I rated the best supermarket wines for under a FIVER – winning rosé tasted as good as one twice the price
WITH the long Easter weekend upon us, you can enjoy a glass or two of wine, with some great deals in the supermarkets.
Whether you prefer red, white, pink or fizz, wine expert Helena Nicklin picks her top Bank Holiday bargain bottles to enjoy in the days ahead – and all for around a fiver.
RED
Specially Selected Cairanne, £4.99 (was £8.99), Aldi: When on offer, this southern French red is unbeatable for a fiver.
Full-bodied and fruity, think brooding, spicy bramble fruit notes.
It’s awesome with roast lamb or steak, so it’s a super wine to stock up on if you are planning a roast over the long weekend.
Or just to enjoy any time.
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RATING: 5/5
Oxford Landing Cabernet Sauvignon, £5.98 with Rollback (was £6.50), Asda: With VAT rises on wines leading to many makers adding sugar to lower ABVs, this once bold red has sadly been subject to the alcohol-reduction treatment and is now 10.5%.
A glass is now much lighter, but it’s still silky and super gluggable.
Great with a tasty burger, too.
RATING: 3/5
Toro Loco Superior, £5.29, Aldi: A perennial Aldi favourite, Toro Loco never disappoints.
And at this price you should be more than happy with a bottle on the table over the Bank Holiday.
Rustic but beautifully balanced, this drop is all about baked strawberry and savoury spice.
It can do barbies or posh Easter lamb.
A hard-working red all-rounder.
RATING: 4/5
Piccodoro Sicilian Rosso Red, £4.75, Tesco: For something a bit different which is also a super value buy, this grippy, Sicilian red does well for the price with its earthy, red berry tang.
With roasted meats or cheese, it will smooth right out, though.
So if you fancy something out of your usual range this weekend, be brave and give it a go.
RATING: 3/5
Andrew Peace Wines Black Label Signature Shiraz, £5.50, Morrisons: This Aussie red used to be much higher in booze (around 14%) so if you’ve drunk it before it’s likely you’ll notice the reduction to 11%, which has been made as a result of VAT duty rises.
It’s still silky, with plum and pepper notes.
A true classic Shiraz, just a little lighter.
RATING: 3/5
WHITE
New Zealand Makaraka Sauvignon Blanc, £4.99 (was £8.99), Aldi: This super Savvy B is a great buy at the price.
In the glass, it gives out those Marlborough region vibes of zesty lemon citrus and a whack of wet stone and grass.
Be sure to catch it quick while it’s got this great discount.
RATING: 4/5
Tapabrava White Wine Blend, £5.76 (was £8.25), Asda: Another proper Easter bargain for a highly gluggable Spanish sipper, which would be great for summer’s day, too.
A glass of this white is pretty and peachy.
Perfect for a Bank Holiday barbie and sipping alongside grilled burgers in the garden.
It’s a real crowd-pleaser.
RATING: 3/5
Le Manoir Du Baron Viognier, £4.94, Asda: The grapes from France’s Northern Rhone Valley which make this wine usually result in aromatic and rich tipples.
This one is more medium-bodied, with some ripe apricot and pineapple notes.
Fab drunk with some grilled fish or chicken, or alongside a salad in the garden.
RATING: 4/5
Caparelli Soave, £4.85, Tesco: Italian Soave fell out of favour for a while as upstart pinot grigio muscled in.
But this simple soave is now worth a look again for its understated, thirst-slaking, salted almond appeal.
This bottle is a total bargain at under a fiver and offers great easy drinking.
Enjoy it nice and chilled.
RATING: 3/5
Vista Castelli Trebbiano d’Abruzzo, £5, Tesco: I had to look twice at the price of this Italian white on the shelf as I couldn’t believe it only costs a fiver.
Perfumed and perky, it’s full of lush orchard fruit notes and is well balanced with crisp acidity.
Light and fresh, it’s perfect with pasta or a piece of white fish.
RATING: 5/5
ROSE
House Pinot Grigio Blush, £5.25, Sainsbury’s: Why not pour yourself a glass of pink?
Crisp, dry, refreshing and inoffensive, this is a super-pale Italian rosé that has that enticing gluggable look in a glass.
It’s brilliant value if you fancy something chilled and inexpensive – what’s not to love?
RATINGS: 3/5
Por Do Sol. Portuguese Rose, £5.25 Tesco: This is a gloriously “retro” rosé.
None of your social media “snap me” frosted pastel pinks here, this is dark, a touch spritzy and full of fruit but not overly sweet.
An excellent foodie pink to have with cold meats, nibbles or to make a spritzer with.
RATING: 3/5
Torre de Ferro Rosé Dao, £4.99 with Lidl Plus: I believe this is one of the best rosés you will find at this price.
With its smoky, wild strawberry notes and refreshing slick of saltiness, it’s a real steal at only a fiver as it tastes twice the price, and looks it too!
Drink it very cold.
A pink from Portugal that’s a real winner.
RATING: 5/5
Fairtrade Rose Moscato, Taste the Difference, £5 Sainsbury’s: If you are dying for a glass of vino with your Easter egg, this floral and frothy, sweet, low-alcohol pink fizz will balance everything up.
Rosé bubbles for a fiver itself feels celebratory and it’s a perfect bank holiday cork- popper.
Sip it well chilled.
RATING: 3/5
Black Tower Rosé, £5.25, Morrisons: This famous 1970s brand wine is a real crowd-pleaser at the price.
Made with a blend of EU grapes, you can rely on it to always be juicy, sweet and strawberry scented.
Makes for very easy drinking and has a soft, pleasing blush colour in the glass.
Drink cold in the garden.
RATING: 3/5
FIZZ
Costellore Prosecco Spumante, £4.75, (was £5.49), Aldi: This pear-scented, frothy Italian fizz does exactly what it says on the tin.
An “extra dry” style, which actually means it is almost the sweetest Prosecco-style of sparkle.
Fab with salty snacks and great for Easter celebrations with some posh crisps.
Stock up now!
RATING: 4/5
Allini Prosecco Spumante DOP, £5.45 (£4.69 Lidl plus price): This posh-enough Prosecco looks very similar to premium brand Mionetto and it’s very well put together.
Another “extra dry” style that’s actually fairly sweet but it handles it well.
A great one to pop open for a nice Easter gathering with friends or family.
RATING: 4/5
Extra Special Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc Low-Alcohol Wine, £4.02, Asda: At just 0.5% ABV, this could technically be called alcohol-free, which obviously explains its low price.
But there is still a hint of booze running through, so it’s not completely dry.
Very tart but this will soften up nicely with some creamy cheese and crackers.
RATING: 2/5
Asti Stella Sweet, £4.75, Asda: We wine experts are often a bit sniffy about sweet wine but I would say it still has a place, especially at this time of year with a chunk of Easter egg or chocolate cake.
This one tastes of sweet apricot and pear with cream and is very low in alcohol if you don’t want to over-indulge.
A perfect fizz with brunch.
RATING: 3/5
Allini Pinot Grigio Spumante, £5.29, Lidl: If you find a glass of Prosecco too sweet for your tastes, this pretty, alternative type of Italian sparkler could be the ideal solution.
With a bit of lemon and a whiff of red fruit, this bubbly pinot grigio is dry and really rather delicious.
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And at this price, it is excellent value for your Easter holiday get- together.
RATING: 5/5