My second favorite top list of the year. Worst Wines of the Year is my favorite but this is a close second. These are wines purchased that cost under $30.00 (includes shipping, tax, etc.).
1. No brainer and made the top 20 best wines of the year as well. My brother got this for $14.99 from Full Pull. Tasted Blind and beat out Reynvaan in the Rocks 2010.
2014 Result of a Crush Red Wine – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (7/12/2025)
4 Blind Syrah’s/Shiraz (Results Impress); 7/11/2025-7/12/2025 (Seattle, Washington (Brother’s House)): Tasted blind and again I have said these wines get lower scores because of price. This beat 2010 Reynvaan in the rocks and the 2022 Mark Ryan Wild Eyed. Rocks, green olives, white pepper, green pepper, dust, stone and red currants. Off the charts and excellent wine. Long finish. (96 points)
2. Purchased on WineBid and $26 total cost. Thank goodness got 2. Will put the other in a blind tasting against $80 plus bottles.
- 2018 Waters Syrah Waterstone – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (12/15/2025)
Day 1: Amazing this survived the cold shipping to MN. This is outstanding. Black olives, tar, white pepper, spices, floral, earth, minerals, dust and smoked meats. This rivals wines 4 times the price. Wow wine. 95 points
Day 2: Beautiful and one of the best values of the year. Roasted meats, tar, white pepper, black olives, earth, floral, spices, underbrush and minerals. Super complex. 95 points
Recommendation: Not making it to day 3. (95 points)
3. Miss Sunfish Cellars already as always got these for around $24 with tax. Wonderful white blend.
- 2023 DeLille Cellars Chaleur Estate Blanc – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley (6/12/2025)
Day 1: Natural cork. Another stellar vintage. Under $25 great value. Grass, lemon, mild spice, orange peel, white flowers and stone. Medium finish and nice acidity. 92 points
Day 2: Well again this is why I do 3 day wine review and encourage everyone to do it on higher quality wine. Yes it works! This is the best vintage of the this wine and would have never known if didn’t try it on day 2. Super fragrant with honey suckles, minerals, dust, white flowers, lemon, grass, orange peel, stone, kiwi and tropical fruits. Super long and intense finish and recommend drinking these close to room temperature for maximum enjoyment. 95 points
Day 3: Right there with day 2 and back up the truck on this one as the best Chaleur Blanc I have tasted. Minerals, spice, white flowers, honey suckles, dust, grass, orange peel, tropical fruits, wet stone, kiwi, lemon and sour apple. Super long finish and great concentration. Nice acidity. 95 points
Recommendation: Back up the truck and buy! (95 points)
4. WineSlash has some good deals. $25.00 with shipping. Yes please.
- 2015 Celler de l’Encastell Priorat Roquers de Porrera – Spain, Catalunya, Priorat (12/21/2025)
Day 1: Natural cork. Well the best $25 spent in a while as this is delicious. Medium purple and features game, mild funk, spices, red currants, pepper and underbrush. Very nice concentration and fabulous wine. 93 points
Day 2: Outstanding again. Mild funk, raspberries, earth, underbrush, violets, pepper and game. Medium plus finish. Love it. 93.5 points
Day 3: Love the rustic nature of this wine. Funk, violets, underbrush, earth, pepper, spices, dust and dried twigs. Medium plus finish. More please. 94 points
Recommendation: Really like this and at $25.00 a six pack for sure. (94 points)
5. 3 Day Wine Review House Blend. Under $30 with tax from Total Wine.
- 2020 Achával-Ferrer Quimera – Argentina, Mendoza, Lujan de Cuyo (11/19/2025)
Day 1: Probably the best on the pop and pour of the many I have tasted. Cassis, blueberries, dust, floral, minerals, dark chocolate and coffee beans. Super complex and long finish. Outstanding value. 94 points
Day 2: Sometimes bottle of a wine you have had and like are even better. This is one of them. Rich with smoke, cassis, floral, dark chocolate, minerals, blueberries, earth and cigar notes. Outstanding blend. 94 points
Day 3: For sure the best of these bottles.
Recommendation: Easy purchase. (94 points)
6. Result of a Crush always ends up on the list and this time it is their wonderful white wine.
- 2023 Result of a Crush White Blend – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (11/4/2025)
Day 1: Outstanding and featuring 70% Grenache Blanc, 30% Viognier. Very good value under $25.00. White flowers, spice, apple, dust, honey and minerals. Very complex offering and medium plus finish. 91 points
Day 2: Like any great red, great white wines improve over a few days. This is similar to the first time I sampled in March. Shells, stone, dust, white flowers, sour apple, honey, pear and a touch of chalk. Medium plus finish and nice acidity. Rate it not on its price but on its merit. 93 points
Day 3: This is border line 94 points and sure sure in the discussion for top under $30 wine from 3 Day this year. Oily texture typically of the Rhone Whites. White flowers, dust, stone, earth, shells, apple, honey, pear and chalk. Super complex offering and rare now to be able to get a hold of the Result white blends. Outstanding! 94 points
Recommendation: Get some by any means possible. Put this in a blind White Rhone Tasting with $100 bottles. (94 points)
7. Sad news with Kevin White closing doors on the winery in 2026. Last vintage coming and this wine made it at exactly $30.00.
- 2021 Kevin White Winery La Fraternité – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley (8/1/2025)
Day 1: Better than the last time sampling this wine. Bramble, spice, raspberries, red licorice, pepper and dried flowers. Super concentrated wine and medium plus finish. Excellent. 93 points
Day 2: Again sad Kevin White will be closing doors on the wine operation in 2026 but this is why I am stocking up on his wines. Outstanding showing on day 2 and again why you need to drink on day 2 and 3. Garrigue, pepper, dried flowers, violets, raspberries, strawberries, spice, bramble and earth. For concentrated wine but balanced and nice acidity. A hit tune as they would say. 94 points
Day 3: Not as good as day 2. A little hot with floral, spice, ripe fruits and pepper. Medium finish. 90 points
Day 4: Much better than day 3 and almost day 2 quality. Violets, raspberries, strawberries, earth, minerals, spice and tar. Medium plus finish and no heat like day 3. Excellent. 93 points
Day 5: A rare day 5 but this is still kicking. Garigue, spice, menthol, black licorice, raspberries, strawberries and floral notes. 93 points
Recommendation: A good value under $30.00. (94 points)
8. Should have bought more from Total Wine as $24 with tax. Outstanding.
- 2018 Château Lanessan – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc (12/17/2025)
Day 1: Diam closure. Wonderful effort and not many better Bordeaux values. Spices, wood, cherry, saddle leather, cigar ash and blue currants. Super enjoyable right now and why wait? Second bottle and both solid. 92 points
Day 2: Well with the Two Hands and this left the cork out all night so too much air? No. Beautiful showing with cherry, wood, spices, floral, blue currants, roasted chestnuts, dust and cigar. Medium plus finish. One of the best Bordeaux values period. 93 points
Day 3: Holding form over 3 days.
Recommendation: Get some if you can! (93 points)
9. The only good deal at the Lund’s Wine Shop Sale in the fall. Around $25.00 with tax.
- 2021 Canvasback Cabernet Sauvignon – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain (8/30/2025)
Day 1: Better than Caymus, Austin Hope, Double Diamond and so much of the trash out there. Under $30 in my market. Sad to see them leaving. Plum, minerals, spice, wood, dust, earth, dark chocolate and floral notes. Outstanding value. 92 points
Day 2: Better on day 2 with beautiful fruit showing featuring cherry, plum and blueberries. Wood, dust, earth, dark chocolate and minerals. Again if this was put blind against $100 Napa wines it would hold its own. 93 points
Recommendation: Top 10 under $30 this year for 3 Day. (93 points)
10. With the fall sale from Seth made it right at $30.00 to qualified. Should be a great everyday Chardonnay for years to come.
- 2023 Morgen Long Chardonnay Black Label – USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (12/20/2025)
3 Day Improvements Over a Month; 11/27/2025-12/23/2025: Day 1: cw3 closure. Cloudy wine similar to a Wild Bee from Big Table. What a great value for $30 with shipping. Seth does it again. A lighter style for the Morgen wines but balanced. Lemon, spices, matchstick, dust and white flowers. A great introduction to what Willamette chardonnay can be. 90 points
Day 2: Solid and showing a little more intensity. Matchstick, lemon, spices, white flowers, dust, orange peel and wood. Medium finish. Very nice. 91 points
Day 3: Why color means nothing as mentioned on day 1 a bit cloudy. Who cares as long as the wine is good. Picked up some weight on day 3. Carmel, wood, spices, matchstick, dust, white flowers, lemon and orange peel. Longer finish and more enjoyable. Wow value alert. 92 points
Recommendation: Again why I do day 3 review. Young wine that improved every day. Cheers to Seth. (92 points)
