Top 5 wines under $20
It’s no secret we love a bargain and we love wine and we figure there’s a good chance you do too 😉 We asked our Wine Expert Rowena for her favourite bargain drops, all ready to be delivered to your desk or door. Too easy!
What can $20 get you these days? A movie ticket if you’re lucky? A cab ride home? 15 minutes of a personal training session to work off the popcorn from that movie? Nothing’s getting any cheaper these days.
Nothing except wine that is! A strong Aussie dollar and higher production than ever before has seen the relative price of wine fall in recent years. While the occasional bottle from the top shelf still has its place, gone are the days that you had to give the ol’ plastic a serious workout to get a half-decent bottle of vino.
2. The crowd-pleaser Sauv Blanc: $8.99 a bottle when you buy a dozen
There’s a good bet that every party you’ve been to in the last three years has featured a New Zealand Sauv Blanc. They’ve dominated the market as drinker after drinker has fallen in love with their aromatic tropical fruit flavours that float straight out of the glass. The vineyards of Marlborough have become synonymous with great Sauv, and if that’s your favourite tipple then look no further than the Brancott Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Passionfruit and gooseberry with a fresh zesty palate, this is a no-brainer if you love your Kiwi whites.
3. The one when you need to impress: $12.99 a bottle when you buy a dozen
When you need to pull out the big guns, it’s time to reach for a Pinot. Premium enough to impress even the most hardened wine snob amongst us, our choice is the Secret Pinot Noir like Secret Hotels but for wine!) from Central Otago in New Zealand. If you’re looking for class, elegance and a mega bargain, this is for you. Complex and brooding yet slippery and light on the tongue. Think long black dresses, satin bed sheets and skipping dessert.
4. The go to Chardy (yes, really!): $5.50 a bottle when you buy a dozen
Chardonnay has languished in the background for years now, with most people still trying to forget the overly oaky offerings of years gone by. But don’t let flashbacks to Pac-Man and Bon Jovi turn you off the new generation of Chardies. Wines like the Naked Owl Chardonnay are leading the charge in an era of tighter, leaner more subtle versions of what was for many years Australia’s favourite white. Just leave the leather pants at home this time.
5. The bubbles to get any party started: $12.99 a bottle when you buy a dozen
Yes, Europe is in a financial mess. And yes, we spare a thought for those poor Europeans. But look at how cheap we can buy their stuff now! The
Saint-Hilaire Blanquette de Limoux is the oldest sparkling wine ON EARTH. Discovered by accident monks in the 16th Century, it’s a delicate blend of wines that form a dry, tight bubbly that the rest of the world has envied for almost half a millennium.
We’re sure the French weren’t happy to see it go at these prices, but seeing as they had it to themselves for hundreds of years before Australia was even discovered we figure it’s about our turn to have a go at the finer things in life.
Bag yourself a delicious bargain here.
What can $20 get you these days? A movie ticket if you’re lucky? A cab ride home? 15 minutes of a personal training session to work off the popcorn from that movie? Nothing’s getting any cheaper these days.
Nothing except wine that is! A strong Aussie dollar and higher production than ever before has seen the relative price of wine fall in recent years. While the occasional bottle from the top shelf still has its place, gone are the days that you had to give the ol’ plastic a serious workout to get a half-decent bottle of vino.
| Top tip: Forget lugging overpriced single bottles home from the shops when you need them on a whim. For the price of a few bottles over the counter you can have a whole case of the stuff delivered to our door to be tucked away for when it’s needed. |
Ro’s top wine picks under $20 a bottle
These aren’t cancelled exports or questionable cleanskins, just my favourite drops of red, white and bubbles that you can get into, some for less than the price of a coffee and a muffin.
1. The perfect red: $7.67 a bottle when you buy a dozen
A bottle of red is the liquid equivalent of eating a block of chocolate at home in your oldest track pants, but with the added bonus of being able to enjoy it with friends and not have them think you’re an emotional wreck. And when it comes to easy-drinking reds to sit on a couch with, the Grant Burge Batch 26 Merlot gets five comfy stars out of five. Smooth, plush and fruit-forward with a rounded finish, this is the perfect companion to any evening that includes too much food, d&m’s and bare feet.
There’s a good bet that every party you’ve been to in the last three years has featured a New Zealand Sauv Blanc. They’ve dominated the market as drinker after drinker has fallen in love with their aromatic tropical fruit flavours that float straight out of the glass. The vineyards of Marlborough have become synonymous with great Sauv, and if that’s your favourite tipple then look no further than the Brancott Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Passionfruit and gooseberry with a fresh zesty palate, this is a no-brainer if you love your Kiwi whites.
When you need to pull out the big guns, it’s time to reach for a Pinot. Premium enough to impress even the most hardened wine snob amongst us, our choice is the Secret Pinot Noir like Secret Hotels but for wine!) from Central Otago in New Zealand. If you’re looking for class, elegance and a mega bargain, this is for you. Complex and brooding yet slippery and light on the tongue. Think long black dresses, satin bed sheets and skipping dessert.
Chardonnay has languished in the background for years now, with most people still trying to forget the overly oaky offerings of years gone by. But don’t let flashbacks to Pac-Man and Bon Jovi turn you off the new generation of Chardies. Wines like the Naked Owl Chardonnay are leading the charge in an era of tighter, leaner more subtle versions of what was for many years Australia’s favourite white. Just leave the leather pants at home this time.
Yes, Europe is in a financial mess. And yes, we spare a thought for those poor Europeans. But look at how cheap we can buy their stuff now! The
Saint-Hilaire Blanquette de Limoux is the oldest sparkling wine ON EARTH. Discovered by accident monks in the 16th Century, it’s a delicate blend of wines that form a dry, tight bubbly that the rest of the world has envied for almost half a millennium.
Bag yourself a delicious bargain here.
What’s your favourite bargain drop? Let us know in the comments below!
Hi Rowena.
Do you have any tips on what wine would go with well a Moroccan meal? I’m not too sure what dishes we’ll be having but any recommendations you have would be great. I usually prefer sweet wines by the way.
Thanks – Erin W
Hi Erin
Thanks for being the first to post a comment. Moroccan food, delicious. There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to matching wine to food (especially at my place), and its often a highly subjective subject. My first thoughts for a Moroccan food & wine pairing drift to the red wine styles of Spain, where they are driven by one of my favourite grape varieties Grenache (or Garnacha as it’s called in Spain). They’re full bodied wines with flavours and soft tannins that will interact beautifully with a Lamb Tagine for example, a Pinot Noir would also work nicely. If your guests would prefer a white wine, I’d lean towards a Riesling or Viognier, particularly if the dish involves apricots and other dried fruits, as they often do. Have a look at the Hewitson McLaren Vale Grenache, The Mystery Central Otago Pinot Noir (its a goodie I promise), Miles from Nowhere Viognier, Chateau Tanunda Eden Valley Riesling.
A good piece of advice is to think about the primary flavours of the food and match them to the primary flavours of the wine and decide whether they’re agreeable or not. Most of all, have fun!
Cheers
Rowena