Taurasi DOCG is one of the most revered names in southern Italy. But it is still overshadowed by the ABB trio of Amarone, Barolo and Brunello, which means it still offers lots of value for money for savvy consumers. But you can also go one step further and check out even lesser-known regions where the fabulous aglianico grape thrives, producing high-quality and more affordable versions of the rich and powerful Taurasi wines. These wines might be a little less rich, compacted or concentrated, but they can also be more drinkable with lots of immediate appeal, providing bright and agreeable fruit with excellent freshness and structure for everyday drinking.

In the Campanian Apennines, many regions contribute to the production of fine aglianico wines. As much as we love the historic and iconic Taurasi wines that, when youthful, are brooding in black fruit with savory spices and tarry minerality, they are often loaded in a full, broad palate and armored with ripe and dense tannin structure, holding back the depth of rich flavors. Some top producers like Mastroberardino and Feudi di San Gregorio make many wines like that. These are the bottles that I keep, take out from the cellar and then send back, always assuming that a little more oxygen would do justice to these worthy bottles, mostly over $50. Still a very fair price for what you get.

But in the wine world today not everyone is willing to invest either money or time on future enjoyment like this. Even though great bottles are made to be aged, wine in general has become a pleasure to be enjoyed now, rather than saved for later. This is especially true of the younger generation of consumers like myself.

If you are one of these impatient drinkers looking for a good-value aglianico for right now, then look out for Irpinia DOC, a broader appellation that surrounds Taurasi, where younger, fresher and more energetic versions of Taurasi are made and usually cost a lot less.

Within Campania, Aglianico del Taburno DOCG and Sannio DOC also offer similar value and quality. In Cilento DOC, where vines are bathed under the sunshine and enjoy cooling breezes near the coast, producers make fresh and elegant wines and many have eschewed the jammy, even raisiny and porty styles that lesser aglianicos could be accused of, especially when picked too late in hot vintages. And don’t overlook Campania IGTs, especially Paestum IGT, where aglianicos can be vibrant, juicy and detailed. Try Luigi Maffini’s wine, for example, as recommended below.

Also, consider the neighbors of Campania. For example, Basilicata, where Aglianico del Vulture DOCG is widely acclaimed as a genuine alternative for Taurasi. The elevated vineyards that surround the extinct volcano, Mount Vulture, produce pure expressions of aglianico (where laws require 100 percent of the grape instead of a minimum of 85 percent in Taurasi) with the same amount of power and depth as Taurasi but often cost less, sometimes just half the price. Further off the beaten path, you can find a few excellent examples of Aglianico in Molise as well, Di Majo Norante being one of the producers that should make it onto your smart-buy list.

Being a thick-skinned and late-ripening grape with promising qualities in color, flavors, tannin and acidity, the potential and the popularity of aglianico are still mostly unsung outside Italy. I remember tasting some fine varietal aglianicos in Baja California, Mexico, where Paoloni of Villa Montefiori had adapted the variety to the local terroir. In China, Grace Vineyard from Shanxi, one of the most reputable producers, has also started to make limited quantities of aglianico, but I found that the fruit from 2014 didn’t hold up well to the generous dose of oak. With more aspiring producers in the warmer New World countries seeking to create new trends of taste, I would bet on a bright future for aglianico.

The following 10 bottles are some of our top picks to grab both quality and value, most of them just above $15 a bottle.