Wine is overpriced a lot of the time. So when you find one that tastes fancy but doesn’t cost much, it’s a bit of a thrill. Like hearing a street musician play like a concert soloist or biting into a juicy-sweet peach — in winter. Totally unexpected and such a treat. Get that thrill with these six excellent wines.
2024 Tenuta Santa Maria Lepiga Soave DOC, Veneto, Italy
Soave remains one of Italy’s most undervalued wine styles — and this bottle proves it. Tasted blind, you’d swear it costs twice the price. The fragrance evokes beach days and ocean air, while the palate opens with weight and concentration as flavours nod toward wet stones, sea salt and grapefruit zest. It’s vibrant and vivid yet carries a richness that almost coats the palate. Then, the wine finishes with crushed chalk and bitter almond. Fabulous bottle to serve al fresco with seared scallops and good friends. (12.5% alc., 4g/L sugar)
2023 The Grinder Pinotage, Western Cape, Africa
Pinotage can taste like coffee. And this bottle leans right into that idea, featuring a bean-filled grinder on the label. Pour a glass of this inexpensive red and enjoy freshly roasted coffee and dark chocolate aromas that mingle with muddled black cherries and a drizzle of caramel. That sumptuous scent leads to a smooth entry that’s full-fruited but not heavy. A vibrance lights up the middle as flavours suggest poached damsons and black cherries laced with espresso and a sifting of cocoa powder. Excellent with grilled meats. (14% alc., 5g/L sugar)
2023 Kacaba Unoaked Chardonnay VQA, Niagara Peninsula
As far as undervalued Chardonnays go, this bottle nails it. It’s a wonderfully pure expression with more concentration, complexity and length than the price would suggest. It starts with the scent of wet limestone, like Canadian shield outcroppings after the rain. Then, its floods in like liquid light — all bright, clean and understated — with flavours of lemon zest, Granny Smith apple, limestone and steel. This Chardonnay is a pleasure to sip on its own, with a few salted potato chips or with herb-roasted chicken. (13.5% alc., 2g/L sugar)
2024 The Beachhouse Rosé, South Africa
In the glass, this bright, coral-coloured rosé smells like homemade cherry pie. Then, it streams in shatteringly fresh like a summer rainfall. This is where things get interesting. Beneath the sweet-fruited, wild cherry centre lies a subtle smokiness that lends a certain sophistication to an otherwise cheap and cheerful rosé. The smoky note comes from the fact it’s made from Pinotage, one of South Africa’s flagship grape varieties. Impeccably balanced, each off-dry sip finishes clean and dry. Pour it with spicy tacos and flip-flops. (12.5% alc., 14g/L sugar)
2024 Mirada Organic Rosé, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain
Delivering shockingly good value, this wine just sings. It begins with aromas of sliced cantaloupe and nougat followed by a soft shock of fruit. Strawberries and cream, vanilla and cherry flavours rush in with a touch of rose petal, too. The entry is smooth — almost glassy-cool. Then, an orange-peel pithiness emerges that elongates the finish. Definitely drinks like a wine worth more than $16. Bonus that it’s organic and comes in a chic bottle. Serve it with goat cheese salad sprinkled with walnuts. (13% alc., 3g/L sugar)
2023 Willm Pinot Gris Réserve AC Alsace, France
(Vintages Essential 42495, $17.95 till Aug. 17 reg. $18.95)
There are reasons some wines earn a Vintages Essential listing at the LCBO: They consistently overdeliver. This bottle is a prime example. It’s a Pinot Gris — the same variety as Pinot Grigio but left to ripen longer on the vine. That extra hang time brings out a gorgeous, spiced-peach character on the nose and palate, true to the style but especially well-expressed here. Each sip tastes crisp and crystalline, then cascades with white and yellow peach seasoned with nutmeg, cinnamon and clove. Especially good with curries. (13% alc., 8g/L sugar)
