20 great wines for under $20 Have a grape-lover in the family? Well you can get them a gorgeous Christmas gift without breaking the bank by drinking in this award-winning list. Below are 20 wines that were awarded Gold Medals (as you'll see, on a budget we do white wines best in NZ) at the recent Air New Zealand Wine Awards. At the awards, pinot noir was actually the strongest performer, getting 22 gold gongs (although they're all a touch over budget); while sauvignon blanc was the second strongest grape - winning 20 gold medals. This year, 1,379 wines were entered across 16 different classes and only 111 were awarded gold medals... so the drops below are truly first class: TOP 20 WINES FOR UNDER 20 1. Kate Radburnd Berry Blush Hawke's Bay Rosé, 2013, RRP $17.99Smoked salmon and cream cheese will work beautifully with this delightful, crisp rosé. 2. Spinyback Riesling, Nelson, 2013, RRP $17.99Flinty, racy and restrained with a mouth-watering finish, this is a delicate beauty.

3. Clark Estate Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, 2013, RRP $16.95Fresh oysters and this crisp, green sauvignon will be perfect partners. 4. Corbans Homestead Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, 2012, RRP $17.99peach, feijoa and snow peas, and a lush palate. 5. Dashwood Chardonnay, Marlborough, 2012, RRP $19Fruity, intense and creamy with bright acidity; should be great with seafood chowder. 6. Dashwood Sauvignon Blanc, Malborough, 2013, RRP $19packed with passionfruit and feijoa, and a super-lengthy finish. 7. Highfield Riesling, Marlborough, 2012, RRP $19.50Gorgeous aromas of white peach and mandarin. 8. Hunter's Marlborough Riesling 2013, RRP $18.90A lovely aperitif style; elegant lemon aromas and a fine, juicy palate. 9. Kuru Kuru Sauvignon Blanc 2013, RRP $19.95Beautifully expressed showing elegant herbs and citrus with a lovely balanced palate. 10. Mount Riley Gewürztraminer, Marlborough, 2013, RRP $17.95mango, floral and spice aromas: delish with Thai beef salad.

11. Peter Yealands Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, 2013, RRP $18.95Stone fruit and capsicum flavours with richness; brilliant with Thai fishcake. 12. Rossendale Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, 2013, RRP $15Intense flavours of peach, citrus and fresh herbs, backed by bright acidity.beer and wine uk 13. Saint Clair Vicar's Choice Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, 2013, RRP $19.50best box wine sweetcitrus and herbaceous notes, serve with seared scallops andpea purée.red wine glass cell phone case 14. Sanctuary Pinot Gris, Marlborough, 2013, RRP $17.80best wine bar in nyc 2015Delightfully fragrant and succulent, served with a Caesar salad this would be excellent.world's best mom wine glass

15. Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, 2013, RRP $19.95ripe and abundant, there's plenty of peach, lime and fresh herbs here. 16. Torea Wines Pinot Gris, Marlborough, 2012, RRP $19.95baked apple and peach with a full-bodied palate.best red wine for beginners nz 17. Two Tracks Pinot Gris, Marlborough, 2012, RRP $15.99Bright and refreshing with apricot and floral, try this with sushi and tempura. 18. Terrace Edge Liquid Geography Riesling, Canterbury, 2012, RRP $19.50Complex and generous, showing baked apple, citrus and subtle sweetness. 19. Corbans Homestead Riesling, blend of regions, 2012, RRP $17.99Zesty and floral with feather-light weight and whispering sweetness. 20. Giesen Riesling, blend of regions, 2013, RRP $18.99This lush, opulent style will be brilliant with smoked fish pâté. To celebrate the Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2013 we have twin packs of this year's Gold Medal winning wines to give away.

A team of expert judges tasted their way through nearly 1400 wines this year with 111 being awarded a coveted Gold Medal. Considered to be the premier wine competition in the country, the Air New Zealand Wine Awards recognises excellence in winemaking. For more visit www.airnzwineawards.co.nz and to win simply email lifeandstyle@stuff.co.nz by 5pm today with the name of your favourite NZ wine. Winemaking is still fairly new to New Zealand. Yet after only a couple decades, Kiwi winemakers are already producing wines that are consistently lauded by international experts. In 2002, American wine guru Robert Parker declared a Felton Road 1997 Pinot Noir as one of the top 3 wines in a blind tasting of Burgundy reds. (And this from a man who has been a vocal critic of New Zealand wines…) In April 2003, Wine Spectator rated central Otago as one of the top 5 most exciting New World wine regions. And now the up-and-coming Hawke’s Bay Shiraz is rivaling even the best Australian Shirazes.

So what on earth is going on here? Otago is one of the four major wine-producing areas in the country (along with the Marlborough, Hawke’s Bay and Auckland regions). Many experts attribute the oenological successes of Otago wines to the extreme temperatures experienced by the region. (Strangely, they argue that the frigid winters and blistering summers are actually beneficial to winemaking…)Ways to shop with usThe Best Wines on a Budget If you're looking for a bargain, these wines are your best options Ana Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2014 $14.99You get a lot a class for under $15 in this second label from Eradus, that’s an elegantly styled sauvignon with succulent notes of passionfruit and melon, herb and mineral. From Niche Fine Wines.The Opportunist South Australia Shiraz 2013 $16.95This newly imported shiraz from Langhorne Creek is an opulent style with some excellent depth to its plush, velvety palate of dark fruit and kirsch spiked with spice and a hint of savoury.

From Point Wines, Herne Bay Cellars, First Glass.Thistle Ridge Block 2 Waipara Pinot Noir 2013 $21.99-$24.99From Greystone, this seriously good pinot could hold its own with examples at far higher prices given its concentrated cherry fruit, notes of florals, herb, forest floor and structuring tannins. From Fine Wine Delivery Company, Liquorland Mt Eden, Albany, Forrest Hill and Point Chevalier, Kingsland Liquor Centre, selected New World outlets nationwide.Main Divide Waipara Valley Pinot Gris 2014 $19.99Another great wine that could beat many a more expensive bottle with the sheer concentration of its fresh, ripe yellow peach-fruited palate and its notes of musky honey, ginger spice and grapefruit zest. From Glengarry.Fuzzy Duck Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2014 $9.95-$11.99The bargain basement price of this new label belies the quality of this cheerful, easy drinking red with bright boysenberry fruit, notes of sweet spice, violet and good weight. From selected supermarkets and liquor outlets.

Arriba Tempranillo, Spain 2013 $11.95-14.95Blended by local Master of Wine Stephen Bennett from valdepenas and la mancha grapes, this “Rich Spanish Red Wine” is what it says on the label, with its ripe dark berry fruit, hint of char, earth and lick of tannins. Widely available at New World, Farro Fresh, Liquorland, Liquor King and independent retailers.Latitude 41 Nelson Chardonnay 2014 $16.99-$21.95Succulent peachy fruit is to the fore, seasoned with sweet vanillin oak, in this ripe and mouthfilling Nelson chardonnay. Mission Estate Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2013 $11.99-$16.50Good syrah under $30 is rare and under $20 is almost unheard of, but Mission Estate has been consistently producing this fresh and concentrated example, with lashings of exotic spice and rich, brooding black plum fruit. From New World, Pak’n’Save, Countdown and selected liquor outlets.Riparosso Illuminati Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Italy 2012 $16.99Full-bodied and flavourful, this great little montepulciano combines blackberry, black cherry, plum and prune fruit with nuances of sweet spice and dark chocolate and some food-friendly tannins.