BARGAIN BOTTLES
InterVin Wine Awards’ best value winners offer standout taste at a low cost
The results from the 2018-19 InterVin International Wine Awards will be revealed later this month, when the identities of the Winery of the Year finalists and gold-medal winners are announced.
As significant as those bestin-show winners are, they never garner the public attention that the list of top-scoring, best-value wines receives. Good, cheap wine is always in demand.
The annual InterVin Wine Awards, which I oversee as head judge, singles out any awardwinning wine that retails for $15 or less with a best value citation. This year, a team of 18 judges worked through more than 1,200 submissions at White Oaks Resort and Spa in Niagara-onthe-Lake, handing out a record 66 gold medals and 249 silvers.
That might sound like a high percentage of top awards, however, it’s worth noting that 40 per cent of this year’s entries failed to receive a medal of any colour. Many well-made and decent wines failed to make the podium.
InterVin judges were looking for wines that truly stood out from the crowd.
The three recommended wines for this week are some of the highest-scoring best-value winners in this year’s competition that are widely available at LCBO stores and online at lcbo.com. They include two ripe and juicy red wines from Portugal, a country whose wines should be well known to value hunters, and a label that consistently ranks in my books as one the country’s best value white wine deals. The results from the InterVin Wine Awards will be featured in a special issue of Vines Magazine that features all medal winning wines and archived online at intervin.ca Vidigal Wines Porta 6 Lisboa VR Lisbon, Portugal
★★★★
$13.40 (LCBO# 427377)
Made in a medium-bodied and fruity style, this smooth and flavourful red won a gold medal at the recent InterVin International Wine Awards competition. A blend of native Portuguese grapes, Porta 6’s lovely texture, complexity, structure and length made it a judges’ favourite. Boekenhoutskloof 2017 The Wolftrap Viognier Chenin Blanc Grenache Blanc
Western Cape, South Africa ★★★★
$14.95 (LCBO# 292532)
This ripe and fragrant white wine consistently stands out as one of South Africa’s best value wines. It is nicely balanced and flavourful, traits it shares with the equally appealing Wolftrap red blend of Syrah, Mourvèdre and Viognier ($14.95, LCBO# 292557). The Wolftrap white is on sale at the LCBO for $12.95 until Oct. 14. J. Portugal Ramos 2017 Loios Red Altentejo, Portugal
★★★★
$9.40 (LCBO# 89912)
A back-to-back best value winner at the InterVin International Wine Awards, this juicy red continues to be a favourite with judges. It’s not a big wine, but it’s lovely to drink. There’s an easygoing appeal that makes this approachable with or without a meal.