No. 1 cheap wine to buy this holiday

There are few things better than enjoying a bottle of fine wine with your friends and family over the holidays. While you might be inclined to shell out for a more expensive bottle to celebrate this special time of year, the experts actually suggest scaling back your price range and opening your mind to a range of less-expensive wines.

“There are no real characteristics that make a wine holiday-worthy,” says Erin Henderson, a Toronto, Ont.-based sommelier and co-owner of The Wine Sisters.

“You think since it’s a celebration you might be going for something expensive, but the reality is, most of us are having quite a number of people over to our house and we can’t afford to break out the expensive stuff.”

Instead, Henderson suggests opting for wines that are less than $15 and offer two key elements: they have a high acidity to cleanse your palate between bites and are highly flexible when it comes to pairing with foods.

So, what does that mean for us non-sommeliers?  Rieslings, chardonnay, pinot noir and even bubbly.

To get the best bang for your buck, look for brands from regions you wouldn’t typically expect to produce wine – they tend to be much less expensive since they aren’t as trendy.

“You might be challenged to get a good Bourdeaux or Burgundy wine for under $15, but if you look in areas in the south of France, like the Midi or Languedoc you might have better luck,” says Henderson. “It’s not that they’re less quality, it’s just that for whatever reason they’re less fashionable.”

South Africa, Chile and Portugal are other regions to look out for in the liquor store, as they produce good-tasting wines for a lower price tag. If you're looking for an Italian wine, opt for brands from northern or southern Italy rather than the more popular central region of Tuscany.

Here are some of Henderson’s top picks for holiday-friendly wines under $15.

- By Gilean Watts