Words Richard Hope
When someone talks about value in wine, it usually means one of two things: either they are trying to convince you that a $12 bottle is secretly as good as one that costs three times as much (probably not), or the word “value” is a polite cover for “cheap.” Neither is particularly useful.
Real value is something else. It is the bottle where quality outruns the price, the wine you want to tell your friends about as soon as you have tried it. It is out there, reliably, if you know where to look. Here is where I would start.
FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA
Le Vieux Pin Petit Rouge 2024 | ~$26-29
Black Sage Bench, South Okanagan, B.C.
Le Vieux Pin is one of the South Okanagan’s flagship estates, perched on the Black Sage Bench in Oliver – Canada’s only pocket desert, where the northern tip of the Sonoran Desert meets Okanagan lake influence to produce conditions that shouldn’t, by rights, exist this far north. Made from younger vines and fruit cropped at less stringent levels, the Petit Rouge 2024 is built around Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, a blend that captures the estate’s Rhône-meets-Bordeaux house style in a more accessible, drink-now format.
The 2024 vintage was a genuine redemption story for Le Vieux Pin. A devastating polar vortex in January 2024 decimated vineyards across the Okanagan, and winemaker Severine Pinte navigated the chaos with remarkable resolve, sourcing carefully and maintaining quality despite everything the year threw at the estate. That a wine of this character exists at all from 2024 is worth raising a glass to, and at this price, it’s one of the most compelling B.C. reds on the shelf.
Averill Creek Joue White 2022 | ~$27
Vancouver Island, B.C.
Natural wine has produced its share of challenging bottles, but when it is done right there is nothing quite like it: alive, direct and expressive in a way that more conventional winemaking rarely replicates. Averill Creek’s Joue White is the real thing – juicy and saline, with a freshness that makes you think of ocean air and rocky coastline. Great with fresh seafood, oysters or creamy pasta.
FROM AROUND THE WORLD
Farnese Fantini Montepulciano d’Abruzzo | ~$15-18
Abruzzo, Italy
The label is modest and the price is almost suspiciously low, and yet this wine consistently tastes like it costs two or three times as much. Montepulciano d’Abruzzo doesn’t carry the cachet of Barolo or Brunello, but this grape, grown on the clay and limestone soils of Italy’s Adriatic coast, produces deeply coloured, food-friendly reds with real weight and warmth.
Farnese is one of the most decorated producers in southern Italy, named Best Italian Producer by wine critic Luca Maroni three times in the past decade. What you get in the glass is classic Montepulciano: wild berries, dried herbs, soft tannins and enough freshness to carry it through a full meal. Pair with a steak, a tomato-based pasta or a hearty stew.
Castello di Ama Chianti Classico 2018 | $45
Tuscany, Italy
Chianti remains a great choice for the discerning buyer and Castello di Ama sits at the top of that mid-tier of wine between $30 to $50. The 2018 is bright and vivid, with a sour cherry character with a long distinctive (Sangiovese) finish. The wine has also been aged to give it a depth of complexity which makes for an interesting wine. This wine is a fantastic accompaniment to bistecca – cured meats and hard Italian cheeses.
Zuccardi Valle de Uco Malbec | $22-26
Mendoza, Argentina
Valle de Uco, a high-altitude sub-region of Mendoza where cooler temperatures and ancient soils produce a dramatically different kind of Malbec: structured and mineral, with genuine complexity and an acidity that gives it life rather than just weight.
Zuccardi is one of the most decorated producers in South America, with a track record that extends well beyond its entry-level tier. This bottle reflects the house style at an accessible price, and compared to what comparable quality and provenance would cost from Napa or even the Rhône, it’s genuinely under-priced. Great with grilled skirt steak with chimichurri, braised short rib, smoky barbecue and empanadas.
Bodegas Muga Reserva Rioja $28-32
Rioja, Spain
For a long time, Rioja was my go-to wine. Aged in oak and given time to integrate the different flavours and notes, Spain regularly produces red wines with a soothing character.
Bodegas Muga is one of the most reliable names in the region, and their Reserva is the kind of wine that shows up consistently year after year without ever disappointing. Aged 24 months in a combination of French and American oak, it hits a point of balance between freshness and development that makes it enormously versatile at the table. Alongside lamb or a good roast, or simply on a Tuesday evening with something simple from the pan, it’s a great accompaniment to any meal.
