There’s No Need To Compromise: Australia’s Best Wines Without Breaking The Bank

Most of us have drunk bad wine in our time, and likely suffered its repercussions. If you’ve yet to suffer the horrors that a bad, cheap bottle can bring you, then take my advice and quit while you’re ahead. Life is too short for bad wine, but you don’t have to spend all of your savings just to pick up a good drop for the weekend. All of these are Australian wines and, best of all, will cost you less than $20.

2012 De Bortoli Village Pinot Noir
Finding a good pinot noir that won’t set you back can certainly be a challenge, but this wine makes that job far easier for you if it’s your preferred style. Pleasantly sweet without being overwhelming, it has notes of strawberries that are tempered nicely with notes of wood.
Price: $16.99

Brown Brothers Prosecco
Nothing says fancy like a bottle of bubbly, but nice sparkling wines on the regular can fall well out of the average person’s budget. Brown Brothers’ prosecco is the perfect bottle to reach for on a warm night, and is certainly a pleasant companion alongside an antipasto platter or just by itself. Featuring delightful pear flavours with a subtle citrus notes, it is one of Australia’s finest choices for prosecco.
Price: $17.99

Aldi’s Spanish Tempranillo
Yes, you read that right. In 2014, Aldi won a hefty sweep of awards at the Sydney International Wine Competition, and their Spanish Tempranillo earned them a Blue Gold award – the equivalent of a silver medal in the wine world. A total of six wines from Aldi were judged amongst the best in the country, which just goes to show that quality doesn’t always have to come at an exorbitant price.
Price: $4.99 

2013 Yalumba Y Series Viognier
With pleasant notes of honeysuckle, lemon, and lychees, this is the perfect wine to serve chilled on a hot summer’s night. Featuring a full, luscious texture that won’t smother you, the bright, passionate aromatics are sure to pull you into this wine without forcing you to spend above your means.
Price: $14.99 

2013 McWilliams Hanwood Estate Chardonnay
If you can get your hands on a light, refreshing chardonnay for under $20, you know that your trip to the liquor store has been pretty successful. This winery is well-known for its talent at not having to compromise quality despite a low price tag, and this wine is no different. With bright tropical flavours and hints of citrus, gooseberry, and passionfruit, this one is sure to please even the snootiest of wine critics.
Price: $8.99