Best Value Wines under $25

Zesty & Mineral

Gilvesy winery is located in the outskirts of Lake Balaton, near an ancient dormant volcano, in Hungary. Hungarian expat Robert Gilvesy moved back to his homeland from Canada to start this exciting project involving native grape varieties and volcanic soils.

This blend is light and fresh. On the nose, it's all about hints of mint, lemon and fresh cucumber, while on the palate it's zesty, with notes of green apple and citrus fruit.

It's delicious when paired with summer meals: fresh salads dressed with dried fruits such as cranberries and walnuts, grilled fish with potatoes and zesty ceviches.

Tropical & Mineral

This is by far one of the coolest Sauvignon Blanc wines we have ever tasted. This white wine is made next door to Auxerre, in the region of Chablis. It's kind of a unicorn wine: in Burgundy, Chardonnay and Aligoté are generally the only white varieties allowed to be grown. However, St Bris is the exception! This white Burgundy is made with 100% Sauvignon Blanc. The Saint Bris has aromas of citrus fruits like grapefruit and mandarin orange that jump out of the glass, this is followed by peach, and crushed blackcurrant leaves with light exotic scents like lychee. This complexity on the nose follows through on the palate which is textured, soft and floral, with a distinct minerality on the finish.

Saint Bris calls for oysters! It's also a wonderful choice with herb-driven sauces over chicken and fish dishes. We also love pairing it with Vietnamese and Thai meals with lots of lemon-grass, and fresh cheeses.

Elegant & Crisp

Château Haut Grelot is located near the Gironde Estuaire, north of the town of Bordeaux. Haut Grelot has been making wine and taking great care of their vineyards since its establishment in 1920!

This is a classic Bordeaux blend: 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sémillon & 5% Muscadelle. It's a floral, crisp and elegant wine that offers exotic fruit aromas: grapefruit, gooseberry and wild herbs that intermingle with ample citrus fruit on the palate. It has a generous weight, roundness and a perfect balance that let's you savour every drop.

Perfect to drink by itself or pair with seafood, chicken, fresh salads and cheese boards.

Zesty & Creamy

Located 50 km east from Saint-Émilion, the Barouillet family has been growing grapes for at least 8 generations in Pécharment, Monbazillac and Bergerac. Vincent Alexis, who joined his father in 2010, converted the vineyards to organic and is about to obtain the biodynamic certification. 

This charming and expressive white is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, Sémillon, and Chenin that were grown 100% sulphur free on clay & calcareous soils. Together, they create a well-balanced wine – a surprising union between freshness, fullness and aromas. There is a lightly oxidative note and a bready, lees-y back palate that bounces off the fruit which is at once fresh and zesty and creamy and opulent. Easy, fun and just a little bit wild.

Enjoy it by the glass and with white meats or poultry.

This mixed case includes 12 bottles: 6 bottles of Ward 5 and 6 bottles of First Contact.

Ward 5 Brut Blanc Cherry Valley Prince VQA Ontario 2020. Our favourite bubbly wine is back for its 8th vintage and as always, made in partnership with Lighthall Vineyards in Prince Edward County. This is a small batch “Brut Blanc” Cuvée, made using the Charmat method bottled as VQA Ontario. This vintage shows a blend based on early pick Niagara Peninsula Vidal from St David’s Bench with Prince Edward County Riesling from South Bay. We had an instant crush on this new vintage: the beautiful bubbles are so nicely integrated and complement the wild floral aromas of the Vidal, all backed by the bracing acidity and orchard fruit of the South Bay, Prince Edward County Riesling. Dangerously delicious in the glass, this wine is built for both celebration and gastronomy.

First Contact Skin Fermented White VQA Ontario 2019. Vidal and Sauvignon Blanc (50/50ish) were sourced from the infamous Wismer Vineyard, in Niagara's Twenty Mile Bench. Grapes were crushed and fermented on skins for the entire primary fermentation, which lasted 17 days. The juice was then left to settle and bottled during the first signs of Spring in March 2020.

Deep straw gold in colour with punchy aromatics of fresh fermentation; Green tea, Meyer lemon, tangerine, hops, olive brine & salted almonds. Truly energetic and fresh with notes reminiscent of a delicious Weiss Beer. On the palate, it has a great tannic structure, lovely acidity and beautiful balance. With low alcohol at 11%, this wine was built to drink, not just to taste.

We have been having fun pairing it with a variety of vegetables and meats using Middle Eastern, North African & Mediterranean inspired spices and techniques. Or even just a bowl of marinated olives, to keep it simple. 

Floral & Textured

Born from a partnership that started on Lighthall Road between Vigneron Glenn Symons & Négociant Nicholas Pearce, the 'First Contact - Skin Fermented White' was created during the 2019 harvest. Vidal and Sauvignon Blanc (50/50ish) were sourced from the infamous Wismer Vineyard, in Niagara's Twenty Mile Bench. 

Deep straw gold in colour with punchy aromatics of fresh fermentation; green tea, Meyer lemon, tangerine, hops, olive brine & salted almonds. Truly energetic and fresh with notes reminiscent of a delicious Weiss Beer. On the palate, it has a great tannic structure, lovely acidity and beautiful balance.

We have been having fun pairing it with a variety of vegetables and meats using Middle Eastern, North African & Mediterranean inspired spices and techniques. Or even just a bowl of marinated olives, to keep it simple.

The label features artwork by Lilja Schaer, an up and coming local artist based in Toronto's Eastside Leslieville. Lilja draws her inspiration from the natural environment that surrounds her. She is also influenced by her Estonian-Canadian heritage. Lilja also happens to be Nick's 7 year old niece.

Tropical & Fresh

Husband and wife duo Ilya and Nadia started Leaning Post winery in Niagara over 10 years ago. Initially a virtual set up, the winery now located on Highway 8, has become a reference producer in Niagara.

At Leaning Post they like Sauvignon Blanc to reflect their unique terroir and this wine shows it in spades. They picked early to preserve the beautiful mango, passionfruit, and gooseberry aromatics that we all love about the grape. The palate has a fresh acidity with notes of kiwi, gooseberry, and passionfruit as well as a pleasant flinty finish.