Reds Under $50

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Intensely floral aromas of iris and violet mingle with baking spice and forest floor on the stunning 2021 Montefico from Giacosa. Juicy and delicious, the palate offers raspberry compote, ripe cherry, cinnamon and ground clove alongside taut, fine-grained tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it well balanced and vibrant. Drink 2027–2036. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 95 KOStunning intensity of lifted fruit with notes of violets, strawberries, raspberries and cherries. Refined tannins, dusty and firm but ripe, with a chalky finish reminiscent of cherry pits. Long and elegant aftertaste. Balanced. Hold for four to five years before drinking.James Suckling | 93 JSA rich ruby color, the 2021 Barbaresco Montefico is ripe and forward on the nose with notes of red plums, baking spices, and sweet herbs. The palate is fresher and has more energy than the nose suggests, offering ripe, grippy tannins and zesty acidity, with more citrus drive. While the structure is present, the nose is showing some evolution, so it would be best drunk over the next 4-5 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JD

Do you have a favorite pair of jeans or a favorite dress that you keep in your closet for all occasions? That’s the equivalent of this wine. The G.D. Vajra 2021 Barolo Albe is an enormously versatile expression of Nebbiolo, with an affordable price, that offers more value for your money than most Barolos out there. The bouquet focuses on dark berry, pressed flower and crushed stone. It offers good sharpness over broad lines. The mouthfeel is medium-plus in texture and it closes with silky, accessible tannins. Fruit comes from three cru sites: Coste di Vergne, Fossati and La Volta.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2021 Barolo Albe continues to be one of the best values the region has to offer and punches far above its weight class in this vintage. The nose is ripe with fresh, layered notes of pure red cherries, fresh flowers, anise, and refined spices. The palate is fantastic and pure, with a long finish. This is one of the best vintages of this wine I have tasted to date, revealing great definition of structure and a refreshing feel that makes this a fantastic go-to option to check in on again and again as it ages. I would snap these up and get a case or two if you can. Drink over the coming 15-20 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDViolets with dried flowers and hints of blueberries and menthol. This has a juicy profile of fruit that complements a big tannin structure that concludes with a firm, tightly wound finish and just a touch of shy fruit. Approachable now, but best in 2026.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2021 Albe is a fantastic Barolo, starting with its alluring fragrance of red berries, dark spices, dog rose and a balsamic whiffs of camphor. The palate shows youthful tension tempered by succulent raspberries, orange peel, star anise and crushed mint framed in taut, fine-grained tannins. Made with Nebbiolo organically grown in high-altitude vineyards, it has bright acidity that keeps it energized. Drink 2029–2036. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 94 KOThis multi-MGA Barolo is assembled from the estate’s younger vines, though the average age is a respectably mature 30 years. Winemaker Giuseppe Vaira calls it a ‘blend with immediate drinkability’. Indeed, it is irresistible now with its becoming and animated scents of pepper-inflected strawberry, dried violet and crushed allspice. The palate is silky and refined, with crunchy red fruit clarity. Layered tannins support it without overtaking – very seamlessly knit. It promises to divulge even more with just a bit more time in the bottle.Decanter | 93 DECThe 2021 Barolo Albe is bright, aromatic and vibrant in the glass. Medium in body and super-refined, the 2021 is a delight. This is one of the more understated recent vintages I can remember tasting. It’s a terrific introduction to this range.Vinous Media | 91 VM

2021 was an exceptional year in the Langhe as is clearly demonstrated by the gorgeous 2021 Barbaresco from Produttori. It boasts beautiful aromas of violet, rose, cake spice and mint that carry over to the elegant palate along with succulent red cherry, crushed raspberry and star anise. Taut, refined tannins and bright acidity keep it impeccably balanced. Made from blending Nebbiolo from different vineyard sites, this is the firm’s classic Barbaresco and is one of the greatest values in Italian fine wine. Drink 2027–2033. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 96 KOThis wine gives us our first taste of the epic 2021 vintage from a producer as prolific as Produttori del Barbaresco. Bottled in April 2024, this vintage shows the immense power and complexity that likens it to 2016, another year for collectors. The 2021 Barbaresco offers medium-rich density that is transmitted both to the wine’s appearance and its mouthfeel. There is black fruit, spice and a touch of nutmeg. However, the wine maintains its youthful tension and energy throughout. The tannins are chalky, fine and void of any bitterness. This is a classical expression of Nebbiolo that gives us good reason to be excited for the upcoming 2021 Barbaresco Riservas.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPA vibrant, well-defined red, offering rose, cherry, strawberry, white pepper and mineral flavors. Sleek and elegant, this firms up on the linear finish. Balanced and approachable now yet would benefit from a bit more time to knit together. Excellent length. Best from 2027 through 2040. 24,000 cases made, 7,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe 2021 Barbaresco offers more complexity and sports a bit deeper shade of red than the 2021. Layered with aromas of kirsch, darker spice, cardamom, candied flowers, and orange peel, the palate is more structured and compact, with savory notes of salty earth, angular, ripe tannins, and its more citrus-noted acidity shining on the palate. It has more nervous energy and needs more time. Give it another couple years and drink 2027-2046.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDAn intriguing wine with aromas of potpourri, dried cherries and candied orange zest. Smoky and juicy on the palate, with firm, dusty yet ripe tannins, a full body and a long, savory finish. Drinkable now, but it has great potential for the long haul.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2021 Barbaresco is a gorgeous, deep wine. Although the aromatics are a bit closed, the 2021 shows gorgeous depth and a touch more palate presence than is typically the case for this bottling. Dark and enveloping, the 2021 will offer a number of years of very fine drinking. It is an impressive, classy wine from Produttori del Barbaresco.Vinous Media | 93 VM

The 2021 Barbera d’Asti La Crena is exceptional. Bright, red-toned fruit, chalk, mint, white pepper and rose petal are all beautifully delineated. In recent times Vietti has focused more on freshness in their Barberas, and that is especially evident in La Crena—a wine that used to be very dark and heavy but is far from that today. Clean, mineral notes extend the vibrant finish. Give this a few years to develop the full range of its aromatic breadth. What a wine!Vinous Media | 96 VMAlthough best known for its Barolos, Vietti (now part of the US Krause Group) also releases a number of different Barberas. La Crena is from a 6ha site near the commune of Agliano Terme in the Nizza area. The vineyard, purchased in 1995, was planted in 1932. The grapes are fermented in stainless steel and the wine then spends 18 months in a combination of steel, large casks and barriques before bottling. Stephen Brook: Opulent nose, with dark fruits tempered with some stylish oak. Suave and juicy, fine texture, balanced by firm acidity, which gives some spice and flair to the finish. Vincenzo Arnese: Candied aromas of Morello cherry and wild strawberry, very expressive. Bold palate with robust tannins; time will smooth it, yet quite rich and pleasant. Sara Bachiorri: Cherry and juniper berry nose. Nice concentration, with intense Maraschino flavours and a touch of liquorice stick.Decanter | 95 DEC