The world of the sommelier is not very diverse, at least not until recently. The first African American to win Best Young Sommelier in America is André Mack, and that didn’t happen until 2003. He went on to make first runner-up in the competition for Best Sommelier in North America the following year in 2004.

Since then, the market has opened up a lot. Not only in the wine industry but also in food. A notable chef on the rise, Kwame Onwuachi, is just a recent example of how more and more chefs are topping the scenes, and exposing the U.S. culinary enthusiasts to African cuisine.

Now that the holiday season is getting closer, and people are starting to get their hostess gifts together, let us look at some red wines that would be perfect to gift. Renowned sommelier André Mack takes us through 20 red wines under $15. He critiques each on and decides whether or not they make his list. Watch below as he judges which wines are really worth their weight.

 

Featured image via Wine Spectator.