How to spend $25 or less on wine in Sydney
In a city known for eviscerating wallets and shredding budgets you'll be surprised to find there's real value out there
By Chris Morisson
Time to Vino has a cracking wine list focused on accessibility, quality and value. The bar is also offering wines by the carafe, which is becoming so popular around town (Ash St Cellar do 'em, as does the Burlington). You can get 500ml of quality vino for less than the price of a glass at a lot of restaurants. Both the 2007 Paringa Estate pinot gris and the Cascabel 'Tipico' come in at $18 each.
Bodega has a fantastic sherry selection from bone dry fino through to amontillado - a richer, savoury style thanks to extended barrel ageing. Two glasses of crisp La Goya manzanilla and a bowl of marinated olives comes to $20.
Aperitif was the first restaurant to compile a quality small wine list with 100 per cent imported wines in Sydney and for pure diversity of wine by the glass you can't go wrong. A glass of cote du Rhone comes in at under $14 leaving change for a decent slab of Pont L'Eveque cheese for a total of $20.
North Bondi Italian Food has excellent wine across the board but we love their prosecco – light, softly sweet and fruity fresh, it's a winner as an aperitif, but like all things Italian it hits its straps with food. Even at its most expensive you shouldn't pay more than $14 a glass and there's a cracking prosecco by Venetian winery named Carella at on Bondi Beach for $11 a glass. At $12, you might also squeeze in a serve of sardines marinated in parsley and lemon that matches beautifully for a total cost of $23.
