10 Best Cheap Wines Under $100, According to a Sommelier

There’s a long-standing idea that a great bottle of wine will set you back hundreds. And while the best wines do take time, skill and effort to make (which naturally ups the cost), that doesn’t mean you can’t find an excellent bottle for under $100, or even less, at your local retailer.

But how do you know a good cheap drop from a bad cheap drop? Well, you ask the experts. We spoke to Liam Stanwell, Head Sommelier at The Recreation Bistro & Bottleshop in Melbourne’s Fitzroy North, for the bottles he reaches for when value is top of mind. 

His list moves from bright Australian Riesling and Adelaide Hills sparkling to floral Spanish reds, classic French blends and a $50 Barossa Shiraz that seriously tastes like it should cost more.

A few of these bottles are harder to find than others, but the hunt is part of the fun. So, here’s a list of the 10 best cheap wines under $100, according to a sommelier. 

10 Best Cheap Wines, From Red to White

1. Rieslingfreak Wines

•  Best for: People who like their whites crisp, dry and refreshing
• Approximate price: $24–$30

Rieslingfreak is an Australian producer that makes it remarkably easy to drink good Riesling without spending much money. The number on the label can vary (with No. 2, No. 34 and No. 10 sensible places to start) but the general style is consistent: bright, dry, citrus-driven and powered by plenty of acidity.

“Very reliable, very trustworthy, high acid, lots of citrus and minerality,” says Stanwell.

“They do exactly what they’re supposed to do for very low amounts of money.”

Depending on the cuvée, you’ll find lime, lemon, grapefruit, green apple and a stony, mineral finish. Clare Valley examples tend to bring a little more generosity and aromatic weight, while Eden Valley wines can feel finer and more mineral.

The 2022 bottles general selling for around $24, although prices vary across the range. If you find one you particularly like, Stanwell’s advice is to buy a few.

“They’re all quite similar, but if you find one that you particularly like, grab a couple of bottles; they’re very good value drinking.”

Drink it with oysters, fish and chips, Thai food or anything salty enough to make the wine’s acidity even sharper. It’s also the bottle to bring when someone says they don’t really like white wine, because Riesling has a habit of changing minds when it’s cold and made well.

2. David Franz Benjamin’s Promise Shiraz 2018

• Best for: Barossa Shiraz drinkers who want power with a little more nuance
• Approximate price: Around $50

The 2018 Benjamin’s Promise Shiraz from David Franz is a standout, making a $50 wine budget feel more generous than it has a right to. It comes from the Barossa, carries plenty of flavour and comes from a truly excellent winemaker. 

“This bottle is mostly available through his website, but well worth giving yourself a couple of bottles if you’re a big fan of Shiraz,” Stanwell says.

“The complexity and power in that wine for only $50 is delicious.”

Expect flavours of black cherry, red summer fruits, charry oak, red-strap liquorice, milk chocolate, earth and leather. The wine spent 25 months in seasoned French oak hogsheads, and the result is a serious Barossa red with fruit, oak and structure.

Give it time to open, preferably in a decent-sized glass, and serve it with roast lamb, steak or anything heavy and meaty. 

The 2018 release can be hard to hunt down, so if you find a bottle at a sensible price, it’s worth picking up a couple. 

3. Elanto Vineyard Pinot Noir or Chardonnay

• Best for: A special occasion
• Approximate price: $85–$95, depending on vintage and retailer

Stanwell’s Elanto recommendation is slightly unfair on the rest of the list because he doesn’t choose one wine. He chooses both the Pinot Noir and the Chardonnay, which is understandable once you find out that Elanto is one of the more ambitious new vineyard projects in Victoria.

Based in Balnarring on the Mornington Peninsula, Elanto is planted to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, with the first releases arriving from the 2023 vintage. 

“Either or, either vintage,” says Stanwell, “Very much a special occasion wine, guaranteed to impress anyone that you put those wines in front of, and will make you feel like you got your money’s worth.”

The Chardonnay is made from fruit across three vineyards and spends time in French oak before further maturation in concrete vats. Expect notes of citrus blossom, grapefruit pith, struck flint, creamy lees, grilled nuts and fine acidity. 

The Pinot Noir is the red to choose if you want something more delicate and fragrant. Expect red fruit, spice, savoury detail and a cool-climate lift. 

4. César Márquez Pérez Parajes Mencía

• Best for: Light-to-medium-bodied red drinkers who want something a bit different.
• Approximate price: Around $35–$50 when available in Australia.

Mencía is a lesser-known grape varietal, but truly one of the best. It comes from regions such as Bierzo in Spain, where it can produce reds that are fragrant, medium-bodied and full of character.

César Márquez Pérez’s Parajes is a regional Bierzo red made from Mencía with smaller amounts of other varieties in the blend. The 2023 wine draws on fruit from dozens of plots and villages, with older vines and a cooler vintage helping to keep the wine fresh and fine-boned.

Stanwell calls it “an amazing medium-bodied Spanish red wine”, adding that it is “very delicate and floral, with nice blue fruit.” 

Serve it slightly cool, particularly in warmer weather, with grilled pork, roast chicken, mushrooms or a plate of jamón and cheese. It’s also a good bottle for anyone who likes Pinot Noir but wants to try something with a little more Spanish attitude.

It can be hard to find in Australia, so if you see the Parajes on a specialist list or an independent retailer’s shelf, it’s worth taking the opportunity. 

5. Xavier Goodridge ‘Pa Pa’ Pinot Noir

• Best for: Chilled-red fans, pizza nights and people who like their Pinot juicy
• Approximate price: $30–$35

Xavier Goodridge’s Pa Pa Pinot Noir is a light, bright and very drinkable red. The 2025 vintage is made from fruit sourced from Mount Gambier and Heywood in south-west Victoria, with a translucent ruby colour, plenty of perfume and a lifted, savoury finish.

It’s full of cherry blossom, rose petals, cranberry, tart cherry and a little sweet kirsch, with hazelnut, game and forest-floor notes keeping it savoury and fresh. It has the light touch of a Pinot that can handle being served a little cooler, which is handy in Australia and even more useful when you’ve accidentally bought a red for a hot day.

This is the bottle for pizza, pasta, roast chicken, charcuterie or a barbecue where not everyone wants a heavy red. Put it in the fridge for 20 minutes before serving and let it warm slightly in the glass.

6. Pieropan Soave Classico

• Best for: Seafood, aperitivo and anyone looking beyond Sauvignon Blanc
• Approximate price: $25–$45 for the standard Soave Classico

Pieropan is, as Stanwell puts it, “the quintessential Soave producer.” The bottle is recognisable, the quality is dependable, and the wine does what you want a good Soave to do: it’s fresh, gently textured, mineral and very easy to drink with food.

The Soave Classico is produced from estate-owned vineyards in the heart of the classic Soave zone and is made primarily from Garganega, with a smaller percentage of Trebbiano di Soave. Expect notes of almond, marzipan, elderflower, bergamot, lime, pear and white peach, finishing with a saline freshness and plenty of drinkability

It’s a great alternative to the usual Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay, and a great drop to pair with dishes like grilled prawns, fried zucchini, roast chicken, fresh cheese or a bowl of pasta with herbs and lemon.

The standard Soave Classico is usually available well under $50, although prices vary by vintage and retailer. Pieropan also makes more expensive wines, including La Rocca, so check the exact label before assuming you’ve found the entry-level bottle.

7. E. Guigal Côtes du Rhône Rouge

• Best for: Steak, barbecues and last-minute bottle-shop missions
• Approximate price: $20–$35

Many great wines require a small amount of detective work to track down, especially in Australia. Then there’s E. Guigal Côtes du Rhône, which Stanwell included largely because you can find it almost everywhere.

“It’s a delicious, heartwarming red wine, great with a steak,” he says. “Mostly on the list because I know you can get it at every bottle shop in Australia.”

Expect dark fruit, peppery spice, herbs and rounded tannins, with a warmth that makes it a natural partner for steak, sausages, burgers and anything cooked over charcoal. It’s a reliable dinner-party red because it has broad appeal, according to Stanwell. 

Depending on the retailer and vintage, it generally sits somewhere between $20 and $35.

8. Dr Loosen Riesling

• Best for: Drinkers who like a little sweetness and spicy food
• Approximate price: $20–$35, depending on the exact bottle

If you prefer your white wine with a touch of sweetness, Dr Loosen is a very good place to start. The German producer is closely associated with Riesling from the Mosel, and its range includes dry, off-dry and sweeter styles.

“If you like something a bit sweeter, Dr Loosen is an absolutely iconic producer,” says Stanwell.

That little bit of sweetness is balanced by Riesling’s acidity, which keeps the wine fresh rather than syrupy. You’ll generally find peach, green apple, lemon and floral notes, with enough lift to make it work with spicy food. Thai, Vietnamese, Sichuan and Indian dishes are obvious matches, but it’s also good with salty snacks, blue cheese and anything that benefits from a little sweetness on the side.

9. Daosa Natural Reserve Sparkling

• Best for: celebrations, brunch and Champagne comparisons
• Approximate price: $45–$50

Daosa comes from the Adelaide Hills, with the Natural Reserve blending Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, made in a traditional style with a savoury complexity and fine bubbles.

“One of Australia’s best, most affordable bottles of sparkling wine,” says Stanwell. That’s a big call, but Daosa has the pedigree to make it. 

Expect citrus, green apple, biscuit, brioche and a little creamy texture. Serve it with oysters, fried chicken, potato chips, smoked salmon or the first course of a long lunch. It also works as a gift, particularly for people who are serious about sparkling wine but don’t need a fancy label to do all the talking.

10. Clos de Gamot Malbec

• Best for: serious red wine, steak and people who enjoy finding a hidden gem
• Approximate price: under $100 when available; check vintage and retailer

Clos de Gamot comes from Cahors in south-west France, the historic home of Malbec before Argentina made the grape famous around the world. The Jouffreau family has been making wine in the region for generations, and the estate’s older vines, traditional approach and long ageing give the wine considerably more character than the average bottle of supermarket Malbec.

“If you can find it – and there should be some bottles floating around the retail market – it’s absolutely class,” says Stanwell.

Stanwell describes the Clos de Gamot as vibrant, with violet, fresh dark fruit, crunchy tannins and a long finish rounded out by careful oak ageing. It’s a more savoury, earthy expression of Malbec than many Argentine examples, with the tannin and acidity to make it the perfect food wine.

Put it beside steak, roast beef, duck, lentils or a mushroom dish – anything with plenty of umami. 

This is the wine for people who enjoy the chase. You may need to call a specialist retailer, ask a good wine shop to order it or accept that the next vintage will have to do. 

The Final Pour

The best thing about this list is that you don’t feel like you’re compromising on a subpar bottle of wine. These are all truly excellent drops that just happen to be incredibly affordable. Don’t question it, just enjoy it. 

Start with the style you already like, and do yourself a favour and get familiar with a good independent bottle shop near you. The next great bottle might be much cheaper than you think.

Best Cheap Wines FAQs

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