Top 10 Affordable Wines Under $20 for Every Occasion

The title above is definitely misleading. I don’t think there is a definitive “top 10” list for anything. It’s probably more accurate to say this is a list of my 10 favourite wines under $20.

For those of you who follow my blog, you know I publish and regularly update an article on great wines under $20. I just updated it, and if you want to see the full list (definitely worth a look), you can find it here. But if you prefer a shorter list or you’re one of those people who just want the favourites, this is your list.

A couple of things you should know about my wine‑drinking habits, since they shape this list:

• I drink more red than white.

• I love Cabs and Shiraz from California and southern Australia.

• Given the current boycott by the Ontario government, which has banned all American alcoholic products from the LCBO, I’ve taken a few American wines off and added more from Australia.

• I drink very few French wines. I find them overpriced, not good value, and often not that good tasting at this price point.

• I don’t drink German wines, so there are none on the list.

Hopefully, you’ll find something here you enjoy. For those of you in Ontario, I’ve included the LCBO/Vintages number and the price.

Here goes:

Ringbolt – Australia – Vintages 606624 – $22.95 - Slightly over my $20 limit, but you will definitely find it on sale for very close to $20. For our daughter Lauren’s wedding, the caterer allowed us to supply our own alcohol, so our family had a fun taste test with several different wines. This was the winner! It will always be a special wine for us because it reminds us of Lauren’s wedding. A delicious wine from Western Australia, smooth and flavourful. It’s special‑occasion worthy, but still great value, so you can drink it anytime.

Bonterra Organic Cabernet Sauvignon – California – Vintages 342428 – $21.95 - Another wine that often goes on sale for $19.95, so you should be able to get it under $20 fairly regularly. Although you can’t get this at the LCBO right now because of the boycott, I’ve left it on the list because it’s such a great wine. Full‑bodied, smooth, and delicious—and it’s organic. I support the government’s ban on U.S. products, but once it’s over, we’ll be buying this again.

Bottega Vino Dei Poeti Prosecco DOC – Italy – LCBO 897702 – $18.95 - We also served this at Lauren’s wedding, so it has extra sentimental value. It’s our go‑to sparkling wine (real champagne is far too expensive to ever make an under‑$20 list). This Prosecco is crisp and refreshing on its own, and also fantastic in cocktails. We make a Christmas cocktail with Prosecco, cranberry juice, and Grand Marnier (so good). For our 2025 Christmas party, I added sake to give it a Japanese twist to match the dinner theme. We’ve celebrated a lot of birthdays and graduations with this wine and love it every time.

Te Henga Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough – New Zealand – LCBO 41817 – $15.95 - New to our list, this has quickly become our favourite white wine. Teresa likes this one, which is always a good sign. I try to keep a bottle in the fridge so it’s ready to go. Clear, crisp, and delicious.

Sister’s Run Epiphany Shiraz – Australia – Vintages 269464 – $17.95 - This was the first Sister’s Run wine we bought, and we loved it. Bonus: it’s at a lower price than when I last updated this list. An amazing‑tasting wine from South Australia. You really can’t go wrong with anything from the Sister’s Run family:

• Sister’s Run Bethlehem Block Cabernet Sauvignon – $19.95

• Sister’s Run Old Testament Cabernet Sauvignon – $19.95

• Sister’s Run Calvary Hill Shiraz – $21.95

Smoking Loon Cabernet Sauvignon – California – LCBO 55517 – $15.95 - One of our original favourite wines to drink at the cottage, and now we enjoy it anywhere. Although we can’t get it right now because of the boycott, it’s so good and such great value that I had to keep it on the list. Great value at this price, with lots of flavour. I enjoy all the wines in the Smoking Loon family—Sauvignon Blanc, Old Vine Zinfandel, and Pinot Grigio. Try them all; they’re delicious and great value.

Mitolo Jester Shiraz – Australia – Vintages 659607 – $20.95 - Not sure how this missed my original list, but it bumped Carnivor, a California wine, off this version. Just above the $20 limit, but you’ll often find it under $20 on sale. Great flavour. We served it at our 2025 friends’ Christmas party, and it was a hit.

3 Rings Shiraz – Australia – Vintages 15495 – $17.95 - This one bumped a McGuigan wine off the list. McGuigan is great value at around $10, but 3 Rings is definitely a better wine and still great value at $17.95.

Villa Maria Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough – New Zealand – LCBO 426601 – $19.95 - I thought I should get at least one more white on the list, and this is a good one. Crisp, clear, and refreshing. A solid go‑to Sauvignon Blanc.

Small Gully The Formula Robert’s Shiraz – Australia – Vintages 142935 – $19.95 - This is one of our daughter‑in‑law Monica’s favourite wines, so it makes the list (smile). It also happens to be delicious—rich, smooth, and exactly what you want from an Aussie Shiraz.

That’s my list. I hope you find something you enjoy.

Send me any of your favourites at thethirdperiod@gmail.com. I’ll keep updating the list as I discover new “10 best” wines.

Enjoy!