Our 8 Favorite Wines Under $30 to Gift to Friends

Who says delicious bubbles have to cost a fortune? Founded back in 1967, New Mexico based Gruet was founded by Gilbert Gruet, a native to Champagne. After finding himself mesmerized by the state's unique terroirs during a family vacation, Gruet founded his own namesake winery. The winery's non-vintage Blanc de Blancs is crafted from 100% Chardonnay, aged on its lees for 24 months. Notes of lemon, crisp apple, and brioche dominate, giving way to a refreshing, lingering finish; an excellent quality to price ratio!

Founded in 1811 by Charles Gabriel De Cazanove, a 24 year old botanist working to fight phylloxera, this namesake estate is now the largest family-owned Champagne producers, as well as one of the top selling brands in all of France. Located in Avize, within the Cote des Blancs region of Champagne, their Brut Tradition cuvée is crafted from 60% Pinot Noir, 30% Pinot Meunier, and 10% Chardonnay, noted with flavors of nutty apple, bread, and light honey undertones; a delicious value for true Champagne.

For lovers of dry white wines, gifting a bottle of Trimbach Riesling is nothing short of exceptional. With family roots in Alsace dating back to 1626, the Trimbachs have established themselves as one of the region's most important producers, crafting high-quality, character driven wines from steep slopes and a variety of soils. This Riesling is vinified bone dry, showing gorgeous aromatics of citrus and minerals, giving way to a palate full of lightning-like acidity, salty pear, and smoke. Pair with Asian takeout or hard cheeses.

Olivier Leflaive comes from a family of renowned winemakers, including Joseph, Vincent, and Anne-Claude Leflaive; in 1985, Olivier began his own winemaking venture, with the purpose of experimenting with other appellations within Burgundy. Fruit for his Bourgogne Blanc 'Les Sétilles' is sourced from various vineyard sites in Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault, vinified in a combination of oak and steel. The final wine is medium-bodied and balanced, with notes of juicy stone fruit, apple, minerals, and smoke-tinged oak. A tremendous value; Burgundy on a budget never tasted so good.

Philipe Bieler began producing rosé in France's Provence region nearly thirty years ago; today, his son, Charles, heads the Bieler Pere et Fils project, maintaining the traditional regional style of delicate yet savory wines, perfect for sipping year round. This 'Sabine' rosé comes from Aix-en-Provence, showing notes of savory red fruit, citrus, white flowers, and herbs. Bright acidity and a rich finish make the wine perfect for pairing with an array of foods, especially hors d'oeuvres and seafood dishes.

Located in Le Breuil, in the heart of southern Beaujolais, the Dupeuble family's roots run deep. The winery has been almost continuously since 1512, comprised of 100 hectares today, forty of which are dedicated to vines. Farming is executed without the use of chemicals or synthetic fertilizers, with fruit harvested manually and vinified without the use of sulfur. Their Beaujolais Rouge ferments with native yeasts carbonically, aged in cement and steel, showing flavors ripe berries, violets, and earthy undertones. Quality at this price doesn't get much better than this bottle!

While Barolo and Barbaresco are great, looking to Alto Piemonte is where you'll find a real bang for your buck. The various appellations of northern Piedmont, including Gattinara, produce stellar bottles of Nebbiolo, oozing with acidity and alpine influence. Travaglini's bottling ferments for two weeks in steel, followed by aging in Slovenian oak. The final wine shows gorgeous notes of silky red fruit, wet stone, and herbs, with a distinct minerality and solid backbone. Pair with game and hard cheeses. Ideal for Italian wine lovers, looking for something interesting!