Decanter Best Buy wines for under £15 / $20 – 2018
In 2018 members of the Decanter team tasted a huge range of wines to suit all budgets. Here we present our tried-and-tested selection of great quality wines that can be picked up for under £15 / $20...
Throughout 2018 many members of the Decanter team were kept busy tasting a vast selection of wines from around the world. This was from the fine wines of Bordeaux, to the weekday wines from supermarket shelves. With this all round knowledge at our fingertips we have created a choice pick of 20 quality wines that are all available for under £15 / $20 that are available in the UK and the US.
This is a great list of go to, every day wines. Whether you’re on the hunt for a zesty, floral Argentinian Torrontés, an elegant Californian Chardonnay or a dense Australian wines made from the famed Rioja grape Tempranillo, we have researched the market so you don’t have to. Have a good look at the list below and choose your wines, safe in the knowledge you won’t be breaking the bank anytime soon.
Amalaya, Malbec-Tannat-Petit Verdot, Calchaquí Valley, Salta, Argentina, 2016
90
This wonderful label has a knack of translating the breathless altitude, rugged landscape and fierce sun of the Calchaquí Valley into intense yet balanced wines. Tons of roasted dark fruit, with hints of coffee and chocolate. Intense, grounded and long.
2016
AmalayaCalchaquí Valley
Bodega Colomé, Torrontés, Calchaquí Valley, Salta, Argentina, 2017
93
A benchmark Torrontés with an intense, perfumed nose followed by a balanced palate that’s full of concentrated ripe fruit and freshness. Zesty notes of grapefruit are apparent, combining with subtle floral hints and crisp citric acidity to create a very fine example, which emphasises how special Calchaquí is for this variety.
2017
Bodega ColoméCalchaquí Valley
Intellego, Syrah, Swartland, South Africa, 2015
95
This is a belter. The Cape can do Rhône-style Syrah wonderfully well and the vivid peppery, meaty, floral aromatics on this are immediately captivating. A grippy, food-friendly palate ensues. A wine that just flows. Sheer decadence.
2015
Intellego
Hartenberg, Cabernet Sauvignon, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 2015
92
Elegant, pure aromas of cassis and blueberry, while the palate reveals a delightful harmony and interplay between fleshy black fruit and vibrant, refreshing acidity. Really accomplished.
2015
Hartenberg
Tinpot Hut, McKee Vineyard Grüner Veltliner, Marlborough, New Zealand, 2016
91
So convinced were they that this Austrian variety would flourish in Marlborough, Tinpot Hut winemakers Fiona Turner and Matt Thompson convinced the McKee family to grow a few rows of Grüner Veltliner in their Blind River vineyards. The result is a great food wine with lovely mouthfeel and complexity, starting with tight, tart spiced apples then moving to more floral, nectarine characters and a crisp, stony acidity.
2016
Tinpot Hut
Kumeu River, Pinot Gris, Kumeu, New Zealand, 2016
Kumeu River’s 30ha estate is located in Kumeu, just north of Auckland. It is owned by the Brajkovich family, who emigrated from Croatia in 1937...
2016
Kumeu River
Castelli del Grevepesa, Castelgreve, Chianti Classico, Tuscany, Italy, 2013
95
The Castelli del Grevepesa co-operative was established in 1965 by a group of 18 Chianti Classico winemakers and growers. Today there are 150 members, who own a range of vineyards and estates in different areas including Panzano, Lamole and Greve di Chianti. A team of oenologists oversee the production of this Chianti Classico Riserva, which is a blend of 95% Sangiovese and 5% Merlot, hand-picked and matured in large oak barrels for two years. Andrea Briccarello: Very charming and attractive nose with herbal hints and menthol tones. Intense and complex on the palate, with generous layers of red forest fruits, spice and leather. A very seductive style, with plenty of charm and complexity. Susan Hulme MW: Warm and inviting notes of smoke, bonfire, ripe dark cherries and forest floor on nose, with a hint of greenness, reminiscent of woodland walks. Very smooth and silky textured mid-palate. Lovely weight and balance to this wine, which flows beautifully across the palate. Andrew Jefford: Enticingly subtle vanilla and lavish spice. A very concentrated, deep and searching wine of impressive intricacy and depth of allusions – and one which needs longer to grow out of its vanilla spice and express more of those forest and field notes. Ripe, ringing, fruited acidity and tannins, too, very finely spliced to the fruits: outstanding work here.
2013
Castelli del GrevepesaChianti Classico
Gini, La Froscà, Soave, Classico, Soave, Veneto, Italy, 2014
La Froscà ranks with Calvarino, Monte Grande and a few others as Soave’s grand cru sites. Wines from vineyards of this nature, regardless of country,...
2014
GiniSoave
Château de Pierreux, Beaujolais, Brouilly, Burgundy, France, 2016
90
With a Burgundian approach in the cellar, this is a serious style of Beaujolais. It has a complex nose of crushed red and black cherries and a hint of violet. The concentrated palate has great purity, focus and drive, and crisp acidity brings lift to the finish. An ideal accompaniment to roast chicken.
2016
Château de PierreuxBeaujolais
Domaine de Mourchon, Loubié, Côtes du Rhône Villages, Séguret, Rhône, France, 2017
95
Domaine de Mourchon is nestled in the heart of the Rhône Valley, not far from the medieval village of Séguret. Founded in 1998 by Walter McKinlay, who was joined by winemaker Sébastien Magnouac in 2000, today the winery encompasses 35ha and produces 150,000 bottles a year. Terroir is an important factor at Domaine de Mourchon, being categorised into three differing types: Sausse (early ripening), Loubié (average ripening) and Mourchon (late). This Loubié rosé is from vines planted on a mix of clay, limestone and grey sandstone at an altitude of 320m, and it’s a 60/40 blend of Grenache and Syrah. Elizabeth Gabay MW: Fresh, honeyed ripe fruits on the nose which follow onto the palate, along with sun-ripened red fruits, cherries, peaches and freshly picked raspberries with beautifully balanced acidity. Andy Howard MW: Nice depth and richness on the palate with bright red/black berry fruits and good acidity to balance. There are extra layers of flavour here too. It’s well made and has enough concentration to last. Joanna Simon: Ripe strawberry aromas and strawberry fruit on the palate, which is full and smooth with attractive spice and a hint of honey, ending on a leafy, vibrant freshness.
2017
Domaine de MourchonCôtes du Rhône Villages
Château La Dournie, Etienne, St-Chinian, Languedoc-Roussillon, France, 2014
91
Another very dark wine, this blend of 60% Syrah, with 25% Grenache and the balance from Carignan, is also grown on Dournie’s schist soils. The wine gets a year in larger 400 litre casks and a year in tank, and has previously been a Silver Medal winner at Decanter’s World Wine Awards. It's enticingly mellow, with earthy scents built around a core of liquorice-spiced plum compote, while on the palate too it's a deep, spicy, rich, dense and long-flavoured wine in exuberant style. There’s impressive density of fruit and perfume here, supported by finely buffed tannins. Terrific value.
2014
Château La DournieSt-Chinian
Château Souverain, Chardonnay, California, USA, 2016
90
A really elegant Californian Chardonnay that's miles away from the oaky, high-alcohol blockbusters of old. From winemaker Ed Killian, using the best lots of cool-climate fruit, it's full bodied and forward, packed with mango, pineapple and spiced pear. Complexity comes from part fermentation in oak, followed by lees ageing and bâtonnage, giving a creamy texture and a caramel popcorn length.
2016
Château Souverain
Niepoort, Redoma, Cima Corgo, Douro Valley, Portugal, 2016
92
Long, deep and not forced, with the oak dialled back. Gently lemony 'floaty' fruit, salty green olives, ripe apple, sweet talc, bay leaf and pebbly acidity.
2016
NiepoortCima Corgo
Unico Zelo, The River, Riverland, South Australia, Australia, 2017
92
Nero d'Avola hails from hot, arid Sicily, and finds the same climes in South Australia's Riverland - not usually championed as a region for high-quality wines. But this is a cracker, with very approachable, sappy fruit, seeing five days on its skins and no oak to maximise its savoury berry vibrancy. Succulent, lifted and with fresh acidity, this is a real quaffer. Nice packaging too.
2017
Unico ZeloRiverland
Running With Bulls, Tempranillo, Barossa, South Australia, Australia, 2016
93
This fantastic red, one of Matthew Jukes’ latest Top 100, is an exciting Aussie rendition of this Spanish variety. Spiced leather notes from Hungarian oak, with flavours of juicy griotte cherries and plum jam. Long and pure, dense yet fresh. (The Co-op sells an unoaked black-labelled version of the 2014 from South Australian fruit. Not as fine, but only £7.99.)
2016
Running With BullsBarossa
Shaw & Smith, Sauvignon Blanc, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2017
92
From high elevation vineyards, where yields are kept down and the grapes are hand-picked. This features crisply-scented lemon and bell pepper aromas with a hint of apricot. It's really well balanced in the mouth, the succulent but saline citrus fruit backed up by richer hints of stone fruit and tangerine, alongside a layer of wafting herbs. Very elegant.
2017
Shaw & SmithAdelaide Hills
Alfredo Maestro, Almate, Ribera del Duero, Castilla y Léon, Spain, 2016
91
Alfredo Maestro is well known for his natural wines, and this is a striking, pure example, full of concentrated plum and blueberry juice from old-vine Tinto Fino (no added sulphur). Bright, crisp and lively, it would be perfect with roast pork.
2016
Alfredo MaestroRibera del Duero
LaFou, El Sender, Terra Alta, Terra Alta, Spain, 2015
91
From the Roqueta family, long in the business and doing innovative work. This Garnacha with a dash of Syrah and Morenillo has rich and fleshy flavours of blueberry, liquorice and green pepper. Terra Alta is a great source of high-quality value wines.
2015
LaFouTerra Alta
