The Best American Pinot Noir Under $20 Is A Velvet-Smooth Sipper

Somewhere in the spectrum between budget and bougie, there's a sweet spot where wines are affordable, yet somehow taste like they should cost far more. In the world of American pinot noir, finding these gems can take some serious trial and error. Tasting Table writer Samantha Maxwell did the hard-yet-delicious work of comparing seven accessible American pinot noirs that go for under $20 to answer the question: Which is the best? Maxwell's wine expertise and discerning palate led to a single victor, the 2022 vintage of Primarius Pinot Noir, from Oregon. At the time of writing, this wine was purchased for $17.99 from a local wine shop, but can also be found online for a similar price.

Maxwell appreciated how the wine exhibited characteristics usually seen in longer bottle-matured (and expensive) pinot noirs, such as mushroom and forest floor. Meanwhile, Primarius Pinot Noir still expressed light and "pretty" fruit notes of cranberry and fresh raspberry, balanced against subtle smoke and well-integrated oak. All of this is delivered via an easy "velvety texture," again ascending to a quality that belies the price tag.

Evidently, Maxwell isn't the only person with this opinion of Primarius Pinot Noir, and many acknowledge the value of this sub-$20 wine. One Total Wine consumer review agrees, saying the wine "Tastes way more expensive than it is. It is a smooth and delicious red that beats other pinots and cabernets without being too sweet."

As with any matter-of-the-tastebuds, appreciation is subjective, and not everyone shares the same opinion. With that said, the wine still holds a solid enough 3.7 stars from around 8,500 ratings on Vivino at the time of writing. Of those ratings, just over 3,500 are four-star, and a little more than 3,500 are three-star. For a wine that costs relatively few dollars, that's pretty respectable. When American pinot noirs start to deserve a higher price tag, Maxwell explains, the cost is typically closer to $30 or $50, so Primarius Pinot Noir is certainly delivering value for money.

Those who do criticize the wine claim that it fails to deliver pronounced enough flavor. One Vivino reviewer describes it as "Light, semi dry, not a lot of flavor that grabs me. Not a strong aroma. Touch of cherry Nyquil flavor even. Also tastes a little watered down. Probably wouldn't buy again." Maxwell's admitted preference for lighter and less oak-driven pinot noir is not shared by everyone, which is a natural part of offering opinions about something as subjective as wine. On its website, Primarius describes its pinot noir as "a true representation of the state of Oregon." Oregon is a producer of many great varietals, largely led by pinot noir, but the state also puts forward tasty examples of chardonnay and syrah as well.