Best buys at the LCBO under $13

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This article was published 13/01/2022 (1712 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As the bills come rolling in this month, frugal feels like the way to go. So slum it in style with wines that are dirt cheap but certainly satisfying. These five bottles fit the bill.

Sauvignon Blanc from Chile may not be as wildly popular as versions from Marlborough, New Zealand. Nor does it carry the cache of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé from the Loire Valley in France, which are also Sauvignon Blanc. But when you want bang for your buck, Chile is the place to look.

A case in point is the 2020 Viña Tarapacá Reserva Sauvignon Blanc from the cool, coastal Casablanca Valley (LCBO $12.95). This wine hovers between Marlborough’s zeal and the Loire Valley’s restraint to offer a zippy-pure expression at an unbeatable price.

Each glassful shines pale straw, teems with scents of citrus and offers instant refreshment. Bright flavours of lemon-lime taste pure, shiny and bone dry. Then, they shift toward suggestions of snow pea, cut grass and a touch of tomato vine. Impeccably balanced, generously fruited and bracing, this wine works as well on its own as it does at the table. Score: 92

Pour yourself a glass with a goat cheese soufflé or tart for a marvellous match. It’s also the perfect pour for a casual curry or an empanada evening.

Greece is one of the oldest winemaking regions in the world. And yet, some of that country’s native grape varieties still fly under the radar — such as Moscofilero and Roditis from the Peloponnese peninsula. Wines from these indigenous grapes can offer exceptional value. To see for yourself, taste the 2019 Kourtakis Apelia Moschofilero Roditis IGP Peloponnese (LCBO $12.95/1L), which is a smart buy at the equivalent of about $9.70 per 750mL.

This silvery-hued expression opens with delicate scents of lemon blossom and cool melon before racing across the palate with a fresh yet elegant attack. The light-bodied entry with its lemon and sea spray character calls to mind the Mediterranean coast. Then, wispy notes of orange zest, cantaloupe, white mushroom and crushed stone emerge and linger. Score: 92

A bottle of this bone-dry white is all the reason you need to order in Greek takeout. Bring on the saganaki, village salad and souvlaki with a generous dollop of tzatziki.

When you’re craving a sweet cocktail that’s lipsmacking and low-in-alcohol, reach for the Romeo Peach Bellini from Germany (LCBO $10.75). This version of that popular Italian cocktail blends sparkling wine with natural peach juice. In fact, there’s so much actual peach in the bottle that the back label advises you to “turn bottle upside down gentle before opening to stir the fruit pulp.” Each super-sweet sip tastes like the height of summer with a touch of crisp, clean vinosity, which is a nice little getaway this time of year. And it clocks a mere 5.9 per cent alcohol. Score: 90

Enjoy a little Romeo Peach Bellini at about six o’clock and call it happy hour. Especially delicious with a handful of nuts.

Fans of velvety Cabernet Sauvignon know that prices can be steep for this style. But the NV Concha y Toro Frontera Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile (LCBO $8.95) is a very respectable bottle at a low price. From its fetching fragrance of blackcurrant liqueur, poached plum and chocolate to its dry, saturated crush of fruit that unfurls with blackcurrant, black cherry and mocha, this wine overdelivers. Each sip tastes rich but also lifted and supremely drinkable thanks to perfect balance between ripe fruit stuffing and juicy acidity. Score: 91

Serve this big red with a steak and potatoes for a classic combination.

And for that door of the fridge fizz, there’s the NV Toro Bravo Secco from Spain (LCBO $11.95).

This inexpensive sparkler suggests white grapefruit drizzled with honey on the attack then fans out with allusions of apricot and nut before tapering to a stony-salty finish. This easy-drinking bubbly with a light kiss of sweetness tastes sunny, crisp and polished. Score: 92

Enjoy a glass with crunchy, salty snacks or a bowl of briny olives. And the screw cap makes it handy to enjoy just a glass then reseal.

These wines are so good, they might become your go-to bottles all year long.

Carolyn Evans Hammond is a Toronto-based wine writer and a freelance contributing columnist for the Star. Wineries occasionally sponsor segments on her YouTube series yet they have no role in the selection of the wines she chooses to review or her opinions of those wines. Reach her via email: carolyn@carolynevanshammond.com