#supermarket

Mar 7, 2019

WINE OF THE WEEK: Bohoek Semillon 2017, South Africa

£6.66 on offer, Marks & Spencer (stores only) This is made for M&S by Boekenhoutskloof, a winery that never seems to put a foot wrong, whether it's producing its cult red, The Chocolate Block, or the good value, dependable Porcupine Ridge range. The Bohoek Semillon, reduced to £6.66 from £10, is practically being given away. It's from old vineyards dating back to the 1900s, which means small crops but with the benefit of intense flavours (all the more reason to marvel at the

Feb 21, 2019

WINE OF THE WEEK: Krasno Pinot Bianco 2017, Goriška Brda, Slovenia

£7.99/£9.99, Majestic Pinot Blanc, or Bianco, is one of those grape varieties that has a bit of a B-list image, certainly in Alsace where it plays second fiddle to Pinot Gris, not to mention Riesling and Gewurztraminer, but where it's especially valued, such as in Goriška Brda in the far west of Slovenia by the Italian border, it can give wines full of charm. Witness this deliciously approachable, fresh dry white, with its gentle citrus and jasmine perfume, soft citrus and re

Feb 14, 2019

WINE OF THE WEEK: Boschkloof Syrah 2015, Stellenbosch, South Africa

£19.99, WaitroseCellar.com and 17 branches This cracking Syrah – full-bodied and velvety but with a peppery freshness that has echoes of the northern Rhône – is from the Borman family, whose farm is on the granite Polkadraai hills west of Stellenbosch. It starts with an inviting perfume of violets and peppery spice, adds a savoury suggestion of game, moves through rich red and darker fruit and draws on complexity and immaculately polished tannins from 14 months' ageing in oak

Jan 10, 2019

WINE OF THE WEEK: Yalumba The Y Series Viognier 2017, South Australia

£5.49 mix-six sale price, Majestic Even at £8–£8.25 (Sainsbury's and Morrisons) this is great value, so at Majestic's mix-six sale price (until 27 January) it's an absolute bargain. I've just had a bottle of the 2014 that I'd forgotten about (bought in a 'buy 6 save 25% offer', probably in May 2016). I didn't expect it to have lasted – Viognier isn't long-lived – but it was stunning: bursting with ripe apricot and peach fruit, zippy grapefruity acidity, Viognier's oily richne

Dec 27, 2018

WINE OF THE WEEK: Graham Beck Brut Chardonnay/Pinot Noir, Western Cape, South Africa

£10.99 (offer price), Waitrose Crowd-pleasingly approachable fizz with generous nutty, toasty, yeasty, fresh bread flavours wrapped around a fruity heart – the ideal bargain bubbly for New Year's Eve (down £4 until 22 January). It's made in the the same way as Champagne (known as the Méthode Cap Classique in the Cape) using Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, the two main varieties of Champagne, and it's aged on its lees for 15–18 months to give the generous creamy flavour and texture

Dec 20, 2018

WINE OF THE WEEK: Bodegas Pazo Tizón Extramundi Blanco 2017, Ribeiro, Spain

£14.99 (£12.99 in a 6-bottle mix), Majestic; £16, Booths This is already in my Festive White Wine Guide, but it's an absolute favourite and has reasonable distribution through Majestic, Booths, Berry Bros and a few others, which is useful when last-order dates for Christmas are sailing by. It also gives me the opportunity to say a bit more about it. Why a favourite? It's the combination of floral perfume, citrus, white peach and pear flavours with the textural richness from l

Dec 18, 2018

The Festive Sweet, Sticky and Fortified Guide 2018

SWEET WINE Domaine Cady Coteaux du Layon Saint-Aubin Les Varennes 2015, France Old-vine Chenin made from botrytis (aka noble rot) affected grapes. Lovely intensity and depth of honeyed peach, apricot and spice flavours allied to riveting freshness. Those with willpower could cellar it for a decade. Those without could drink it with a wide variety of puddings (but ideally not chocolate) and cheeses, or instead of them. 12%. for 75cl: £17, The Wine Society Château Roumieu Saute

Dec 18, 2018

The Festive White Wine Guide 2018

Dry and off-dry whites from around the globe to cover the festivities and all eventualities at prices from £6 upwards and from the supermarket giants to small independents. Listed in ascending order of price, as usual. Moncaro Verdicchio dei Castelli Jesi Classico 2017, Italy A rounded, off-dry white with almond nuttiness, leafy freshness and a hint of citrus-pith bitterness on the finish to off-set the touch of sweetness. Good value. Can be drunk solo or with light fish, pa

Dec 17, 2018

Festive fizz for 2018: anything except Champagne

17 December: I've updated this post (first published on 3 December) with the addition of two more English wines: Denbies Cubitt Blanc de Noirs 2013 and Nyetimber Classic Cuvée. The first of the season's round-ups is anything sparkling except Champagne. (That comes next.) They're selected for quality, interest and value for money and cross four continents, spanning the spectrum from easy-drinking crowd pleasers to quirky Pet Nat. There is, though, nothing ultra cheap. If you w

Dec 14, 2018

The Festive Red Wine Guide 2018

Red wines from all around the world to take you through all kinds of festivities and in some cases festivities for years to come. As always, they’re listed in ascending order of price, give or take differences in retailers’ prices and special offers. Ostoros Pinot Noir 2016, Hungary Astonishing to find something that tastes of Pinot Noir at this price – light and soft textured with fresh, sweet berry fruit and Pinot's delicate stemmy earthiness. Hats off to the Society's East

Dec 13, 2018

WINE OF THE WEEK: Chateau Musar 2003, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon

£27.99 (£24.99 in a 6-bottle mix), Majestic; £27.99, Waitrose I'm as guilty as anyone of being seduced by new and unusual wines, overlooking old favourites in the process, especially when the new wines come with heart-warming back stories. So it was good to be reminded recently why I fell in love with Musar way back: the 2003 stood out like a beacon in a tasting of wines from all corners of the world. As it happens, of course, Chateau Musar came along with a very human story

Nov 16, 2018

WINE OF THE WEEK: Thymiopoulos Atma Xinomavro 2017, Macedonia, Greece

£11.99, Waitrose and waitrosecellar.com If you know that Xinomavro translates as 'acid black' you might be surprised to see the declaration 'smooth and fruity' on this label. You might also think that a wine with a description sounding more like a mass-market Merlot is not for you. Hold on! Atma means soul and the winemaker is Apostolos Thymiopoulos, a master of the Xinomavro grape and creator of the modern, approachable style – a style retaining the character of the grape va

Nov 1, 2018

WINE OF THE WEEK: Finest Chardonnay Valle del Limari 2017, Chile

£10, but £8 on current offer, Tesco A new wine from a single vineyard, Lachica, in the Limari Valley, one of Chile’s most northerly wine regions. It's relatively close to the sea and has a dry, fairly cool climate – all good for wine growing – but even more critically it has some of Chile's rare limestone soils, which Chardonnay loves (think white Burgundy). The limestone influence shows in the characteristic mineral freshness. This wine, made by Marcelo Papa of Concha y Toro

Oct 4, 2018

WINE OF THE WEEK: Ken Forrester Workhorse Chenin Blanc 2017, Stellenbosch, South Africa

£8, Marks & Spencer I don't know whether this has been getting better with each vintage or whether I'd forgotten what great value it is. Probably it's both, but either way you get a lot of quality and Cape Chenin character for a modest outlay (and if you're having a party, see below for quantity discounts). The vines are 30 years old, mature enough to give textbook Chenin flavours – straw-like nuttiness, dried flowers, fresh peach, apple and crisp citrus – and they're bound t

Sep 13, 2018

WINE OF THE WEEK: Famille Bougrier La Grande Réserve Touraine Chenonceaux 2017, Loire, France

£11.99, in any 6-bottle mix, Majestic Touraine Chenonceaux is a small appellation on the River Cher east of Tours, created as recently as 2011. (What took them so long? The splendid Château de Chenonceau has been spanning the river there since the sixteenth century.) The white wines are made from Sauvignon Blanc and have some of the green fruit and bite of Sancerre (about 150k upstream on the Loire) but wrapped in more succulent, tropical fruit, which makes them a good bridge

Sep 6, 2018

WINE OF THE WEEK: Taste the Difference Saint-Chinian Syrah Grenache 2016, Saint-Chinian, France

£9 (or £8 on offer), Sainsbury's This is the new vintage of a generous, warm-hearted red blend that's one of the best wines in Sainsbury's range in terms of quality-price ratio (especially on offer at £8 online and in most stores). Syrah and Grenache provide the blackberry and blackcurrant fruit, peppery spice and aromatic herbal notes of the garrigue, while partial ageing in French oak barrels rounds it out with subtle toasty notes. It's a winner with lamb – braised shanks,

Aug 30, 2018

WINE OF THE WEEK: Château de Cruzeau Blanc 2015, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France

£17.99, Waitrose It may seem unlikely that any sort of Bordeaux wine is underrated or not as well known as it should be, but white Bordeaux, whether dry, elegant and complex like this or lusciously sweet and intense like Sauternes, is neglected by great swathes of wine drinkers. There are signs – just – that the dry whites are starting to pick up speed, but there's plenty of room for more, so here's a wine to convert people. It's made entirely from Sauvignon Blanc, giving th

Aug 9, 2018

WINE OF THE WEEK: Zalze Shiraz Mourvèdre Viognier 2016, Western Cape, South Africa

£6 on offer, Morrisons and Asda A richly fruity, spicy red that's a good buy even when not on offer but is a bargain at the offer prices (scroll to the bottom for more offers and stockists). It's a wine that really shows off the virtues of blending. The Shiraz at its heart drenches it in aromas and flavours of sun-warmed blackberries, ripe red fruits and spice, Mourvèdre (15%) adds complexity with darker, more savoury flavours of Mediterranean herbs, spice, wet earth, roast g

Jun 28, 2018

WINE OF THE WEEK: Haut les Mains 2017, Pays d'Oc, Languedoc, France

£6.49, Waitrose and waitrosecellar.com An aromatic dry white from the south of France with the freshness and lusciousness of a perfectly ripe, juicy peach. The components, in descending order, are Viognier, Chardonnay, Vermentino, Mauzac, Muscat and Roussanne, which sounds like a kitchen-sink blend but the wine is far too seamless to be a chance creation or an assembly of leftovers (random and leftovers aren’t producer Benoit Valérie Calvet’s style anyway). It’s unoaked and m

May 30, 2018

WINE OF THE WEEK: Paolo Leo Primitivo di Manduria 2016, Puglia, Italy

£8.24 on offer, Waitrose and Ocado I originally chose a new Argentine Malbec for this week, Tabu 2016 made by Luigi Bosca (fragrant, briary, lightly oaked, £11.99, Waitrose), but this Primitivo, a perennial favourite and a great barbecue wine, is temptingly on offer, down from £10.99 until 12 June when you buy any 6 bottles. Genetically, Primitivo, which originated in Croatia, is the same as California's Zinfandel, but at home in Puglia in southern Italy, way down in the heel