When buying wines, it can be tempting to think a higher price means a better quality.

With the $600 million Ontario consumers spend on wine every year, wine lovers are spending everything from $10 to over $500 on a bottle – but cost isn't always an indication of a good vintage.

Experts say there are more winemakers and competition between wine regions, which is driving prices down.

"Twelve to 15 dollars is all you need to pay," said sommelier Natalie MacLean. "There's never been a better time to be a wine buyer."

There are costs that go into making a good wine, things like good land, barrels and care for grapes.

However, a $100 wine isn't necessarily ten times better than a $10 to the average palate.

"An expensive wine doesn't guarantee you a great bottle," MacLean said. "They probably invested more in the wine, but it doesn't mean you're always getting the best wine."

MacLean shared some of her favourite picks:

  • Pinot noir from the Niagara region: "We look at Niagara pinot noir on the shelves, it might be $15, $25. . . not a bargain; but Burgundy pinot noir from France is $50 to $500," she said. "For quality in the bottle, it's a steal."
  • Malbec from Argentina: "Argentina is trying to make its mark in our market, so they're coming in at very competitive prices. They often make a signature red wine call Malbec; it's not a brand name like cabernet or chardonnay, therefore you'll pay less. Argentina is a terrific deal."
  • Riesling from Germany: "These days German wines, especially Rieslings, are made really well - they're dry, crisp, they still have these unreadable labels which is a good thing because if people can't pronounce the name they're not going to ask for it and drive demand up, so prices stay low. This is one of the best white wines in the liquor store."

When it comes to recommending a white wine, MacLean picked Lingenfelder Bird Label, a $14 dry German Riesling that she called a "switch hitter" because it appeals to a lot of different palettes.

Her red wine of choice is Chile's Santa Carolina Carmenere, a $15.95 Chilean brand she calls a "jazz wine" because "it's not going to offend anybody, but it's not boring either."

MacLean said you can go for the prestige of showing off a high-priced wine, but finding a good bargain wine has its own rewards.

"It's the smart shopper who finds the bargain wines," she said. "Anybody can lay out $90 and get a good wine, but where's the fun in that - the hunt's the thrill."

With a report from CTV Ottawa's consumer reporter Michael O'Byrne