>First, congrats on living in the city that recently rated the best quality of life in the world!

Thanks, but I missed that one. Who rated us as that? Usually these things get lots of play in the local media.

>Second, try New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs. Yeah I choose to live here and am presumably biased, but try them!

I generally buy reds, and tend to buy BC... but will do. Any specific ones that you like? You weren't born a Kiwi?

>Third, for deep reds in the $30 range the Aussies seem totally under-represented in this contest. I know South America is closer, but those Aussies make a mean Shiraz.

I've been drinking some Aussie and South African Shiraz's. Nice. Used to find them a little peppery, but they've grown on me.

We tend to buy in the $10-20 range, and mostly in the lower end of that. At the government liquor stores this can be hit and miss, without reading reviews or at least reading those mini-review stickers they put on the shelves. In the neighbourhood we also have a few private liquor stores, and these guys don't have the mandate to provide breadth like the gov't ones so you generally get a really good cheap bottle. If I avoid asking the employees that are in their 20's I can get really good recommendations on what is a good value.