Best Wines under $20

2009 Terrace Heights Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

Marlborough - Other, Marlborough, New Zealand

From this up and coming winery, grown on the stony, silty soils of the old Wirau river bed ( opposite Seresin Estate ) comes this great buying sauvignon. This scored 91/100 from a Wine Orbit Tasting and 4 ½ Stars. “ A beautifully perfumed wine displaying passionfruit, white peach and subtle herbaceous characters on the nose. The palate is intensely flavoured showing excellent mid palate mouthfeel, nicely pitched acidity and a very long finish. It's lively, fresh and very delicious.” Sam Kim

2009 Beach House Hawkes Bay Chardonnay

Gisborne & Hawkes Bay - Other, Gisborne & Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

Finally back in stock the long awaitied 2009 is here. Beach House have supreme vineyards at Te Awanga ( close to Clearview ) and constantly wine awards for every vintage. Alll the fruit is micro managed right through to bottling. "Aromas of manderin, pineapple and peach with a nutty seductively powerful ripe citrus palate. Barrel fermented and lees stirred, a fine textured and complex wine." This was lees stirred weekly for a year and has had a full malolatic fermentation which softens and enriches the wine. Beautiful chardie

2007 Beach House Reserve Merlot Gimblett Gravels

Gisborne & Hawkes Bay - Other, Gisborne & Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

Its not often we find $20 NZ red we can hang our hat on but this is an incredibly good value merlot. This vineyard is surrounded by such stella vineyards as Craggy Range and Stonecroft. Close planted, leaf plucked, hand plunged and oak aging. Incredible merlot value for this intense hands on wine. "Intense aromas of plum, forrest berries and cedar. On the palate dark chocolate, fruit cake and leather with strong silky tannins lingering and lasting." Last years vintage went Gold at the Air NZ.

2008 Blackenbrook Nelson Gewurztraminer

Nelson - Other, Nelson, New Zealand

Here's a grape variety that is so often overlooked but with its beautiful perfume and capacity to enhace our Asian styled cooking its well worth drinking good examples. Because of its thin skin and difficulties in handling good gewurtz. at the right price is hard to find but with Blackenbrooks winemaker having worked in Alsace for many years this certainly reflects in the quality of this wine. "Exotically perfumed, Alsace style, hand picked very ripe and still very youthful, with substantial body and a sliver of sweetness. Fresh pear and spice aromas, with lovely richness, delicacy and harmony on the palate." 4 1/2 Stars M.Cooper

2008 Blackenbrook Nelson Chardonnay

Nelson - Other, Nelson, New Zealand

'Made by the ex chief winemaker of Seifreids who made legendry chardonnay and he has carried on this tradition now with his own winery. Blackenbrook wines have burst on the scene in Nelson. This is an excellently priced, quality chardonnay. "A seductively supple and luscious wine with elegant butterscotch, bran biscuit and toasted nut flavours adding complexity to citrus fruit and pineapple characters." Great value well made chardonnay

2008 Del Cerro Chianti Colli Sensi

Tuscany - Other, Tuscany, Italy

Colli Sensei is a sub zone of Chianti. Among the seven chianti zones Colli Senesi is the second only to the classico region in volume. This important area delivers real value to the sangiovese lover. The hilly countryside gives these wines real zip and presence. "From one of Chianti's sub-regions, Colli Senesi, this appealing wine exhibits medium red colour, gently fragrant aromas of red cherries, spice and dried herbs. The palate is nicely flowing with medium weight, finely gripping tannins and the Sangiovese's hallmark crisp acidity providing lovely freshness. With time in the glass it opened up to display game/meaty notes. A classically framed with modern bright fruit characters, this is an excellent entry level Tuscan red perfect for pizzas and pastas as well as antipastos. " Wine Orbit

2009 Astrolabe Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

Astrolabe, Marlborough, New Zealand

In amongst a flooded market of cheap sauvignon, Astrolabe have maintained their quality being extra vigorous with their selection and dropping yields and Bob Campbell has given this one of the best 2009 sauvignon reviews. "This must be Astolabe's best Sauvignon Blanc to date - it's certainly a long way ahead of the 2008. A mix of Awatere with Wairau Valley fruit it's a very powerful statement about the Marlborough style. Concentrated wine with a mix of passion fruit, mineral and tomato leaf flavours. Impecably balanced and with a lingering finish that won't quit. 95 /100 Bob Campbell. Well done Astrolabe- very very classy sauvignon at this price.

2008 Vinos Pinol Raig de Rain

This was a huge hit at the European Wine Experience because of its standout 'bang for your buck' value. The winery Vinos Pinol is located in the town of Bateawhich is 45 miles south of Barcelona in the high mountains of Tarragona- 1300 ft above the Mediterranean sea. The Terra Alta region is located next to Priorat, enjoying the same climate conditions and altitude as the Priorat wine region. The vineyards of Vinos Pinol are composed of slate with small particles of clay in the topsoil and small particles of limestone in its subsoil. This wine is from low yielding older vines, in organically grown vineyards. It is a blend of grenache, syrah, cabernet and merlot aged for 4 months. Rich, bold and smooth- all the ingredients of modern Spanish winemaking but with that European twist of earthiness and mineral aromas.

2009 Muga Rioja Rose

muga, Rioja, Spain

Proper, bone dry rose made by our superb Rioja producer in Spain'. Fermented in 1000 litre wooden casks and left on its lees. "Bright pink. A complex bouquet displays scents of red berries, cherry, dried flowers, anise and baking spices. Pliant, silky red berry flavors display good depth and gentle sweetness, with a late note of fennel adding complexity. Finishes with good juicy persistence and lingering minerality. Dry enough to work by itself but has the power to handle richer, grilled foods" 88/100 Tanzer

2007 Beach House Gimblett Gravels Cabernet Franc

Gisborne & Hawkes Bay - Other, Gisborne & Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

From a highly dedicated tiny producer who each year puts out extremely good value Gimblett Gravel reds. Situated on the free draining Gimblett Gravels of Mere Rd, surrounded by such Stella vineyard as Mills Reef, Stonecroft and Craggy Range the s vineyard is set up with close spaced vines and yields are kept to a minimum.