Best-value wines under $25 plus splurges

Aussie wine lovers are spoilt for choice, with something for everyone at great prices, especially if you shop around for a deal. Here are 20 of the best whites and reds, plus three splurges for a special event.

Since the Best of the Best awards started some 20 years ago, this column has offered its readers an annual round-up of the best-value-formoney wines in the country for $20 or less.

We’ve been tough in our selection, only choosing wines that have a recommended retail price at that price point. With the increased dominance of supermarkets in recent years, consumers have been able to pay less than the recommended retail price by shopping around. That is still very much the case.

We have decided to increase the price point to $25 because we feel this will give our readers a better range of wines to choose from. And even at $25 a bottle, many of these wines represent extraordinary value for money. It’s not cheap wines that you are looking for but wines that represent great value for your money.

Clever shoppers can keep prices down. Buying six packs or dozen lots (even if you share these with a friend) will invariably get you a better deal. If you have a special affinity with a particular winery, consider joining their wine club or subscribing to the mailing list. Wineries love their mailing list customers and offer them decent discounts. Developing a relationship with a local retailer will not only give you someone to talk to about what you buy but should also give you a discount that will make this worthwhile. Australia also has many reputable wine writers who make their living from giving considered, impartial advice. These are worth following. Try the Real Review, therealreview.com, and Wine Pilot, winepilot.com. And, of course, the monthly column in Money magazine for its quaffing and splurge wines. Quaff on!