The 10 Best Sauvignon Blancs Under $15

Sauvignon Blanc is the anti-Chardonnay. This light-bodied white wine is a lively, tangy, herb- and citrus-flavored alternative to latter top-selling, buttery beverage, which many of us regularly imbibe.

Sauvignon Blanc comes in a wide variety of styles, from crisp and—not kidding—grassy versions to riper, peach- and mango-scented selections. Produced in many wine regions of the world, Sauvignon Blanc is often one of the most affordable options for a white wine.

Made traditionally in the Loire and Bordeaux regions of France, the Sauvignon Blanc we drink in the U.S. today owes a lot to winemakers in New Zealand, who championed a lean style of wine that smells like fresh-cut grass and has plenty of tangy acidity, but no oak flavors from barrel aging.

What Foods Pair with Sauvignon Blanc?

Sauvignon Blanc goes with cheese, with appetizers, salads, lighter entrees and especially with seafood. Oysters on the half shell, crab cakes, sautéed cod or halibut take to Sauvignon Blanc like mushrooms take to Pinot Noir.

Where Do You Find Great-Value Sauvignon Blanc?

We’ve chosen to define great-value wines as bottles that achieve the highest scores for the lowest cost. In compiling Wine Enthusiast’s Top 100 Best Buys list, we found that such great-value wine is not limited to any one region. Rather, it can be found in areas spanning the globe.

Below, we’ve pulled 10 Sauvignon Blancs from the recommended $15-and-under category. Altogether, they speak to the incredibly wide variety of affordable wines available to U.S. consumers.

Best Buy Sauvignon Blanc From California

90 Points Wine Enthusiast

This medium-bodied wine shows the classic snap peas and fresh herbs in the nose, and tangy citrus and green veggie notes on the palate. A savory, brothy expression sets it apart. Best Buy—Jim Gordon

$14
Wine.com

90 Points Wine Enthusiast

Nicely concentrated mineral, citrus and light herb flavors are energized by good, snappy acidity in this super well-balanced and mouth-watering wine. Best Buy—J.G.

$14
Wine.com

88 Points Wine Enthusiast

Ripe green apples and a touch of citrus give this medium-bodied wine a good core of fruit flavor, while a tangy balance and smooth texture make it very pleasant to sip. Best Buy—J.G.

$11
Vivino.com

Best Buy Sauvignon Blanc From Chile

90 Points Wine Enthusiast

Aromatic and intense notes of white grapefruit, guava and a hint of asparagus in the glass of this Sauvignon Blanc sourced from Casablanca. The palate is creamy with rich citrus and exotic fruit flavors blended with subtle chamomile flower notes. It has refreshing acidity and a crisp citrus finish. Best Buy—Jesica Vargas.

$14
Vivino.com

89 Points Wine Enthusiast

Herbs and lime appear on the nose of this fresh and lively white. It’s medium bodied with vibrant acidity. Citrus and green flavors are intense leading to a lemony finish. It’s great value. Best Buy—J.V.

$14
Vivino.com

Best Buy Sauvignon Blanc From New Zealand

90 Points Wine Enthusiast

Youthful and fruity, this perfumed wine opens with juicy lemon and lime, peach skins and chalky dust, underscored by green herbal notes. The palate is round and lightly creamy with crisp acidity and a lovely herbal and citrus skins quality. Best Buy—Christina Pickard.

$13
Vivino.com

90 Points Wine Enthusiast

Aromas and flavors are subtle and layered, reminiscent of peach skin, lime, grapefruit and jalapeño. There’s a roundness to the midpalate and the acidity is bright and well integrated, with the flavors flowing gently through to the finish. Best Buy—C.P.

$14
Wine.com

90 Points Wine Enthusiast

This is a bright, zippy and balanced Sauvignon for drinking cold in the height of summer. Passionfruit and lime burst from the glass followed by fresh herbs like fennel fronds and lavender. There’s a slipperiness to the palate, the juicy fruit lingering on the finish. Best Buy—C.P.

$15
Vivino.com

Best Buy Sauvignon Blanc From South Africa

86 Points Wine Enthusiast

Pungent and fruity from first sniff, this white leads with aromas of mango, peach and melon that are kissed with a spray of lime juice. It’s light on the palate, though with a soft impression of fullness thanks to the ripe fruit flavors that carry through to the close. Best Buy—Lauren Buzzeo.

$10
Wine.com

Why You Should Trust Us

All products featured here are independently selected by our team, which is comprised of experienced writers and wine tasters and overseen by editorial professionals at Wine Enthusiast headquarters. All ratings and reviews are performed blind in a controlled setting and reflect the parameters of our 100-point scale. Wine Enthusiast does not accept payment to conduct any product review, though we may earn a commission on purchases made through links on this site. Prices were accurate at the time of publication.

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