Every week the Decanter editorial team are busy tasting the latest best value wines, from supermarkets and wine merchants. Combined with recommendations from our experts, we’ve picked out an exciting range of some of the best wines for under £20 to seek out.
Whether you’re trying to pick a wine for a barbecue or for a picnic, there are plenty of great options for summer drinking below.
Best red wines under £20
In our latest selection, some of the best red wines come in at under £10, including a St-Chinian red wine from the Tesco Finest range, which is ‘full of spicy black fruit – blackberries and black cherries – layered thickly on top of a savoury, meaty character like sausage and cured meats.’
Or there’s the ‘light-bodied summer red, perfect for chilling, for under £5′, look no further than the Pierre Jaurant, Limited Edition Beaujolais 2018 from Aldi, which ‘punches above its weight for the price.’
Argentina is often a good place to look to for great value wines, and below there is a Malbec that’s ‘a good value blend from vineyards in different parts of the Uco Valley, part-aged in French oak.’
At the top end of our price limit, there’s a ‘terrific’ Southern Rhône for £18 from the Wine Society, which is ‘full of appeal, bursting with spicy red fruits and yes, a definite note of fig, warm, with structure and depth of flavour’. There’s also a Rioja Reserva from a ‘great vintage and reliable producer’, from Bodegas Muga, at £19.99.
Best white wines under £20
One of our top white wines to seek out is a Chablis from established producer J Moreau & Fils, made for Sainsbury’s, which is ‘great value for the price’ at £15 a bottle.
There are some excellent food-friendly Viogniers, chosen by Fiona Beckett – including an Aldi option for under £5.
There’s also an English ‘blend of Pinot Blanc, Bacchus and Chardonnay’, a Stellenbosch Sauvignon Blanc that’s got ‘classic grassy, green and herbal tones, with some menthol notes’ and a Muscadet with ‘crisp lemon and green apple peel on the palate, plus a grassy, white pepper spiced undertone. ‘
In the way of the best sparkling wine under £20, if you want something made in the traditional method, there’s a very drinkable cava that’s ‘fresh, harmonious and faintly toasty’, or a Crémant with ‘creamy, yeasty aromas, with hints of citrus, beeswax and nuts.’
With summer here, it’s time to look for some of the best rosé wines – one that would be a good conversation piece, there’s ‘a vibrant, upbeat English still rosé made by blending Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay, Bacchus, Reichensteiner, Schönburger and Dornfelder.’
For the latest celebrity wine, there’s Maison No. 9 Rosé, from Rapper Post Malone, which will ‘go down well with those who love the classic, dry, pale Provençal style.’
