The best red wines are rarely defined by price alone. What matters more is balance and character, whether that means bright fruit, savoury depth, polished tannins, or the complexity that comes with careful ageing.
At Givino, we focus on bottles with definition and value, with a particular strength in Spanish and Portuguese selections, alongside carefully chosen wines from further afield. The result is a collection that feels considered rather than crowded, and that makes choosing well much easier.
Below is a curated selection of red wines we genuinely rate, each offering something slightly different depending on your taste.
Vinihold Smiling Donkey Red Wine 2023
The Vinihold Smiling Donkey Red Wine 2023 is medium-bodied with a smooth texture, mild acidity, and soft tannins. The fruit profile leans towards ripe strawberry and cranberry, with a whisper of cinnamon and a slightly dry finish.
Made from a blend of traditional Portuguese grapes, including Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, and Tinta Cão, it reflects classic Portuguese blending in a more straightforward, fruit-led style.
Casa Ferreirinha Papa Figos Douro 2023
From the Douro Valley, the Casa Ferreirinha Papa Figos Douro 2023 shows a deep ruby colour with a slight violet edge. On the nose, it leans into fresh strawberry, blackberry, and cherry, with a clean, fruit-led profile.
On the palate, the fruit stays bright and well-defined. The tannins are smooth rather than firm, and the acidity keeps everything fresh, so it never feels heavy. There’s a nice sense of balance, with enough structure to give it shape without taking away from the fruit.
It’s also vegan, produced without animal-derived fining agents such as egg whites or milk proteins. From our experience, this wine is a great introduction to Portuguese red wines.
Navajas Rioja Reserva 2017
If you’re looking at Rioja red wines, the Navajas Rioja Reserva 2017 sits firmly in the traditional Rioja Alta style.
Ageing plays a central role here. You’ll notice intense forest fruit, rich oaky nuances, and a warm finish that lingers. The oak is noticeable but well integrated, giving the wine a rounded, oak-led character that complements the fruit rather than dominating it.
The texture is smooth, with a bit more grip than a younger Rioja, and the finish carries a gentle warmth that builds as it opens. It’s a composed, familiar style that shows what traditional Rioja does well.
Luis Cañas Reserva Selección de la Familia 2019
The Luis Cañas Reserva Selección de la Familia 2019 takes Rioja in a more structured direction. Built around Tempranillo with Cabernet Sauvignon, it opens with ripe, sweet fruit, then moves into notes of leather, dried herbs, and spice.
The oak is more pronounced here, but it adds depth rather than masking the fruit. On the palate, it feels fuller and more defined. The tannins are well integrated, giving the wine structure and persistence, and the finish is long, with the fruit and spice holding through.
Bodegas Binifadet Negre 2024
The Bodegas Binifadet Negre 2024 offers a different take on Spanish red, shaped by its island origin. Made from Syrah and Merlot grown on calcareous soils in Menorca, it shows ripe fruit alongside balsamic notes, aromatic herbs, and sweet spice from time spent in French oak.
There’s a natural freshness to it, with a rounded feel on the palate and a smooth, elegant profile with added complexity from both fruit and oak. We love to highlight the Bodegas Binifadet Negre 2024 as a good example of how varied Spanish red wines can be beyond the better-known regions.
Babylonstoren Shiraz 2022
The Babylonstoren Shiraz 2022 shows a more balanced side of Shiraz wines.
Grown in the Simonsberg region in South Africa, it goes through extended maceration and is aged in French oak, which gives it structure and depth. The wine is known for its fresh mid-palate, which balances the richness developed during winemaking.
What stands out is how it holds its freshness. Even with the depth from the oak and winemaking, the wine doesn’t feel overly rich or heavy. The mid-palate stays lively, which keeps everything in check.
Cruz Alta Reserve Malbec 2023
For Malbec wines, the Cruz Alta Reserve Malbec 2023 follows a classic Mendoza style. It shows a deep red colour with purple tones, and the nose is led by black fruit and ripe plum. The fruit is generous but still clean, without tipping into jammy or overripe territory.
On the palate, it’s smooth and rounded, with smooth, concentrated tannins that give it structure without drying the finish. The length is steady, with the fruit carrying through clearly.
It delivers the depth and softness people expect from Malbec, but with enough definition to keep it from feeling flat.
Conclusion
The best red wines aren’t defined by a single style, but by how clearly they express what they are. Some lean towards bright fruit and freshness, others towards spice and structure. The difference is what makes one bottle stand out over another.
Across this selection, you can see that range clearly, from the softer, fruit-led profile of Portuguese red wines to the fuller, more concentrated styles found in Shiraz wines and Malbec wines.
Each offers something distinct, whether that’s purity of fruit, weight, or length on the palate.
At Givino, we focus on wines that show that kind of definition, bottles with character and a clear sense of style. Explore our collection of red wines, take a closer look at the styles that stand out to you, and build from there.
