The latest Sainsbury’s tasting showcased bottles from its autumn/winter 2024 range – including 35 new listings – that are ideal for seasonal drinking. They run from hearty warming reds such as Argentinian Malbec and Rioja to full-bodied Chardonnays and fizzes that are perfect for festive celebrations. You’ll also find food-friendly bottles that are ideal for your roast turkey at Christmas lunch.
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. New for Christmas is a Taste the Difference English Sparkling 2018 (£22). The selection also includes a ripe, fruity Chilean Pinot Noir and an elegant Muscadet from France’s Loire Valley – great with smoked salmon on Christmas day. Taste the Difference Mâcon-Villages Vielles Vignes 2022 is a great value, food-friendly Burgundy for just £17 (see below for tasting notes).
‘Burgundy is a region not usually known for good value wines, however this really delivers due to sourcing from old vine plots only, and offers superior quality compared to many named village wines at this price point,’ says Richard Maltby, technical manager and winemaker for Sainsbury’s.
Discover something different…
Meanwhile the seventh Discovery Collection offers more hidden gems and interesting bottles for wine lovers to explore. This more adventurous, limited-edition range is always worth buying – even if you haven’t tried the wine style before. Among my highlights this year was the new Discovery Collection Loin de L’Oeil (£14) from Gaillac in Southwest France (see below for tasting note).
‘A unique and interesting wine, where in the vineyard the cordon is cut and the bunches left to partially dry on the vine,’ explains Maltby. ‘This, with extended lees ageing gives the the wine a concentrated intense palate and a smoky mineral character.’
I was also impressed with the Discovery Collection Bakeder Rioja 2021 (£16). Produced by Rioja stalwart CVNE – whose more traditional Imperial Reserva 2019 is also a new listing for autumn – it’s a new-wave style made with grapes from Laguardia in cool Rioja Alavesa (see below for tasting note).
‘As well as being delicious, this Rioja is a village wine (Vino de Pueblo), which is something quite new in Rioja and outside of the traditional crianza, reserva, gran reserva classification system,’ explains technical manager and winemaker Lisa Rogerson. ‘It showcases the terroir of a certain estate or vineyard, in this case Laguardia.’
Stars buys
The Sainsbury’s Italian range continues to impress for its value and quality. My picks to drink now include the Taste the Difference Sicilian Nero d’Avola 2022 (£8.75) and Terre di Faiano Organic Nero di Troia 2022 (£9.50), both introduced this spring (see below for tasting notes).
But Portugal also put in a star turn with two exciting new reds. Invincible No1 2022 from the Douro Valley (£12) is characterful and savoury (see below for tasting note). ‘Made by Marc Kent, of Boekenhoutskloof fame, and Rita Marques, Invincible is a field blend of classic Port varieties, perfect for a winters evening,’ notes wine buyer Samantha Glanfield.
Fellow buyer Sid Dunford recommends the Discovery Collection Castelão 2021 (£8) as his star buy of the season. ‘This is a modern and fruity style of red from a grape indigenous to the trendy holiday region of Lisboa in Portugal. This is usually used as a blending component and not usually bottled as a single varietal. It is plummy and soft, so not unlike Merlot, but with more character,’ he adds.
Nine new French listings are also worth seeking out, including a Côtes du Rhone from Guigal (£13) and the top-end Châteauneuf-du-Pape Clos de L’Oratoire 2021 (£31). My highlights were two new wines from Bordeaux. Héritage Le Boscq 2020 (£22) is the second wine of St-Estèphe’s Château Le Boscq and offers plenty of class for the price. While Château Prieuré-Les-Tours 2019 is a good value Graves at £17 (both tasting notes below).
Value picks and lower alcohol
Meanwhile Sainsbury’s is competing comfortably with budget supermarkets Aldi and Lidl thanks to its value range of ‘by Sainsbury’s’ bottles. The by Sainsbury’s House Soave 2023 is a steal at £4.75 (see below for tasting note). Or try the by Sainsbury’s House Pinot Noir (£5.50) with bangers and mash.
Both the House Soave and House Pinot Noir are 11% abv, examples of the continuing trend for low alcohol wines. Anyone watching their alcohol intake should look out for the ‘Mid-Strength’ labels that Sainsbury’s introduced last autumn.
‘We’ve led the market since the launch of our Mid-Strength range in September 2023 and we’re continuing to see an increased growth within the lower-abv category,’ says Sophie Hogg, category director for beers, wines and spirits at Sainsbury’s. Try the Taste the Difference Mid-Strength Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2023 at 9.5% (£9.50) made for Sainsbury’s by Yealands Estate.
Festive sparkle
Finally, Sainsbury’s has some great fizz for festive celebrations at prices to suit all pockets. Value choices include Terra Organica Prosecco NV (£12) and a vintage Taste the Difference Cava Brut 2020, that’s a gem for £8.75 (see below for tasting note). But if you’re bored of Prosecco, try its Italian cousin Pignoletto from Emilia-Romagna. Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Pignoletto NV is a top pick at just £8 (see below for tasting note).
If only Champagne will do, you can choose from the toasty vintage Charles Dauteuil (£28) or take a punt on Sainsbury’s reliable own-label Taste the Difference Champagne Brut NV (£22 – both tasting notes below). I’m a particular fan of wallet-friendly regional French crémants as well. The autumn range includes a new Crémant de Limoux, as well as examples from the Loire and Burgundy recommended below, which are really enjoyable value options.
Whether it’s crémant, Champagne or the new English fizz, there’s more than enough choice to put some sparkle into your festive celebrations.
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Best Sainsbury’s wines
Tasting notes come from the Sainsbury’s autumn/winter 2024 tasting. Recommendations 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.
