It’s taking summer a while to get here, and cooler evenings lend themselves to reds for me. Here are two easy bets for under $20.

MontGras Antu Carménère 2019 — Peumo, Chacapoal Valley, Chile ($18.95)
You might see this one again in a couple months on my annual list of Best Value Wines at the LCBO. I’m a sucker for a decent Carménère, and this one, hailing from prime Carménère-growing region of Peumo in Chile’s Chacapoal Valley, is somewhat beyond decent. Bordering on full-bodied, it’s a silky dark garnet-red stream of rich, ripe blackberries and black plums. Not quite as vegetal as most Carménères, it’s more about the dark fruit, although dark chocolate and a dusting of spice add to the formula. The alcohol (14.5%) and oak are both well integrated. There’s some Canadian content here too, as MontGras co-founder and current president and winemaker Hernán Gras was a former senior winemaker with Bright’s in Niagara. Certified sustainable and organic, Gras’ 2019 vintage of this Carménère is hard to find at the moment, but worth searching for. 91

Wakefield Estate Cabernet Sauvignon — Clare Valley/Limestone Coast, South Australia ($19.95)
Released this past weekend, this is always a crowd-pleasing cabernet. Medium+ in body with medium tannins (I personally prefer a little more weight to my cabs, along with a little more tannin to frame the picture), this is a predictably juicy and well-balanced creation from Wakefield, with its distinctive eucalyptus and chocolate notes. But it’s the jammy cassis/blackberry/plum/ fruit that carries the way—although it seems sweeter than the mere 2 grams/litre of sugar content would suggest. 89