4 Wines to Try This March: From Budget-Friendly to French Delight

Our monthly wine review covers a range of sippers, including value picks and a delicious French red blend.

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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This month's wine roundup from cleveland.com features four very different bottles, including a pair of affordable Fetzer wines, a budget-friendly Pinot Grigio, and a wonderfully savory French red blend. The review highlights the flavors, drinkability, and value of each selection, culminating in the recommendation of the Madame de Beaucaillou as the top pick for March.

Why it matters

As the weather transitions to spring, this wine review provides readers with a diverse selection of affordable and enjoyable options to explore, from crisp whites to a complex red blend. The coverage showcases the breadth of quality wines available at various price points, catering to a range of tastes and budgets.

The details

The Fetzer Pinot Grigio and Riesling offer approachable, fruit-forward flavors and good value at $12 per bottle. The Ventessa Pinot Grigio, while inexpensive at $10.99, falls short with an off-putting taste. In contrast, the Madame de Beaucaillou red blend from France's Haut-Médoc region impresses with its complex notes of raspberry, olive, and cherry, along with a savory, food-friendly profile, all for a reasonable $23.

  • The wines were reviewed in March 2026.

The players

Fetzer Vineyards

A California winery known for producing affordable, crowd-pleasing wines.

Ventessa by Mezzacorona

An Italian wine brand that offers budget-friendly Pinot Grigio.

Ducru Beaucaillou

A renowned French winery that produces the Madame de Beaucaillou red blend.

Marc Bona

A wine reviewer for cleveland.com who provided the tasting notes for the featured wines.

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What they’re saying

“Fetzer is a party wine as in great value to buy for a crowd that isn't full of sommeliers. Fun and drinkable.”

— Marc Bona, Wine Reviewer (cleveland.com)

“A lot of fruit hits you including tangerine, and there's a bit of acid that lingers on your tongue, making this a food-friendly wine. Try with Asian dishes. Great value.”

— Marc Bona, Wine Reviewer (cleveland.com)

“Sometimes a cheap wine is a good price, other times it's not worth it. We've had passable wines from this line so we'll keep an open mind going forward.”

— Marc Bona, Wine Reviewer (cleveland.com)

“Wonderful savory wine, very food versatile, priced extremely well.”

— Marc Bona, Wine Reviewer (cleveland.com)

The takeaway

This month's wine review showcases the diversity of quality options available to consumers, from budget-friendly crowd-pleasers to a delightful French red blend that punches above its price point. The coverage highlights the importance of keeping an open mind when exploring new wines, as even inexpensive bottles can surprise and delight.