I drink a lot of white and rosé at this time of year, but sometimes the food just calls for red wine. This affordable Côtes du Rhône is incredibly versatile: hearty enough to stand up to grilled meat but not so big that you can’t drink it with poultry or even some seafood. The wine displays lively berry fruit with notes of white pepper and smoked meat. It’s fresh, not heavy, with medium tannins.

I buy this wine at Costco for about $10; other retailers generally charge $13-$14. Some stores are selling the 2019 now, but I’ve found that this wine is pretty consistent across vintages.