OK, I admit it. Some of my monthly recommendations tend to be wines that are often hard to find in the sorts of places where most 'normal' people shop for wine. So I've been listening to my readers. I know a lot of you visit this site looking for a list of recommended wines that you can print off and take with you on your weekly shop. So here it is - the wineanorak's shopping list.
Here's my Top Ten supermarket wines, as of March
2009:
Wine
|
Where? |
Why? |
Torres
Viña Sol 2008 Catalunya, Spain |
Just
about everywhere (Morrisons, Asda, Sainsbury, Tesco for starters),
although price varies – frequently listed at £6, but often promoted to
£5 or lower. |
This
is our house white. It’s really fresh and bright with lovely fruity
flavours and no oak. There’s lots of interest here, and it’s also
relatively low in alcohol (11%). 2007 is also excellent, but given the
choice opt for the 2008. |
Wither
Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2008 Marlborough, New Zealand |
£8.99
Waitrose, Sainsbury, but sometimes promoted to £6.99 |
A
superb example of New Zealand Sauvignon, which combines riper peach and
passionfruit notes with lovely crisp grassiness. Rich and fresh at the
same time – delicious. |
Marks
& Spencer Alsace Gewürztraminer 2007 Alsace |
£6.99
Marks & Spencer |
A
brilliant interpretation of this offbeat grape variety, which is off-dry
and shows lovely grapey, lychee character. Benchmark. |
Babich
Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2005 Hawkes Bay, New Zealand |
£8.19
Tesco |
I
really like this: bright, fresh, pure sweet fruit with a white pepper
spiciness. Just delicious. |
Dr
L Riesling QbA 2007 Mosel, Germany |
£6.99
Sainsbury, Asda, Somerfield, Tesco - also Oddbins, Great Western Wine,
Adnams |
This
is benchmark Mosel Riesling – just off-dry, laser sharp, precise and
refreshing. Low in alcohol, too. Great value. |
Tesco
Finest Fiano 2007 Sicily, Italy |
£5.99
Tesco |
A
delicious – and different – dry white wine from Sicily, with nutty,
waxy, peach and pear fruit, and a fresh finish. |
Nero
d’Avola Villasetta 2007 Sicily |
£4.98
Asda |
A
smooth, focused red from Sicily with sweet dark cherry and raspberry
fruit. Lovely weight and balance here – tastes like a more expensive
wine. |
Pleyades
Shiraz 2007 Carinena, Spain |
£4.98
Asda |
A
brilliant Spanish Shiraz with lovely ripe, pure dark fruits. Big time
over-performer, this. Buy, Buy. |
Casillero
del Diablo Carmenère 2007 Chile |
£6.98
Asda, but often promoted |
The
best of the excellent Casillero del Diablo range, this is dark, autumnal
and mightily nourishing. |
Paul
Mas ‘Cau de Val’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 Vin de Pays d’Oc, France |
£5.99
Waitrose |
Deep
coloured, dense and delicious with lovely pure blackcurrant fruit and
excellent balance. |