Two J. Lohr Wines Included in Food & Wine “31 Best Value Wines Under-$25 for the Holidays"

People buy more wine during the last three months of the year than any other time, and they buy more of that wine in December than any other month. That’s no real surprise — from Thanksgiving to New Year’s is a parade of holidays, family get-togethers, work parties, and more. Dry January? Sure. Dry December? Dream on.

While we are 100% certain that you, our readers, are more savvy, wine-invested, and all-around fun-loving than everyone else (not to mention better cooks), we’re pretty sure you’re in line with the rest of the country in terms of the most popular grape varieties to seek out. Not too surprisingly, the top searches for affordable wines during the holidays are for sparkling wines, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon. 

So here’s a grab bag of the best values in those five categories for holiday drinking, none over $25 a bottle. And as always, when buying wine for parties, remember that many stores offer case discounts of 10% to 15% or so. Always good to ask. Here are 32 excellent celebratory wines all under $25 to buy this holiday season.

Sauvignon Blanc

2023 J. Lohr Estates Flume Crossing Sauvignon Blanc 

If you love California Sauvignon Blanc, buy this wine by the case. Lemon-lime notes blend with ripe pineapple in a pleasantly juicy white. It’s aged in a blend of stainless steel and neutral French oak to lend some softness without sacrificing any of its vibrant acidity.

Chardonnay 

2023 J. Lohr Arroyo Vista Chardonnay 

If you’ve got lovers of old-school California Chardonnay coming to dinner, seek out this reliable Central Coast bottling from longtime producer J. Lohr. It’s big and luscious, with ripe apricot and tropical fruit flavors accented by vanilla oak notes, but balanced as well.