pinot Noir
Average Price: roughly $24/750ml
Alcohol Content: 13.5% ABV
Why We Like It: This is a medium-bodied, fruit-forward Pinot Noir that’s well-balanced and full of fruity notes: black cherry, dark chocolate, and raspberries.
Willamette Valley red wine [2] is made with quality winemaking techniques involving Whole-cluster fermentation, where the red wine grapes are fermented whole rather than crushed.
Read: Our Recommended Rose Wines For Beginners
8. Monte Rio Old Vine Zinfandel 2021
Average Price: roughly $25/750ml
Alcohol Content: 13% ABV
Why We Like It: Zinfandel wines, like Monte Rio Old Vine, is the best wine we’ve tried from this grape variety.
The flavors are close to other reds like Pinot Noir, Cabernet, and Merlot.
But what’s interesting is that Monte Rio Zinfandel didn’t use sulfur in its process and undergoes natural yeast fermentation.
There’s a warm baking spice note, an acquired taste from the process.
7. Venturini Baldini Montelocco
Average Price: roughly $16/12-pack
Alcohol Content: 11% ABV
Why We Like It: Venturini Baldini Montelocco, made from Lambrusco, is a sparkling red wine. It’s semi-sweet, with rich fruity, cherry notes, and a smooth finish.
If you’ve been into white wines before, Lambrusco wines, like Venturini, are among the best wines to kick-start your journey to reds.
This is a great sipper, ideal for enjoying on its own.
6. Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc
Average Price: roughly $24/750ml
Alcohol Content: 13.5% ABV
Why We Like It: This white wine, made from Sauvignon Blanc, is a full-bodied wine. It’s smooth, with a bit of citrus and herbaceous notes.
We find this one unique for its rich green vegetables, along with the fruity and floral notes.
This is a good wine as it’s not as pungent as other wines with this grape. For seasoned wine drinkers, you need to try this one.
5. Lucien Crochet Croix du Roy
Average Price: roughly $46/750ml
Alcohol Content: 13% ABV
Why We Like It: This Sauvignon Blanc is a light-bodied and dry wine. It’s perfect for fresh and soft foods, like chicken and cheese.
Beginner wine drinkers will surely like this fruity wine, with vibrant fruit-forward notes of ripe pear, green apple, and red cherry.
It has the right level of tanginess, delivering a textured wine.
Read: How Long Does Stella Rosa Wine Last?
4. Broadbent Vinho Verde
Average Price: roughly $10/750ml
Alcohol Content: 9% ABV
Why We Like It: Best budget wine? Broadbent Vinho Verde is what you’re looking for.
This white wine is made from a blend of different local varieties–incredibly refreshing with a slight spritz.
It’s one of the easy-drinking wines we’ve tried; light-bodied. It’s fizzy–looking like a sparkling wine–so it’s refreshing, making it the best wine for beginners.
3. Terlato Family Vineyards Friuli
Average Price: roughly $23/750ml
Alcohol Content: 13% ABV
Why We Like It: This Pinot Grigio (or Pinot Gris), a dry white wine, is light-bodied, with crisp citrus flavors and stone fruit hints.
Lighter wines, like Pinot Grigio, are great for beginners since they’re not as complex as bold dry wines.
You can find many Pinot Grigio wines, but this dry wine is remarkable which wine lovers, regardless of experience, would surely like.
2. White Burgundy Chardonnay
Average Price: starts at around $15/750ml
Alcohol Content: around 13.6% ABV
Why We Like It: White wines from Burgundy, France, are made from Chardonnay [3]. If you enjoy wines–not too sweet— we suggest trying White Burgundies, one of the best wines in its region.
“Wine makes daily living easier, less hurried, with fewer tensions and more tolerance.”
— Benjamin Franklin, Founding Father of the United States
It has the perfect body, fruit-forwardness, and vibrant acidity, making it one of our recommended wines for beginners.
If you’ve tried Pinot Gris, this Chardonnay is less acidic and sweeter. There are so many Chardonnay bottles to choose from, but a few suggestions from us include:
- Oceano Spanish Springs Vineyard
- Talley Vineyards, Bishop’s Peak 2017
- Soutiran Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs
- Sylvie & Alain Normand, Mâcon la Roche Vineuse 2017
1. 2019 Dr. Loosen Dr. L Riesling
Average Price: roughly $14/750ml
Alcohol Content: 8.5% ABV
Why We Like It: This white wine is a seriously underrated variety, but it’s one of the best white wines [4] and sweet dessert wines we’ve tried.
This Dr. Loosen Dr. L Riesling is a great choice if you want sweet wines.
Not specifically a sugary sweet wine, but it has varying levels of sweetness ranging from dry to sweet.
For those who want to start off dry (slightly sweet), this is the perfect wine for you.
FAQs
What’s the best sweet wine for beginners?
The best sugary wine for beginners is the 2019 Dr. L Riesling, a white wine with the right balance of sweetness and tanginess. The overall profile suits beginners’ palates.
What’s the best white wine for beginners?
The best wine for beginners is anything between these whites–Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Prosecco, and Chardonnay wines. For reds, the best wine is Pinot Noir, Cabernet, and Melot.
What’s the best cheap wine for beginners?
The best cheapest wine for beginners is Broadbent Vinho Verde which costs around $10 per 750ml.
There are budget-friendly bottles–be it red or white wine–but this Vinho Verde is the best wine at an affordable price.
In Conclusion
Every wine drinker has their own wine preference. So, the best wine for beginners may also depend on their style and preferences.
But if you want an easy way to choose the best of the best among the vast options, this list is your reliable guide.
Whether you want white or red, there’s something for you to look into.
References:
- https://www.britannica.com/topic/wine
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/food-science/red-wine
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/5-things-to-know-about-chardonnay-the-worlds-most-popular-white-wine/2019/07/26/eed6635c-ad55-11e9-a0c9-6d2d7818f3da_story.html
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/white-wines
