Once upon a time in a UK far far away, you wouldn’t buy wine in a supermarket. The choice was tiny and the wines pretty awful
Today that’s all changed, you can even pick up a palatable wine from places like Lidl and Aldi
Tesco have kept up very well, and this year have got some crackers for Christmas whether it’s a white for serving with canapés, a big red for the main meal or an award-winning Champagne for the New Year countdown.
Named the official Own Label Range of the Year 2019*, these bottles to deliver excellent quality, as well as great value for money.
Tesco Finest Pinot Grigio, 12.5%, £7 (vegan),
Made with grapes grown on the hills of Trentino in Northern Italy, where the high altitude means they ripen slowly and develop aromatic intensity. Expect complex notes of apple, ripe pear and honey blossom, with crisp freshness on the finish. An excellent match for smoked salmon or vegetable crudites.
Tesco Finest Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2019, 12.5%, £8
Grapes grown in Marlborough’s Waihopai and Awatere valleys benefit from amoderate maritime climate and long sunny days, producing grapes which areripe and concentrated, with well-balanced freshness. This wine boasts brightgooseberry and passionfruit aromas, with herbal notes and a long finish.
Perfect with seafood or goat’s cheese salad.
Tesco Finest Montagne Saint-EÃŒÂmilion 2018, 13.5%, £9 (vegan)
Produced from Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon grapesharvested from vineyards on the right bank of Bordeaux’s Gironde estuary. This is smooth and full bodied, with concentrated blackcurrant flavours and layers of cedar wood and spice. It’s a great choice with savoury nut roast, or with turkey, if served with meaty sides.
Tesco Finest Argentinian Malbec, 13%, £8 (vegetarian)
Made by Argentina’s celebrated Catena Family, from grapes hand-picked on the foothills of the Andes. This is deeply fruity, with aromas of fresh blueberry, blackberry and plum and just a touch of white pepper. Long, rich, fruity and spicy on the palate, it works well with red meat or mushroom wellington.
IWC Bronze Medal Winner 2019
Tesco Finest Prosecco, 11.5%, (vegetarian), £8
The grapes for this wine are sourced from a single area, overlapping the finest Prosecco vineyards. The result is an elegant sparkling wine with attractive ripe pear notes, with peach blossom aromas and a lingering finish.
IWSC Bronze Medal Winner 2019
Tesco Finest Premier Cru Champagne NV, 12.5%, £20 (vegan)
This celebrated sparkler is an excellent choice to toast in the New Year. It is made from hand-picked Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes, from vineyards in the prestigious Côte des Blancs, south of Epernay. It is aged for 36 months before release, with this extra maturation bringing complex flavours of citrus,apple and brioche, complemented by an elegant fine mousse.
IWSC Silver Medal Winner 2019, IWC Gold Medal Winner & IWC Champion Sparkling 2018
Tesco Finest Vintage Port 2007, 20%, £20 (vegan)
A rich and structured wine with a concentrated berry fruit character and rounded tannins, layered with notes of ripe fig and cacao. Only made in exceptional years, this multi-award-winning Port is crafted from wines made from the excellent 2007 vintage and released only after significant bottle maturation.
Perfect with ripe blue cheeses or a sticky Christmas pudding.
IWC & IWSC Silver Medal Winner 2019
*Tesco was named the Own Label Range of the Year 2019 by the International
Wine Challenge, beating other shortlisted retailers Aldi, M&S and Berry Bros. & Rudd to take the title.