By Matthew DeBord
HQ 132 | WINTER 2026
Well, ’tis the season! And that of course means you’re going to need to make a list for all the wine lovers in your life. This can obviously be a bit tricky, and even run-of-the-mill wine enthusiasts are often fussy about what they drink. That said, a great way to avoid any weird looks when the gifts are unwrapped during the holidays is to give the wine lover in your life a really, really good bottle of wine.
You don’t have to go crazy. Above a certain price level – about $100 – the wines of all the world’s regions tend to get pretty interesting. Going way over that price point, you can get into some diminishing returns: the label is what you’re paying for, not what’s in the bottle. So, the amount of money that most people want to spend on a gift for family and friends is actually about right for ensuring that the wine will be excellent and a cut above the usual stuff. In consultation with my editor and friend of many years, Jack Houvouras, I decided to challenge myself to pick wines that all came in between about $100-$200 a bottle. This is some rich territory, as it allows you to cover the entire world and select terrific wines from the greatest regions without feeling that you skimped. Below is my list of wines from around the globe that all nail that price range and will invariably delight wine drinkers of the highest standards. Oh, and by the way, all these wines are available online, and many can be found at top-tier wine stores.
2023 Pahlmeyer Napa Valley Chardonnay ($129) For my money, Pahlmeyer is the best Chardonnay pro-ducer in California. The oft-maligned grape is completely transformed here. The style is certainly aggressive, but the panoply of flavors is extensive, running from stone fruits to near-tropical aspects. The finish is long and beautiful.
2023 Joseph Drouhin Chassagne-Montrachet ($144) I have two Drouhins on this list because I think the pro-ducer provides an ideal entry point to the upper reaches of Burgundy. This wine isn’t overpowering, but it does show how Chardonnay is expressed in the region. There are great mineral elements, along with medium-bodied fruit flavors and a bright, acidic finish.
2023 Joseph Drouhin Chambolle-Musigny ($149) A red Burgundy of delicate power, this wine’s aromas are enticingly earthy, giving way to cherry and plum notes and crisp acidity. It offers tremendous bang for the buck, and it’s a good high-end Burg to have around. The producer is well-known and reliable.
2021 Gaja DaGromis Barolo ($149) A complex, compelling wine from one of the legends of the Italian Piedmont region, this wine’s core of elegant fruit gives way to a durable finish. Barolo is often compared with red Burgundy, which is fair, but Gaja’s brilliance has established Barolo as a wine that deserves its own obses-sive following.
2019 Duckhorn The Discussion ($154) It’s tough to find 100% Merlot bottlings from California that tip the scales above $100. This one gets about a third of its blend from the grape. It’s lush and fruity, with a strong spine of acidity but a smooth and satisfying finish.
2020 Chateau Lynch-Bages ($169) Year after year, this red Bordeaux delivers the goods, but it’s significantly more affordable than its more famous brethren in the region. Mostly Cabernet, the wine is full of dark red fruit flavors, followed by a luscious finish that has enough tannic grip to suggest letting it age for a few years would be worth it.
2015 Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs ($174) Vintage Champagne is produced only in the best years, and this example is from Winston Churchill’s favorite house. There’s a lot going on here, but Pol Roger’s modus operandi is to blend a rich texture with lively fruit flavor and creamy undercurrents. Drink it right away, or do what the Brits do and age it for a year or two.
2023 Williams Selyem Eastside Road Neighbors Pinot Noir ($189) California Pinot Noir is nothing like its Burgundian ancestor – in a good way. This producer is among the best in the state, and this bottling provides layer upon layer of complex-ity, enough to satisfy any Pinot fanatic on your list.
2018 Heitz Cellar Trailside Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($189) Nothing but Cabernet Sauvignon goes into this stunner, which marries fruit from Trailside vineyards with exceptional winemaking skill once the grapes are harvested. Balanced and powerful, it’s as good an expres-sion of classic Napa Cabernet style as you can find.
2018 Penfolds RWT Bin 798 Shiraz ($189) This one is a real powerhouse from Australia’s most famous producer. It’s full of red fruit flavors and a suc-culent, easy-drinking texture that belies how long this wine could be aged for. The critics suggest several decades, even though it’s satisfying to drink immediately.
