Play It Cool

The global trend toward cooler-climate wines is yielding an array of outstanding buys

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Whether ordering at a restaurant or shopping for a bottle to take home, good values are growing more plentiful from cool-climate regions such as the Loire Valley, Northern Italy, Germany, Austria, New Zealand, Chile and beyond. (Agathe Bray-Bourret)

As winemakers around the world seek out cooler growing regions, wine drinkers are reaping the rewards with elegant, terroir-driven wines. Because cooler climates can be demanding environments for grapegrowing, you might think their lower-priced options are limited. But that’s not the case. If you know where to look, there are plenty of affordable bottlings to be found. From Italy to California to Chile, you’ll discover bright, balanced and food-friendly offerings at prices that make exploration easy.

Learn how to seek out value wines and get our editors’ top recommendations from outstanding regions in our annual global values roundup!

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