During the past two weeks I have written about three of the finest wineries in all of Italy and now I believe it is time to come back down to earth.

The truth of the matter is that only 4 per cent of Californian wine hails from Napa Valley, only 14 per cent of French wine is from Bordeaux and only half of all French wine is produced using the laws of AOC (appellation d’origine contrôlée); Tuscany stands at only 5 per cent of the overall Italian total.

I am going to suggest seven reds that are priced under $20; some of them will be found in our home for casual day-to-day use. These are good examples of wines that most of us can enjoy much of the time.

Land and labour costs are lower in Chile than in many wine producing countries and this reflects in their wine prices.

The 2019 Cono Sur Bicicleta Merlot is so named because vineyard workers travel around the estate by bicycle, tending to the vines using natural methods in order to produce the best quality grapes.

The Bicicleta range is a tribute to them and symbolises Cono Sur's sustainable philosophy and commitment to the environment.

Although priced at $18.95 the nose boasts cherries, blueberries and raspberries along with a hint of chocolate and tobacco. It will marry well with red meats, tomato sauces and soft cheese. (Stock #7834).

Travelling up and over to Argentina we find 2019 Alamos Seleccion Pinot Noir. I have mentioned before that Alamos wines are produced by the Catena family – their younger vines are used, that have not yet reached full maturity.

The Alamos winemaking team says that their aim is “to make wines that are as good as wines at twice their price”.

Grapes are hand harvested to ensure gentle handling and a double manual selection process ensures only the best grapes are used. They produce a delicate, floral pinot noir with soft cherry and strawberry flavours.

It is fresh, and bright, with smooth, supple tannins and a savoury, spicy chocolate finish. An inexpensive pinot noir that actually tastes like pinot noir is a challenge, but I assure you that Alamos has done it. $19.90 (Stock #7114).

Now up to California for 2020 Dark Horse Merlot that is a rich and robust dark red with a fruit-forward character.

It features bold, jammy fruit notes of plum and blackberry along with vanilla and toasted oak for a well-rounded presentation.

Well suited for drinking on its own or serving with many foods – chicken pairs with merlot well – this highly versatile wine offers a smooth, lingering finish and was awarded 90 points from The Tasting Panel.

By using cutting-edge and innovative winemaking techniques, it delivers exceptional quality at a reasonable price. $19.40 (Stock #6866).

It certainly is not easy to break the $20 barrier with France, but 2017 Domaine Pégau Cotes du Rhone Cuvée Maclura does so at $19.95 and a remarkable 91/100 from Parker’s Wine Advocate along with this review: “A blend of 60 per cent grenache, 25 per cent syrah, 10 per cent mourvèdre and 5 per cent cinsault, the 2017 Cotes du Rhone Cuvée Maclura is a dark-fruited wine loaded with scents of black olives, cracked pepper and espresso.

“Sturdy and savoury in character, it's medium to full-bodied, admirably concentrated and intense, with a dose of dusty tannins on the finish.” (Stock #7904).

The Piccini family is rooted in the heart of Chianti and profoundly linked to the region’s rich winemaking culture.

Under the guidance of Mario Piccini, the fourth generation of the family, Piccini is today one of the most distinctive, dynamic and innovative Italian estates represented among the top 25 largest Italian producers.

The Chianti Orange Label is their iconic everyday offering and reflects the family’s ambition to rediscover chianti as a contemporary house wine.

Today I am not going to mention any chianti classico, chianti classico reserva or even chianti classico gran selezione.

Now is the time for the 2021 Piccini Chianti at a cost of $17.30 a bottle. This blend of sangiovese, canaiolo and ciliegiolo is so easy to enjoy and the perfect pizza accompaniment, or just enjoy it slightly chilled on its own. (Stock #7961).

How about a Super Tuscan blend of 85 per cent sangiovese, 10 per cent cabernet sauvignon and 5 per cent merlot that scores 91 points?

You are thinking, surely this cannot be so? But it is. We go to some of my oldest friends in the wine trade, Neil and Maria Empson, for a bottle of their 2018 Monte Antico.

A food-friendly red with all the classic Tuscan seductiveness including delicious fruit, velvety, extract-fraught texture, full body, beautiful finish and superb balance.

Dark ruby in colour, its bouquet of leather, earth, herbs, black cherries, liquorice, and plums is confirmed on the medium to full-bodied palate. Round, spicy, elegant, attractively fruity and extremely versatile – in other words, food-friendly and pocket-friendly.

Here is James Suckling’s opinion: “91/100. Blackberry, blueberry and crushed-stone aromas follow through to a medium-bodied palate with slightly chewy tannins and dried lemon rind on the finish. Tangy and delicious.” $19 (Stock #9055).

We now head west to the Lisboa region of Portugal and find a bottle of 2020 Porta 6 Reserve Red that is a tinta roriz/castelao blend.

Quite remarkably, for a bottle that you can purchase for $18.45, it gets a 91-point score from Decanter magazine and this description: “Dark and peppery, brooding aromas, with plums and blackberries and some menthol.

“Fat and full on the palate, it's very ripe, rich and a little confected, but it's still fresh and really juicy! Really moreish and mouthwatering, not a showstopper but this will be an easy-drinking crowd-pleaser.” (Stock #8784).

A good plan would be to buy all seven, try them and make notes and then select your favourite(s) and buy a case, thus saving another 10 per cent on their already very reasonable price. Now you will always have a very pleasant bottle of red at hand when required.

• This column is a paid-for advertorial for Burrows Lightbourn Ltd and Discovery Wines & Spirits. Michael Robinson can be contacted at mrobinson@bll.bm. Burrows Lightbourn has stores in Hamilton (Front Street East, 295-1554) and Paget (Harbour Road, 236-0355). Discovery Wines & Spirits stores are located in Hamilton (corner of Queen Street and Reid Street, 232-0090) and Pembroke (Bakery Lane, 296-9463). Visit www.wineonline.bm