As Christmas approaches we’re all looking for an offer on our wine shopping, and Waitrose’s Fine Wines at £10 promotion is a particularly tempting proposition, with 10 fine wines (plus one tawny Port) across different styles, marked down to just a tenner each. 

This represents a significant discount on the retail price for most of the wines featured – all of these wines will set you back at least £14.99 when not discounted, and the most expensive included in the offer (the Villa Antinori Rosso di Toscana) has a price-tag of £18.99, so a great saving if you’re on the lookout for a Tuscan red to go with your festive meat dishes.

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Classic styles

This Christmas promotion is all about the classics, with the line-up including customer favourites such as Chablis, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Provence Rosé, Rioja and Argentinian Malbec among the featured wines, as well as a sparkling wine and the tawny Port. 

It may seem like a rather conservative selection given the excitement elsewhere in Waitrose’s range – in its excellent Loved & Found discovery range, for example – but it’s the classic styles that are most in demand at this time of year so these are unsurprisingly the focus here. This is not a line-up that is going to broaden your horizons, but without a doubt these wines are great value at this price.

So what were the highlights of the range? Among the whites, the crisply mineral Broglia Gavi di Gavi from Piedmont is delicious, and would be a good match for fish or seafood dishes. And for red, we’d make a beeline for the Aussie Shiraz, The Hedonist, made from McLaren Vale fruit – a full-bodied and richly fruited wine that would be perfect in these freezing winter temperatures.

This year’s promotion runs while stocks last, until 1 January 2024, in most stores and online – at Waitrose.com and Waitrose Cellar. (The exception to this is the Chablis, which is available at the £10 price only until 13 December.) 

Waitrose’s 10 Fine Wines at £10

All wines tasted 21 November 2023. Prices shown here are the full retail prices, and do not reflect this special offer. Some wines might only be available in selected stores. Wines grouped by style and ordered by score, in descending order.

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The buyers for the German-owned supermarket, which established itself in the UK in 1994, do a great job of sourcing small quantities of interesting and well-priced wines for the Wine Tour line-up. Between this and the core range, it offers a comprehensive selection of Old and New World wines across a range of styles.

Lidl Wine Tour

Lidl has made an important change to the frequency of its ‘Wine Tour’ schedule, which until recently changed the focus of its in-store range every two months.

Now, Lidl’s wine range (other than its core wines, which are a permanent fixture on the shelves) will be refreshed every month, meaning that if you like the look of a particular wine featured below, you’d best act quickly!

The Christmas Wine Tour begins on 30 November 2023. Top picks include Alte Vogtei Zu Ravensburg’s Spätburgunder (£9.99), a German Pinot Noir which offers fresh, tangy red fruits, and Santa Rita’s Medalla Real Cabernet Sauvignon (£9.99), a ripe, creamy, dark-fruited red from Chile. 

Also worth picking up is Walter Skoff’s Sauvignon Blanc (£11.99) from Austria, which is full of green fruits, peach and white pepper – a marked difference to your typical New Zealand Sauvignon (see below), and Corte Allodola’s Lugana (£8.99), an Italian white which offers yellow fruit aromas with a peach and herb finish.

You’ll also find more typical festive fare, such as Château les Tuileries Bordeaux (£6.99) and Les Paroisses Châteauneuf-du-Pape. And if you’re after a good value sweet wine, look no further than the Sárga Borház, Késői Szüret Late Harvest Hárslevelü, Tokaji.

I have to admit to not being blown away by the small range of Champagnes available at Lidl – if you’re after some fizz without breaking the bank, instead try the Amorany Cava (£7.99), which offers some funky orange peel and stone fruit aromas and flavours.

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Deluxe wine range

Earlier this year Lidl launched a Deluxe wine range, a logical step, since the Deluxe branding has been on the shelves in UK stores since 2008 in other food and drink lines, and has won a loyal following. 

The Deluxe collection is part of the core range but the wines are geared towards those looking to take the next step in their wine journey: the Deluxe New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc from Awatere in Marlborough (£7.99) is a good pick for new world Sauvignon fans.

The best Lidl wines to drink this winter:

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Ahead of the celebration of its 150th anniversary in 2024, The Wine Society is geared up for a fabulous festive season, with a selection of classics and boundary-pushing styles at an unbeatable price/quality ratio.

Decanter’s Outstanding Wine Retailer of the Year 2023 has persevered in keeping prices stable, malgré tout, providing its members with much needed reassurance against the backdrop of inflation and rising alcohol duty. Time to stock up, before energy prices rise again in January, and let the merriment begin.

Pop that fizz

Much thanks to the tasting acumen and strategic savvy of buyer Sarah Knowles MW, the sparkling section remains strong, with quite a few classic festive bargains up for grabs. While there are plenty of deals covering the obvious appellations – especially the inevitable Champagne – it’s worth exploring the wider fizz selection, with jewels from other geographies offering great, intriguing alternatives. The Vouvray below, for example, with its savoury complexity and incredible persistence, is an absolute steal for less than £15.

White and red

Plunging temperatures might make you think mostly of warning reds but no celebration is complete without a comprehensive selection that includes whites and rosés as well. Serve them as an aperitif, alongside bubbles, or select richer styles for smart food pairings. Our round-up includes many food-friendly whites (and a delicious dark-hued pink from Tavel), perfect for the celebratory table and winter blues.

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Classics and mavericks

The Wine Society never fails to deliver a wide and interesting line up from go-to regions. This winter is no exception and one can easily select from an appealing range from Chianti, Rioja, Bordeaux and Burgundy, many of which will make for great, uncontentious gifts.

But while the retailer is known for consistently delivering on classics – notably though its comprehensive own-label range, strongly represented below, for which it has enlisted some top producers – the retailer has also become a champion of maverick and unexplored regions. All to the benefit of its members who can choose from an ever-more exciting selection of Eastern European, Austrian, Swiss, Greek, and overlooked French, Spanish and Portuguese appellations.

Some producers stand out and it’s good to see them gaining better footing in the UK market thanks to The Wine Society. Jurtschitsch (Kamptal, Austria), Kolonics (Somló, Hungary) and Thymioupoulos (Naoussa, Greece) are among the many names worth seeking out.

Fortified and sweet

Two other categories of compulsory exploration on the company’s website – ahead of the festive season and otherwise – are sweets and fortifieds. From outstanding sherries for less than a tenner to warming LBV Ports, by way of intriguing and luscious sticky pours, there really is someone for everyone. Again, it’s worth thinking ‘outside the box’ and seeking out alternatives to the go-to regions and/or producers. Or you might miss out on great-value jewels such as Sánchez Romate’s Fino and Oloroso.

There’s absolutely no excuse for a Christmas cheese served without a proper and interesting pairing.

Inside the box

TWS also has a great selection of curated cases (both wine-only and including food treats) and classy hampers. These will work either as ready-made party kits or thoughtful and stylish gifts. Reflecting the variety of its range there are cases for explorers (Adventurers’ Case, £62/6 bottles) and non-risk takers alike (Members’ Favourites, £94/12 bottles; Wine Champion Winners Reds Case, £55/6 bottles). If you feel like you can somewhat stretch the budget try The Ultimate Christmas Day Case (£156), with a selection of six fantastic bottles. There’s even a Gin and Tonic case, complete with dry olive slices for garnish and accompanying snacks.

The Wine Society: top buys this Winter

All wines tasted 28 September 2023. Prices do not reflect any special or multi-buy offers.
Prices are accurate at the time of writing

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You might assume that because Tesco is the UK’s largest supermarket, the wines will be commercial, uninspiring and mass-produced, aimed at the shopper who doesn’t really care what they’re drinking and simply makes a beeline for the latest offer. Happily that’s not the case. Although, like any supermarket, Tesco has its share of cheap and dull wines, its wine department is excellent at sourcing bottles across all styles that offer personality, interest and quality. And its purchasing power means that they are often keenly priced too – and that’s before any discounts for Tesco Clubcard holders or ‘25% off when you buy six bottles’ promotions.

Scroll down for scores and tasting notes of the best Tesco wines

The recent press tasting of the autumn/winter 2023 range confirms that the retailer continues to go from strength to strength in terms of its wine offering. The tasting showcased 150 wines: even that was only a snapshot of the total range, but it included a number of new vintages, and 18 wines that were completely new to the range, many perfect for drinking over the winter months. 

Tesco Finest own-labels

As usual, Tesco’s own-label Finest wines, made in partnership with a variety of respected producers and cooperatives, feature prominently in our recommendations. The retailer works hard to ensure that these expressions of classic styles are priced competitively and show good typicity, and they’re a great way to explore different regional styles from both Old and New World, at all price levels. Highlights in the current line-up include 2017 vintage Champagne (£30), the spicy, nutty Viña del Cura white Rioja (£10), the cranberry-scented Central Otago Pinot Noir (£14), perfect to accompany your Christmas turkey, and the robust Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe (£21), a Rhône classic at an affordable price. Tesco is in the process of unveiling new label designs for many of its Finest wines – many of  which are already available in store, with the remainder launching before next spring. 

Respected estates

There are many leading estates behind Tesco’s Finest – Baron de Ley, for instance, who makes the white Rioja name-checked above, and Symington Family Estates, renowned for its portfolio of famous Port names and the big name behind the delicious and great-value 2013 Finest Vintage Port (£22). But beyond the own-labels, Tesco’s range includes many more wines from well-respected producers, including Australia’s Penfolds (with its Father Grand Tawny fortified wine at £26), Pomerol’s Clos l’Eglise with its second wine Esprit de l’Eglise 2013, £25 (note the bottle age – a great one to crack open over the holidays), and California Rhône ranger Bonny Doon with its stunning, £17 white blend, Le Cigare Blanc (the red is also excellent). These are all estates with a good reputation, and worth seeking out.

Spectrum of styles

At this time of year more than any other, wine lovers are reaching for a wide variety of styles, from sparkling wine and Champagne, through dry whites, rosé and reds, to sweet and fortified wines. 

Let’s start with bubbly. The elegantly packaged Cava Segura Viudas is perfect for parties, affordable at £12 a bottle, but made using the Champagne method and displaying toasty, yellow apple fruit flavours. Or for something more upmarket, why not reach for the Louis Pommery English Sparkling wine (£28), to see what a Champagne producer can achieve on this side of the Channel? If sparkling rosé is more your preference, look to Provence producer Mirabeau for its rose-tinted La Folie fizz (£14).

Refreshing whites include the delicious, peachy and steely dry Riesling (£13) from leading German estate Schloss Vollrads, and Gérard Bertrand’s full-flavoured, lemony Picpoul de Pinet (£12.50) – the latter would work a treat with your Christmas seafood platter. Meanwhile Sauvignon Blanc fans are spoiled for choice: options include the Garuma Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc (£11) from Chile’s Leyda, and two crackers from Marlborough, Cru’s classy Smith & Sheth Sauvignon Blanc (£18) and the more affordable Yealands Sauvignon Blanc (£10). For Chardonnay lovers – the Petit Chablis is great value at £16.50, made by the region’s leading and well-respected co-operative UVC. 

Before moving to reds, a mention for Domaine d’Arbousset’s Tavel Rosé (£12.50), a deeper shade of pink, a fuller style but still fresh, juicy and dry – perfect for the colder months. Among the reds recommended below, a good-value southern Rhône wine made by the same producer, Domaine d’Arbousset’s Lirac (£12). Whizzing over to the New World, Tesco has a very strong selection from Chile and Argentina, including two Chilean own-labels (Finest Carmenere at £9, and Finest Merlot at £8.50) and a new Malbec from the Uco Valley, Gran Mascota (£14).

Lastly, it’s the holidays, so a great excuse to indulge in some sweet wine, Sherry and Port. Why not try serving the Finest Sauternes (£13.50) as an aperitif, with chicken liver on toast, instead of with the dessert course? Or pick up a half-bottle of the treacly Finest Pedro Ximénez (£6.50), probably the sweetest wine you’ve ever tried, and just bursting with the flavours of Christmas.

Old favourites

The 30 wines below are a tiny selection from Tesco’s enormous wine range, curated so that shoppers scrolling through on their mobile phones in the wine aisle aren’t overwhelmed. Inevitably this means that some old favourites have to make way for new recommendations. No room to include a full recommendation below, but those wines still on the shelves and previously recommended by Decanter include Loire Cabernet Franc, Les Terrases, from the appellation of St Nicolas de Bourgeuil, which is full of lively berry fruit and a hint of pepper, and only 12.5% alcohol – perfect for those who prefer a lighter style of red. Still on red, I’d also pick out the Finest Trilogy Malbec (£13), made by Catena; and Howard Park’s Margaret River Cabernet (£12). And for parties, the great-value Bergerac red, Eglise Saint Jacques (£7). Lastly, on the sweet side, the Finest Dessert Semillon is made by respected Aussie producer De Bortoli and is a complete bargain at £6.75 for a half-bottle.

Top wine buys at Tesco:

The 30 recommendations that follow are mainly new wines and new vintages tasted by Natalie Earl and Amy Wislocki in October 2023 at Tesco’s Autumn/Winter 2023 press tasting in London, as well as a few wines tasted by the Decanter tastings team at the spring/summer press tasting that are still available. All bottle prices are correct at time of publication.

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These days Laithwaites wine portfolio almost exclusively operate within the £12 to £25 price range, comprising wines from producers around the world.

Below you’ll find some wine recommendations to enjoy with family and friends this winter.

Sustainability

In 2022, Laithwaites saw itself doubling down on sustainability, with the aim of halving its carbon footprint by 2030. It committed to increase the number of UK-bottled wines in its range to help cut down on CO2 emissions from shipping glass bottles – shipping in bulk in large ‘bags’ drastically reduces the weight of the same volume of wine.

Other examples of the company’s efforts to improve its sustainability credentials included the release of the second wine in its ‘W/O’ range, an organic Lucido (better known as Catarratto) from Sicily. Bottled in ‘wild’ (100% recycled) glass and corked without a plastic capsule, it featured a fully biodegradable label made using a single colour printing process on environmentally friendly pulp. Information on the wine is accessed via a QR code.

In September 2023, Direct Wines (owner of UK retail arms Laithwaites Wine and Averys) was announced as Decanter’s Green Champion, thanks to its ‘comprehensive’ action plan across many aspects of the business, from packaging to transport, training and biodiversity.

From strength to strength

Over the last few years, the range seems to have gone from strength to strength, and I’ve noticed a general uptick in quality. In 2023, it’s still easy to find over-oaked wines, but there is a far greater variety that not only covers the classics – such as Bernard Moreau’s Bourgogne Rouge – but also does a great job of introducing customers to weird, wonderful and off the beaten track wines. Two such examples I’ve recommended below are Tommasone’s Biancolella from the island of Ischia, and Kutjevo’s De Gotho Graševina from Croatia.

Most of the samples I tasted from the summer 2023 range were between £10 and £20, and there’s plenty to enjoy, but – a word of caution – quality is a lot more variable when you dip below £10.

Laithwaites wines are predominantly sold online and via wine clubs, but the retailer also has a smattering of stores around the south of the UK, including in London, Beaconsfield, Gloucester, Reading, Banbury and Windsor.

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This winter, Asda has again placed a focus on value for money but also seasonally appropriate wines. You’ll find rich whites and warming reds on the shelves, as well as a trio of new grower Champagnes – Veuve Olivier ‘Secret de Cave’ NV is included in the winter recommendations, below.

In addition, two new 2014 vintage Champagnes (below) impressed, along with the always-reliable Bollinger.

From Asda’s range of still wines, I was most impressed by the Extra Special Languedoc Blanc (vibrant, zesty stone fruits) and Perrin et Fils’ Les Cardinaux Rouge (peppery red and black fruits) from the Rhône.

There’s some serious value to be had in Asda’s ‘Extra Special’ own-label range, but if you can push the budget a little higher it’s definitely worth trading up in most cases.

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Waitrose holds two press tastings every year, one in the spring and one in the autumn, to showcase new lines, new vintages and new innovations. The autumn 2023 tasting included 42 entirely new lines and 31 new vintages of existing lines.

In Decanter’s 2023 Retailer Awards, Waitrose was once again runner-up in the Supermarket of the Year category, just pipped at the post by Marks & Spencer. It was also runner-up in the England & Wales Specialist Retailer of the Year category, as it does great work for English and Welsh wine by offering a diverse selection from these areas.

The supermarket’s buyers have added some fantastic new choices for the festive season, with a wide selection from classic regions such as Bordeaux, Rhône and across Italy, as well as a smattering of more esoteric examples or little-known wine regions.

A period of warmth and sunshine into September meant that Waitrose’s red wine sales were slower than expected for this time of year as shoppers ‘were trading into rosé for longer,’ says Waitrose wine buyer Poppy de Courcy-Wheeler. However with the autumnal weather returning, Waitrose now has some excellent choices of fuller-bodied reds and richer whites on offer.

Fuller styles for winter

The stylistic melting pot of the south of France has much to offer and a particular highlight from the tasting was the Waitrose, Loved & Found Carignan Blanc, and de Courcy-Wheeler says ‘this is the sort of parcel which to me is really exciting, and I would like to do more of these style projects’.

Fuller-bodied, more opulent whites are a great pick for chillier weather and hearty food, so the Les Vins de Vienne, St-Péray – a Marsanne/Roussanne blend whose concentrated and creamy notes of peach and honeysuckle are balanced by nutty complexity – is a top choice.

The supermarket has brought in a number of wines especially for the festive period, hitting the nail on the head with the Bordeaux parcel this year: at £15.99, the Château Liversan, Haut-Médoc 2015 is the one to buy, with its ripe cassis fruit well balanced with its tertiary characters. Not only that, it is also included in the 1o at £10 selection, meaning shoppers will be able to snap it up for just £10 a bottle when the promotion starts.

A few other strong classics would make snazzy additions to the dinner table this Christmas, such as the Domaine Chatelain, Pouilly-Fumé 2022, whose bright aromatics and weighty palate make it a great food wine, ‘which feels appropriate for the time of year,’ says Waitrose wine buyer Imogen Bowen-Davies

Waitrose’s full wine range hasn’t grown, but the new lines and new vintages have filled out areas that might otherwise have been gaps. As a result, ‘what we have done over the last year, and will continue to do a little bit, is just slim down the range’, says Jamie Matthewson, wine trading manager at the retailer. At the same time, the team is also looking to ‘make the fine wine range more fine’, he says.

The place to look for more esoteric wines, older vintages or something a bit more niche is Waitrose Cellar, which does list wines that are not available in any of the shops.

Waitrose’s Loved & Found range remains a source of interesting and great value wines from lesser-known grape varieties, well worth discovering. The ever-changing range currently includes an exotically aromatic Zibibbo white from Sicily (£8.99), ideal to pair with spicy dishes.

Waitrose has plans to expand its Blueprint and No 1 ranges next year, aiming to bring good quality, lighter alcohol wine from more unknown regions under the umbrella of these reliable ranges, for example Eastern Europe, Greece and Portugal which are all growing in popularity with the retailer’s customers.

The ethical consumer

Waitrose places real importance on sustainability. It continues to move more and more of its range from small glass bottles to cans, saving 320 tonnes of glass per year from its supply chain. According to Matthewson, this category continues to grow, as does bag-in-box, thanks to the quality of the wine that can now be found in this packaging. He says that there’s a different generation of people who don’t see the format as anything other than simply packaging.

It has also recently introduced capsule-less bottles, particularly to the Loved & Found range. It is the first UK supermarket to remove plastic and foil sleeves from the bottle necks, in a bid to cut unnecessary packaging, and it estimates that it will cut the amount of packaging used by half a tonne annually.

Waitrose is also invested in reducing the weight of its wine bottles and has committed to reduce the average bottle weight across the range for 75cl to 420g by the end of 2026.

Waitrose & Partners: top buys this autumn

The recommendations that follow are a mix of new wines and new vintages tasted by Natalie Earl in October 2023 at the Waitrose Autumn 2023 press tasting in London, and wines tasted by the Decanter tastings team at previous press tastings that are still available. All bottle prices are correct at time of publication. Wines are grouped by style and ordered by score, in descending order. 

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Champagne Bruno Paillard is one of the region’s most distinctive small houses, founded in 1981 by a personality who has remained at the very top of Champagne’s machinery over the last 30 years, and is one of the region’s most prominent statesmen.

Bruno Paillard has been closely involved with protecting Champagne’s name around the world, not only as former communications director for the Comité Champagne (the region’s governing body), but also as chairman of Lanson-BCC (a group which includes not only Champagne Lanson but also a number of other prominent houses such as Philipponnat and De Venoge).

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for two new Bruno Paillard releases

Tasting notes and scores for the new Bruno Paillard releases

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Raise your glass for the festive season with Rosé Champagne at £25.5, or Haut-Médoc claret at £14.75. The Decanter team has put together a value lineup from UK supermarket chain Co-op for the festive season, ranging from the seasonal classics to offbeat explorations. The majority of our selection is under £15.

Ten years on, the Les Pionniers Vintage Champagne 2013, by Piper-Heidsieck, impresses with its complex yeasty palate and richness on the nose.

Also from the classics league, Château Lamothe-Bergeron 2018 of the Left Bank is a reliable choice for hearty red meat feasts. Opt for sour cherry-driven Santa Vittoria’s Barolo 2018 and Villa Boscorotondo Chianti Classico 2020 for tomato-based dishes.

The Chilean Irresistible Pinot Noir 2021, from Co-op’s own private label range, is a more delicate, lighter food wine option at just £8.

Nautilus’s Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2022 is another one of our favourites that elevates your usual ‘fragrant and crisp’ experience with this grape. Château Olivier’s Le Dauphin 2021, of Pessac-Léognan, is an excellent comparison in style, which boasts weight and spices thanks to blending partner Sémillon and oak ageing.

For those seeking something different for the dinner table, try the juicy, dark fruit-flavoured Irresistible País of Bío Bío Valley, Chile, or the rose potpourri-scented Irresistible La Courbe from Valais – the supermarket chain’s first-ever Swiss wine.

And we can always return to the solid Irresistible Pedro Ximenez Sherry for a comforting dessert alternative, or for sipping next to the fireplace.

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It was a welcome return to form at the Marks & Spencer autumn/winter wine tasting, which featured 124 sparkling, sweet, fortified and table wines, 42 of them new.

With sales growth, profits and the share price up, renewed vigour has extended to the retailer’s wine department, whose range (overhauled over the past few years) is now far more diverse and value-driven.

Scroll down for tasting notes and scores of the best Marks & Spencer buys for autumn and winter

After three years heading up this transformation of Marks & Spencer’s drinks division, Andrew Shaw is stepping down at the end of October, happy that the wider team, including winebuyers Dror Nativ, Sue Daniels and Belinda Kleinig, have an improved range to trade.

And the transformation has not gone unnoticed, with Marks & Spencer winning Supermarket of the Year at the 2023 Decanter Retailer Awards for the first time since 2016 – something the outgoing Shaw was especially proud of. ‘We were ecstatic to win Decanter Supermarket of the Year – it’s an endorsement of the positive steps we have taken on the range, the in-store experience and our reputation.’

The autumn/winter tasting welcomed the new 12-strong Expressions range: single-varietal wines from well-known regions but made from less-familiar grapes. While it is a good line-up in the main, starting from just £7, the premise seems very similar to that of the Found range which showcases ‘unexpected and undiscovered varieties’. Indeed, many popular Found wines are now repackaged under an Expressions label, such as the excellent Ribolla Gialla from Italy (£7).

It is just one of the great-value Italian whites in this new range (there are 11 new Italian whites in all), which also include the Roero Arneis, Falanghina and Pecorino (£9 each). The Expressions reds are less successful.

Budget and spalsh-out buys

More than half of the 90 still wines in the current Marks & Spencer range are £10 and under, with nearly a third earmarked to be £8 or less ahead of Christmas. For £7, the 2022 Familia Castaño Old Vines Organic Monastrell Rosado from Yecla in Spain (now repackaged with an eye-catching label) remains a top buy, as does the 2021 Quinta de Fafide Douro Reserva (£10).

If you have a bit more to spend, the 2020 Etna Rosso from Sicily (£12) punches well above its weight and the 2022 Balfour Pinot Noir from Kent (£22) shows that England can produce top red wines too.

Champagne and sparkling wine is usually a strong point at Marks & Spencer, particularly ahead of the festive season but, of the 23 wines on show, disappointingly only four were new. We recommend the two new non-vintage English wines – Digby’s Leander Pink (£32) and Hambledon Vineyard’s Chalk Hills (£35) below.

Nothing new among the sweet and fortified wines either, however their higher sugar and alcohol contents helps preserve their vibrancy and shelf life. In addition to the 2016 L’Or du Ciron Sauternes (£14/37.5cl), Martinez Dolce Superiore Riserva Marsala (£8/37.5cl), Lustau Pedro Ximénez Sherry (£9/37.5cl) and Special Reserve Port Decanter from Taylor’s (£15/50cl) listed below, Decanter’s previous recommendations of the M&S Classics Rich Cream Sherry (£9), 5 Year Old Madeira (£12) and 10 Year Old Tawny Port (£18) remain great buys in the run up to Christmas.

Marks & Spencer wines to try this summer

Of the following 30 recommendations, 25 are wines tasted at the 2023 Autumn/Winter tasting in September and the others are from older tastings but still available. Wines are available from one or both of M&S (in store and on online) or Ocado (online only).

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As temperatures drop and the clock changes, the countdown to Christmas begins.

With almost 500 stores across the UK,  Morrisons is a major player in the supermarket sector and its value wine offering never fails to impress. Ahead of the holiday season, Morrisons is currently running a ‘buy three get 25% off‘ campaign among its ‘The Best’ wine range – the supermarket chain’s private label series that presents classic regions and grapes from around the globe at a reasonable price. For entry-level food charmers, there are also affordable options featuring familiar grape varieties at just £6.

The Decanter team has again hand-picked some of its favourites from the Morrisons autumn and winter offerings. The majority of the selection is under £20, and a third of the wines are under £10.

From the fizzy sector, the complex and creamy Champagne Charles Clément Brut NV presents an unmissable deal. The English Sparkling Wine 2010 from ‘The Best’ lineup is an excellent example of the quality potential of aged English wines – stock up while it’s available.

If you are seeking the all-time classics, our recommendations also encompass ‘The Best’ Chablis, Barolo, Rioja Reserva, Chianti Classico and Bordeaux Supérieur.

Venture into wines from the Southern Hemisphere with The Best South African Sauvignon Blanc for a tropical nose combined with a crunchy palate. A new addition to the Morrisons South Africa lineup, Capeography Co’s Cape White Blend, from the Western Cape, boasts a textured, fulfilling style. Opt for the Roodeberg Red, a multi-faceted blend driven by Cabernet and Syrah, for a sweet-spiced but elegant food wine.

The top value buy this season has to be Villa Verde’s Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2022. At just £6, it offers well-balanced fruits and textural interests that would work nicely with hearty red meat dishes.

To complete your festive feast, nothing rivals a comforting sweet wine. The 2018 vintage of the elegant, citrusy Botrytis Semillon and the intoxicatingly rich Pedro Ximenez from ‘The Best’ range are value choices with reliable quality.

And finally, if you are up for the celebration but don’t want the alcohol, go for the cheerful Alcohol-Free Sparkling Rosé by Kylie Minogue – a surprisingly fresh bubbly blend of wine and green tea.

The best Morrisons wines to try:

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A recent tasting of wines from Sainsbury’s autumn/winter 2023 line-up included plenty of bottles that are perfect to enjoy on chilly evenings. They range from full-bodied whites and festive fizz, to food-friendly reds for winter feasts and Christmas lunch – plus Port and Sherry.

As usual, the supermarket’s own-label Taste the Difference range does a great job of covering many classic regions and styles at affordable prices, from Amarone to Argentinian Malbec. Meanwhile the Sainsbury’s Discovery Collection offers hidden gems and interesting bottles for wine lovers to explore. This more adventurous, limited-edition selection includes a versatile Italian white Verdeca from Puglia (£8.50) and a great value Minervois made by top Languedoc winemaker Jean-Claude Mas at £11 (see below for tasting notes).

‘This Minervois is Christmas in a glass!’ says head of wine buying Georgie Haughton, who chose it as one of her star buys in the new seasonal range. ‘It’s full-bodied, rich and warming, and offers a great alternative to Malbec for those customers who want to branch out.’

Stars buys

Other star picks from the Sainsbury’s buying team include Taste the Difference 10-Year-Old Tawny Port, chosen by product developer Louise Lynch. ‘This style of Port is fully matured in seasoned oak casks and over many years of ageing, the wine gradually takes on its characteristic amber “tawny” colour, slowly developing the complex mellow flavours and the smooth luscious palate, which are the hallmarks of tawny Port. It is delicious with blue cheeses, fruit cake and creamy desserts like crème brûlée,’ she adds.

For me, the French and Italian ranges are particularly strong this year. Taste the Difference Beaujolais Supérieur 2022 hugely over-delivers for its £11 price tag. Pricier, but still good value are Taste the Difference Amarone 2020 (£20) and newcomer Piccini Badia al Colle Brunello di Montalcino 2018 (£26) – both hearty winter reds.

Sainsbury’s is also taking on budget supermarkets Aldi and Lidl with its value wines. Look out for Taste the Difference Zurriago Malbec 2022, made for Sainsbury’s by Argento – a steal at £7. Another wallet-friendly Argentinian red is Trapiche’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 (£8.50).

Sparkling and lower alcohol

To kick off your festive celebrations, Sainsbury’s sparkling selection roams from organic Prosecco and Champagne to New World fizzes from England and South Africa. If you want a wallet-friendly alternative to Champagne, seek out regional French crémants – the two bottles recommended below, from Bordeaux and Burgundy, are really enjoyable good value options.

For anyone watching their alcohol intake, I’ve also picked two wines that have a naturally lower abv – without sacrificing flavour. White wine drinkers can choose Elia Côtes de Gascogne 2022 from Gascony in France (£8.50) at 9% abv. While fans of reds should buy Italian Taste the Difference Marzemino Trentino 2021 (£9.75),  a lighter red at 12%.

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Best Sainsbury’s wines

Tasting notes come from the Sainsbury’s autumn/winter 2023 tasting. Wines from older tastings have also been included if the wine is still available in store or online. All bottle prices are correct at time of publication. 

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Supermarket Aldi showcased 147 sparkling and still wines in its 2023 UK autumn/winter collection, 65 of them new.

With prices starting from £3.45 for the Spanish non-vintage Baron St Jean Blanc (made from the neutral Airen grape) to £21.99 for the Veuve Monsigny, Premier Cru Champagne NV (which Decanter recommended in October 2022 and is still available), the focus of this German supermarket chain, as always, is on affordable quality.

Scroll down for scores and tasting notes of the best Aldi wines

As with all UK supermarket buyers, Josh Heley (still wines) and Andy Maxwell (sparkling and fortified wines), have the difficult task of delivering a versatile wine range amid the ongoing cost of living crisis.

August’s 20% increase in duty (44p per 75cl bottle on wines between 11.5% and 14.5% alcohol to £2.67) has played its part. For example, the blue-label 2022 Buenas Vides, Specially Selected Argentinian Malbec has increased by £1 since Decanter last tasted it in March – from £6.29 to £7.29.

However this and the even better 2021 Buenas Vides, Specially Selected Argentinian Malbec (confusingly with the same name, but a black label) are still two of the best buys in the Aldi range. The black-label version has remained at £8.99 too, so represents even better value by comparison.

Despite the buyers’ drive ‘to deliver new and exciting products’, somewhat disappointingly some of the most recommendable wines from this tasting were not new listings to the Aldi range – or even new vintages of existing wines in the core range – but the same vintage of the same wine which Decanter has recommended following portfolio tastings in April 2023 and October 2022.

The best and the rest on the shelf

Along with the aforementioned black-label Specially Selected Argentinian Malbec and Premier Cru Champagne, these 10 Decanter recommended wines are still available and worth seeking out (listed below, under the 20 new recommendations):

• Costellore, Specially Selected Extra Dry Prosecco Valdobbiadene Superiore NV
• Filos Estate Greek Chardonnay 2022
• Wrong Turn, South African Fernão Pires 2022
• Chassaux et Fils, Specially Selected Picpoul de Pinet 2022
• Kooliburra, Specially Selected Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2022
• Mimo Moutinho, Dão Touriga Nacional 2021
• Bekaa, Specially Selected Lebanese Red 2020
• Chassaux et Fils, Specially Selected Cairanne 2021
• Cambalala, Specially Selected South African Merlot 2021
• Specially Selected Pedro Ximénez Sherry

Wines still on shelves that Decanter has previously recommended but which are now looking tired include: Chassaux et Fils, Specially Selected Ventoux Rosé 2022; Freeman’s Bay, Specially Selected Riesling Blush 2022 and Beachfront, Specially Selected Californian Pinot Noir 2021.

While its continuing success against high street competitors proves Aldi knows its market, unnecessarily high residual sugar – perceived or actual – in a large number of new and core wines mask their varietal and/or regional typicity, particularly at lower price points and among the sparkling wines.

On a positive note – though you’ll have to wait until they’re on shelves in November – some familiar favourites have returned for the festive season. Highlights are the Bowler & Brolly, Winemaster’s Lot English Sparkling Wine and the Chassaux et Fils, Specially Selected Crémant de Bordeaux Rosé, both non vintage, as well as Chassaux et Fils’ Specially Selected Sauternes 2019 and Fletcher’s 10 Year Old Tawny Port.

In January 2023, Aldi made the controversial decision to stop all of its online operations. This means its current range is only available to purchase at one of its 990 UK stores, 200 of which offer a click-and-collect service.

Aldi wines: Decanter’s pick of the best buys

Of the following 30 recommendations, 20 are wines tasted at the 2023 Autumn/Winter tasting in September and the others are from older tastings but still available in store.

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Majestic’s latest press tasting showcased an eclectic range of wines, including many that are perfectly suited to summer drinking. More than 60 new lines and parcels were on show, along with new vintages of existing Majestic listings.

Scroll down to see Majestic wines tasted & rated

The retailer is focusing on growth in its wider strategy, with changes to its range and new store openings planned for this year, including a new smaller-format branch in Harpenden, which opened in April.

The dual pricing system on wines remains, whereby higher, single bottle prices apply where customers buy up to five bottles at any one time. When customers buy six or more bottles (any mix of bottles is fine), the lower Mix Any Six price applies. There is sometimes a considerable difference between the two prices, so it really is worth waiting until you want to buy at least six bottles before visiting Majestic (or its website, which operates the same pricing policy).

Chosen by Majestic

At this time of year thoughts invariably turn to lighter styles, and there’s plenty to inspire on that front, including several wines in the retailer’s new Chosen by Majestic range, which launched this June and was previewed at the press tasting.

The range initially features 11 new wines from Europe, that sit at a lower price point than retailer’s existing Definition own-label offering. More wines will be added to the range later this year, including releases from the Southern Hemisphere. The range aims to offer ‘quality wines at everyday low prices to help customers on tighter budgets discover new wines they will love,’ says the retailer.

All wines in the Chosen by Majestic range are suitable for vegans, and available for less than £10 a bottle at mix-six prices. Sustainability has also been at the heart of the sourcing process, with the buying team ensuring that, wherever possible, bottles are lightweight in order to reduce emissions.

Majestic placed customer trends and buying habits at the heart of the decision-making process when curating its new range. At a time when shoppers are buying into more aromatic white wines, with Greek and Austrian wines growing 20% year-on-year so far in 2023/24, the buying team has introduced a fragrant and peppery Gruner Veltliner made by Winzer Krems, a co-operative that Majestic has been working with for five years.

Another exciting new addition is Majestic’s first ever own-label Greek White, made by the Kintonis family, in the Peloponnese. The blend of Malagousia, Roditis and Assyrtiko is made with grapes sourced from high-altitude vineyards, and is a crisp, aromatic wine that is perfect for summer. The Chosen by Majestic Muscadet is another good-value buy, showing good typicity for the price and perfect to enjoy with shellfish or seafood on a balmy summer evening.

Other highlights

Standout wines beyond the new Chosen by Majestic range included the new 2022 vintage of Château d’Estoublon’s Roseblood, an elegant and complex Provence rosé with structure and lovely aromatics. The packaging is elegant, there are some star names behind the launch (the first vintage was 2021), and it’s a must-try for those who are willing to spend £15-£20 on their rosé.

If you favour a fuller, oakier style of white, even in summer, make a beeline for the Rully or Villiera’s old-vine Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc – both spicy, toasty and rich in style. The Chenin Blanc is a limited parcel, so may not be around for long.

Fans of full-bodied reds are also spoiled for choice, with a sweet-fruited Gigondas to savour, a new Ribera del Duero aged in oak for 409 days, a Syrah-dominant blend from talented South African winemaker Marc Kent, and an old-vine Barossa Shiraz made in a modern, super-drinkable style.

Lastly, a shout-out for the 2014-vintage claret from Château Fontesteau – this new wine provides real interest, and tertiary character, at a competitive price.

National Wine Retailer of the Year

Majestic scooped the National Wine Retailer of the year award in Decanter’s 2022 Retailer Awards, for the second year running.

Commenting on this win, the Retailer Awards judges said: ‘Continuing its laudable renaissance, Majestic’s range is once again a joy to peruse, from classics to new-wave bottles. The retailer is supporting diversity initiatives and charity, running tastings, helping recycle corks, and it recently launched a new Wine Club focusing on themed cases four times a year for subscribing members.’

It was also voted Runner-Up in the Portugal Specialist category, and Runner-Up South Africa Specialist. The recommendations below include wines from both countries.

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Top picks from Majestic’s current range:

The 30 recommendations that follow are a mix of new wines and new vintages tasted by Amy Wislocki in May 2023 at Majestic’s Spring/Summer 2023 press tasting in London, and wines tasted by the Decanter tastings team at previous press tastings that are still available. All bottle prices are correct at time of publication.

All prices listed below are single-bottle prices. There are savings to be made, sometimes significant, when you buy a minimum of six bottles (any mix). The mix-six prices are given within the individual tasting notes.

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Founded by Joe Coulombe in 1967 in Pasadena, California, Trader Joe’s is a specialty grocery store chain with an almost cult-like following. Its 500-plus retail locations have a fraction of the footprint of a traditional grocery store, while the focus is on a tight assortment of both nationwide branded products and Trader Joe’s proprietary products developed by their internal product teams.

The store boasts a nautical theme from the team members’ Hawaiian shirt uniforms to a ship’s bell at the customer service desk, and fish netting decor throughout the store. Alcoholic beverages have always been a key part of the assortment, specifically with the wildly popular and now legendary Charles Shaw wine aka ‘Two Buck Chuck’ that retailed for $1.99. Trader Joe’s now boasts a $3.99 version made from organic grapes.

Annually, 40 million bottles of wine are sold at Trader Joe’s and its private label wines include the various levels of the Reserve range. Says Chris Condit, category leader of wine: ‘The entry point is the Petit Reserve. It’s a small price, under $10, for what we think are wonderful wines. We find a beautiful Chardonnay out of Lodi or a great Zinfandel out of Sonoma Valley.

‘Reserve tier is our $9.99 retail price point. And those tend to be pretty serious wines from pretty serious places. The grand reserve is our $12.99 price point. The Platinum Reserve retails for $14.99. The highest level is the Diamond Reserve that’s $19.99, but those wines might be $60, $70, or $80 on someone else’s label.’

Many wines on the Trader Joe’s shelves are fruit-forward, meant to drink now, and are not suitable for ageing. In fact, Tara Miller, vice president of marketing, says that the stacks of wine in the centre of the wine section ‘are the wines that sell at the highest rate; at the fastest rate’. These are purchase today, drink today wines, for the ‘convenience-focused’ shopper.

Top picks from Trader Joe’s

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Established in 1992, the Fairtrade Foundation’s distinctive logo was something of a curiosity when it first began appearing on our bottles of wine (and bags of coffee, bars of chocolate, bunches of bananas…).

Scroll down to see our selection of the best Fairtrade wines

Today, however, it is surely one of the world’s most recognisable trademarks, it pronouncing that whichever product finds its way into your shopping basket has been made in a more sustainable and ethical manner, or, as Fairtrade itself says, it’s about ‘better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms for farmers and workers around the world’.

Other than guaranteeing a minimum price for its in excess of 1.9 million farmers and growers when they sell their products, the Fairtrade initiative also provides extra funds which are invested into local, environmentally friendly initiatives (this Fairtrade premium amounted to £169m in 2020).

The polish and quality of Fairtrade wines continue to soar, so in celebration of Fairtrade Fortnight (which runs 27 February to 12 March) we’ve picked out some recommendations for you.

Our Fairtrade wines recommendations:

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Kroger is the largest grocery retailer in the United States. With its recently announced merger with Albertsons, it now has a total of 4,996 stores in 48 states plus Washington DC. The business is America’s generalist grocery store covering many categories, including wine. Assortments in each store may vary and are tailored to the geographical location and local customers.

Wine is merchandised simply and with no frills. You will rarely see a shelf-talker with tasting notes or score. There are just shelves and shelves of wine with pricing listed below each bottle. As with many grocers, you’ll find large national wine brands at eye level, with lower prices brands lower on the shelves and higher priced brands on the higher shelves.

The product mix for wine at Kroger is broad. There is a large selection of wine in alternative formats (boxed, canned and large format/jug wine, for example) but the predominant selection is wine in 750ml bottles.

Decanter’s selection of top Kroger wines to try

The wines below are a current selection from the Kroger portfolio. Wines reviewed may not be available in all Kroger retail locations. 

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Supermarket own-label wines feature frequently in Decanter’s recommendations and reviews, because they provide notable consistency and value for money.

While it is difficult to make great Champagne cheaply – it is a labour-intensive process, after all – there are still gems to be found on supermarket shelves under their own-label brands.

If you’re looking for recognisable names, the grandes marques can of course also be found in supermarkets.

Scroll down to see the top value UK supermarket Champagne to seek out

Recent reports of Champagne shortages, attributed to high demand coupled with the length of time it takes to replenish stock, are a concern, but as it stands UK supermarkets are currently well stocked and offering their usual selection of own-brand and grandes marques labels.

That being said, there are are impressive Champagne alternatives in supermarkets that go beyond Prosecco, such as Crémant de Bourgogne and English Sparkling.

Looking for bubbles and feeling adventurous? Check out these 15 offbeat sparkling wines

The selection below lists Champagnes from most of the key UK supermarkets. This includes Aldi, Booths, Co-op, Lidl, Marks & Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose.

Champagne styles

There are a number of factors which influence the style of Champagne, including grapes, vintage, colour and sweetness.

The majority of the supermarket Champagne in the list below is non-vintage, with a few vintage examples.

Blanc de Blancs Champagnes offer the pure, citrus character of Chardonnay, for example the Tesco, Finest Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs 2015. Whereas Blanc de Noirs offers a richer, red-fruited character, like Waitrose own Blanc de Noirs Brut made from 100% Pinot Noir.

Prepared to splash out this Christmas? See the Best vintage and non-vintage Champagnes to try

The best supermarket Champagne to try:

The wines below have been tasted and rated by the Decanter editorial team, and are ordered by colour and score.

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Costco Wholesale is a membership-only big-box retailer that started in Seattle in 1983.

Its 834 stores can be found in the US, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Japan and the UK, among others, offering grocery and home goods, electronics, furniture, pharmacy, optical – and even tyres.

Costco’s USP is the strength of its private-label programme, Kirkland Signature, which is named after the location of Costco’s original headquarters in Kirkland, a Seattle suburb. The range generated $58 billion in sales the last fiscal year, which makes up a quarter of Costco’s overall revenue.

On the wine side, Costco is one of the largest retailers in the world. The product mix consists of both Kirkland Signature wines and well-known brands, with Kirkland Signature wines regularly coming in at close to 50% less than branded wines from the same regions.

In stores, the wines are displayed in a spartan manner, with simple shelf talkers and bottles nestled in wooden wine boxes. Others are displayed on wooden pallets with cases stacked one on top of the other. No frills is the name of the game at Costco.

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If you live in the north of England, then you’ll know about Booths. If you live elsewhere, you’ll wish you had one nearby. Fondly termed the ‘Waitrose of the North’, it is a small chain of 28 stores with a focus on quality.

Booths wines

The offering, under buyer Victoria Anderson, is one of the best in the UK – proven by the fact it won Supermarket of the Year at the 2022 Decanter Retailer Awards. It also won in 2020 and came runner up in 2019.

Booths places an emphasis on sustainability, as well introducing its customers to emerging trends. ‘We’re a family business,’ says Anderson, ‘[so] we particularly like to hunt for little gems from up-and-coming producers and family growers.’

The home-grown range of English still and sparkling wines is commendable, and there are great discoveries for adventurous wine lovers from Armenia and Bulgaria. Renowned producers are well represented, including Scala Dei, Penfolds, Trinity Hill and Sesti, while the 44-strong own-label EH Booth range offers value for money at all price levels.

This year (2022) marks 175 years since Edwin Henry Booth first set up his own wine and spirits business in Blackpool in 1847. He borrowed £80 of stock from his previous employer and, in just three months, thanks to his business nous, had not only paid the debt back but made a £50 profit.

Booths still honours his pledge to ‘sell the best goods available, in attractive stores, staffed with first-class assistants’.

To celebrate the anniversary, one of the new releases is an own-label 2016 vintage Port (£25/37.5cl) – perfect for Christmas.

Best Booths wines: 25 top autumn and winter buys

All wines tasted 22 September 2022. Prices do not reflect any special or multi-buy offers. Some wines might only be available either online or in selected stores. All bottle prices are correct at time of publication. Wines grouped by style and ordered by score, in descending order. 

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