The Best American-Made White Wines Under $20

Whether it’s their ability to pair with a wide range of cuisines, a growing preference for more acid and lower alcohol content (or Taylor Swift’s influence), white wine has been flying off store shelves in recent years.

Sales data from Nielsen IQ has found that white wine sales have been outperforming red, up to 79.9 million cases last year, compared to 72.9 for reds.

In red-ruled regions, like Piedmont, the Rhône Valley, parts of Spain and beyond, wineries have been increasingly turning their attention toward white grapes such as Arneis, Clairette and Verdejo.

This is happening stateside, too. In California Cabernet country, Napa Valley, plantings of the Sauvignon Blanc are up 40% since 2000. Other white varietals, like Chenin Blanc, are following suit.

While many in this new crop of whites won’t qualify as bargain Tuesday night bottles, there are plenty of affordable American white wines that do. These are the bottles that made it to Wine Enthusiast’s 2024 Best Buys list of top-rated wines under $20.

“How is this even possible, you ask?” says Wine Enthusiast Writer at Large Tonya Pitts, who reviews wine from Northern California and other U.S. regions. “The reasoning is that we are fortunate enough to live in an age of sustainability, accountability and producers wanting to create the best possible products. It is evident when you meet the people behind the brands.”

An abundance of high-quality grapes across the United States, Pitts says, “has created a unique opportunity for value-driven wines to be produced in California and other wine-growing regions.”

These diverse, budget-friendly selections span from dry Rieslings produced in the Finger Lakes and Washington to a light and bright Chenin Blanc influenced by “Alpine cold breeze and crisp air” of Mendocino and a California Moscato that “reminds me of my first trip to Asti in Italy,” says Pitts. “These selections should be joyfully referred to as traveling without moving, with no need to hop on an aircraft; you need only to open a bottle of wine to be transported to a new and undiscovered locale.”

Take a look through the list below to explore the wide world of affordable American white wines.

Amalie Robert 2022 Book Club White Wine White (Willamette Valley)

What a stunning wine for such a reasonable price. Its sweet floral note suggests sweet pea flowers, honeysuckle and white clover, with additional aromas of lemon tea and wet stones. The flavors suggest bergamot and lemonade, with a hint of mint. Blazing acidity lights the path to white wine satori. 93 points. Best Buy. — Michael Alberty

$22
Vino Shipper

Klinker Brick 2023 Albariño (Lodi)

This wine is fresh, with aromas of citrus, yellow apple, white peach, dried herbs and white flowers on the nose. The flavors on the palate are white nectarine, Meyer lemon and orange-blossom honey interlaced with sedimentary rock, spice and a dry, long finish. Pair with salted codfish. 93 points. Best Buy. — Tonya Pitts

$17
Klinker Brick

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Long Shadows 2023 Poet’s Leap Riesling (Columbia Valley (WA))

Every year I marvel at how such a marvelous Riesling can be $20. The Poet’s Leap opens with an aromatic ode to lychee fruit, honeysuckle, almond butter and a wisp of petrol. Lemony acidity curls itself around flavors like green honeydew melon, rose water and the sweetness of a slice of peach pie. The 2023 is as good as any in recent memory. Mercy. 93 points. Best Buy. — M.A.

$20
K&L Wines

Dr. Konstantin Frank 2022 Dry Riesling (Finger Lakes)

A vibrant perfume of honeyed apple, citrus blossom and peach leap from the glass. Dry but with richness and oodles of fruit and floral flavor, this is an unmistakably Finger Lakes expression that finds balance and tangy freshness right to the end. 92 points. Best Buy. — Christina Pickard

$13
Total Wine

Lakewood 2022 Dry Riesling (Finger Lakes)

A bright perfume of lemon and lime blossom—with a little pineapple juice—flows to a palate that shows weight and concentration countered by beautifully racy acidity that slices down the middle of the tongue, with the citrus and tropical fruit filling in the gaps. It would pair beautifully with a coconut curry or chilly-oiled fish. 92 points. Best Buy. — C.P.

$16
Total Wine

Husch 2022 Chenin Blanc (Mendocino)

This juicy wine has a little extra spritz in conjunction with generous acidity that brings flavors to life. Notes of vibrant capsicum, cut grass, just-ripe pineapple, lime leaf, lemongrass and a sea-air salinity bring to mind a tropical island. Suggested pairings include Thai green curry, fresh crab cakes with mango salsa, or seafood ceviche. 92 points. Best Buy.— Stacy Briscoe

$17
Total Wine

Portlandia 2022 Pinot Gris (Washington-Oregon)

After a few vintages, the quality of this wine is no surprise. The 2022 bottling launches a yin and yang aromatic set featuring orange creamsicle and lemon verbena tea. Bright acidity highlights a crisp mouthfeel and flavors like peach, chamomile tea and lavender butter. 91 points. Best Buy. — M.A.

$18
Wine.com

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Bedell 2022 Pinot Gris (North Fork of Long Island)

Vibrant lemongrass, pear and kiwi fruit open. There’s some slippery textural weight to the palate, with orchard fruit acidity and a saline edge to the finish. This Pinot Gris is distinctively Long Island in style and begging for buttery or fried seaside fare. 90 points. Best Buy. — C.P.

$20
Hamptons Wine Shoppe

Boundary Breaks 2022 Ovid Line North Medium Dry Riesling (Finger Lakes)

With a floral, citrus and stone fruit perfume, the enticing nose leads to an off-dry palate that makes for well-balanced and still-fresh sipping, particularly with a coconut curry or spicy fish tacos. 90 points. Best Buy. — C.P.

$19
Big Nose Full Body

Quady 2022 Electra Moscato (California)

This wine is fresh, lively and supple. Aromas suggest canned peach and pear, candied apple and orange blossom water. Other notes waft through, including crystalized ginger, white tea, lemon honey, dried fennel and maple syrup. Layers of rock and minerality throughout the palate help create a balanced, long and dry finish. Great alternative to dessert wine with lower ABV. Try it as an apertif with soda water over ice. 90 points. Best Buy. — T.P.

$16
Quady

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