Anthony Gismondi: Here are the best wine picks for less than $30

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Years ago, I was part of the annual search for the country’s best wine bargains for the now-defunct Wine Access Magazine. The International Value Wine Awards had one simple rule: every wine had to retail in Canada for less than $25. Because B.C. rarely sees the country’s lowest price on any given bottle, sharing those results with readers each year was especially rewarding.

I no longer have the magazine or a panel to share the workload, but at Gismondi on Wine we still track the best value wines in the B.C. market. Today, we offer some of the best bargain labels across a range of categories. With inflation and B.C.’s punitive taxes in mind, we have set the bar at $30. Our focus is on widely available wines, mostly in B.C. liquor stores, although some local bottles will require a search through private wine shops or a direct order from the winery. Here’s what we suggest for closing out summer.

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Cabernet Sauvignon: Cabernet Sauvignon remains the world’s biggest-selling red wine category, but few places can consistently deliver fully ripe, quality versions at bargain prices. One of the best values on the market sits near the top of our range: Emiliana Novas Organic Cabernet Sauvignon, Valle de Maule, Chile, $21.99. I can also easily recommend Concha y Toro Marqués de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon, Maipo Valley, Chile, $27.99.

Merlot: If one B.C. grape needs an image upgrade, it is Merlot. Spicy, savoury, soft-tannin wines make the variety worth drinking and keeping on your watch list. These two are a good place to start: Haywire Reserve Merlot 2022, Okanagan Valley, $24.99, and, from across the lake, Elephant Island Think Again Merlot 2020, Naramata Bench, $25.

Pinot Noir: Excellent Pinot Noir is rarely cheap. Still, these two labels deliver the roundness and sweet-fruited charm that make the grape so appealing to a wide range of drinkers: Quails’ Gate Field and Flight Pinot Noir 2024, Oregon, $22.99, and, from Down Under, Invivo Pinot Noir 2024, Central Otago, New Zealand, $29.99.