the runners-up

BEST CHARDONNAY

Tesco Finest Chablis Premier Cru, £15 Savoury and textured with juicy orchard fruits and bright acidity, softened by a subtle touch of oak.

Perfect pairing: Spaghetti alle vongole with samphire

Lidl Limestone Coast Chardonnay, £5.99

Fantastic value for this Australian chardonnay that’s fruity, floral and softly spiced with a zippy, salted lemon freshness. Perfect pairing:

Courgette fritters

BEST SAUVIGNON BLANC

Ocado Marlborough Ridge Sauvignon Blanc, £10.99

A classic New Zealand SB packed with pineapple, mango, gooseberries and elderflower. Perfect pairing: Deep-fried goat’s cheese with pink peppercorn honey

Aldi Specially Selected Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, £5.99

Peachy fruits with floral notes and a hint of white pepper, balanced with bright, lemony acidity. Perfect pairing: Pan-fried salmon with watercress sauce

BEST PINOT GRIGIO

Aldi Specially Selected Italian Pinot Grigio, £5.49

Lovely, floral elderflower notes, smooth on the palate with a clean, mineral finish.

Perfect pairing:

Prawn, avocado and rocket orzo

BEST NEW DISCOVERY WHITE WINE

Asda Lugana Italian Wine, £9.50 Very attractive, opulent and creamy, with a floral nose and notes of gingery baked apples. Perfect pairing: Light prawn laksa

M&S Found Moscofilero & Roditis, £8.50 Really aromatic with notes of tangerine peel and some spice, balanced with fresh acidity. This is a wine that really zips around the palate. Perfect pairing: Chicken satay noodle salad

BEST VEGAN WINE

Wine suitable for vegans, with no fining using animal products.

M&S Found Gros Manseng, £9

Lots going on here, with a fresh, grassy nose and plenty of ripe, peachy fruit balanced with good acidity and a lime zest finish.

Perfect pairing:

Jackfruit tacos

Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Chateau Tanunda Barossa Cabernet Merlot, £11.50

Nicely savoury and earthy, with supple blackcurrant fruit and a little vanilla. Big and bold but not jammy.

Perfect pairing:

con carne

Vegan chilli

BEST PROSECCO

Lidl Prosecco Spumante Rosé Extra Dry, £6.49 Juicy strawberry fruit and frothy, creamy bubbles in this pretty, crowd-pleasing pink fizz.

Asda Fillipo Sansovino Prosecco, £7 Pleasant pear and apricot aromas – rounded and fruity but not too sweet.

BEST CHAMPAGNE

Lidl Comte de Senneval Champagne, £12.99 Bargain bubbles with an appealing toasty nose, bright citrus fruit and a clean, refreshing finish. Perfect pairing: Grilled oysters with garlic butter

Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Blanc de Noirs Champagne, £21 Fine, perky bubbles. Fruity but fresh and very appetising. Perfect pairing: Cheddar and black sesame seed straws

BEST EVERYDAY WHITE WINE

Tesco Finest Cotes de Gascogne, £6.50

Crisp and zesty with passion fruit, gooseberry and lemon meringue pie notes. Perfect pairing: Try our Vietnamese turmeric and dill fish with rice noodles

Waitrose & Partners Blueprint Fairtrade Chenin Blanc, £6.99 Appetising and moreish with tart green apples, citric zest and bright, refreshing acidity. Perfect pairing: Fried chicken sandwich

BEST SHOWSTOPPING WHITE WINE

A white wine for when you want to blow the budget.

Sainsbury’s Taste the Different Chablis Vieilles Vignes, £16

Inviting apricot and apple pastry notes with an elegant, lemony finish.

Perfect pairing: Pork chops

in cider

M&S Florent Rouve Viré-Cléssé, £14 Complex and beautifully balanced with peachy fruit, zesty acidity and a little butteriness from its gentle ageing in oak. Perfect pairing: One-pot creamy pancetta and parmesan pasta

Asda Extra Special Pouilly Fume, £12.50

Grassy and elderflower aromas with lovely, juicy fruit and a lip-smacking freshness. Perfect pairing: Lemon sole with brown shrimp butter

BEST ORANGE OR NATURAL WINE

Wines made with minimal intervention in the vineyard and winery, bottled without fining or filtering. These might include those made with organic and/or biodynamic grapes, skin contact, natural yeasts and little or no added sulphur.

Aldi Specially Selected Argentinian Organic Malbec, £6.99

A seductive nose of apple and blackberry crumble, with soft, juicy fruit, a touch of tobacco and a silky texture. Perfect pairing: Roast anchovy butter lamb with boulangère potatoes

Sainsbury’s Nature & Sun Orange Chenin Blanc, £10 An aromatic, subtle funk of tangerines, orchard fruits and nuts, and just a little tannic crunch. Savoury and very appetising.

Perfect pairing: Mackerel, celeriac and lemon

BEST ENGLISH SPARKLING WINE

Tesco Finest English Sparkling Wine, £21

Crisp green apples and zingy citrus freshness in this clean and savoury fizz.

Waitrose & Partners Leckford Estate Brut, £26.99 Complex and creamy with ripe peaches, crunchy apples and a soft, buttery richness.

BEST ROSÉ

Tesco Coteaux d’Aix en Provence, £7.50

Classic Provençal rosé with subtle sour cherry and strawberry fruitiness, and a crisp, dry finish. Perfect pairing: Grilled paprika langoustines

M&S Coteaux Varois en Provence, £9.50 An aromatic, refreshing rosé with soft summer pudding fruit and little white pepper spice. Perfect pairing: Italian flatbreads with peach, prosciutto and mozzarella

BEST SHOWSTOPPING RED WINE

A red wine for when you want to blow the budget.

M&S Amarone della Valpolicella, £18

Amarone is made by partially drying the grapes before they’re pressed, giving extra richness and intensity to the lovely baked black cherries and damson fruitiness. Perfect pairing:

Mushroom shawarma

Asda Extra Special Amarone Della Valpolicella, £16

Juicy and ripe, with raisin notes, stewed autumn fruits and bracing tannins. Perfect pairing:

Beef wellington

BEST EVERYDAY RED WINE

Affordable yet impressive wines for everyday drinking, under £8.

Lidl Cepa Lebrel Rioja Crianza, £4.99

Incredible value – robust with liquorice and black pepper, elegant dark fruit and supple tannins. Perfect pairing:

Salami pizza

Asda Extra Special Old Vine Garnacha, £6

Old vines give intensity to the red fruits in this appealing wine that finishes with a herbaceous freshness. Perfect pairing:

Veggie meatballs

BEST SWEET SHERRY

Lidl Tio Nico Cream Sherry, £5.29

Caramelised walnuts, toffee apples and a little citric freshness in this great-value sherry.

Perfect pairing:

Pecan pie

Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference 12-Year-Old Sweet Pedro Ximenez, £8 Silky and very luscious with layers of raisins, cinder toffee, dried figs and marmalade. Perfect pairing: Try pouring over ice cream

BEST FIZZ TO BUY BY THE CASE

For parties, micro-weddings and more – the best-value fizz to bulk-buy by the case.

M&S Found Blanquette de Limoux, £10 Floral and peachy with grassy freshness.

Ocado Faldeo Prosecco, £9.99 Aromatic, with crisp orchard fruits and soft, creamy bubbles.

BEST DRY SHERRY

Tesco Finest Fino Sherry, £6

Intensely savoury, with appetising yeasty and nutty notes, and beautifully crisp and dry. Perfect pairing:

Ham croquetas

Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Dry Fino Sherry, £8 Great-value fino with toasted almonds on the nose and a clean, salty finish. Perfect pairing: Try sipping alongside salted anchovies

BEST LIGHT-BODIED RED WINE

Classic examples include pinot noir, gamay and grenache.

Tesco Finest Central Otago Pinot Noir, £13 Juicy, earthy, savoury and supple – a very attractive, easy-drinking wine. Perfect pairing: Turkey sandwich

Waitrose & Partners Summer Road Old Vine Grenache, £8.49

Soft and herbaceous, with a silky texture and lush, aromatic red fruit.

Perfect pairing:

Aubergine parmigiana

BEST NEW DISCOVERY RED WINE

Asda Via Vincini Gran Rosso, £8 Plush, ripe and silky, with a touch of dried-fruit sweetness and a gentle lick of vanilla.

Perfect pairing: Duck and shallots au vin

Aldi Greek Agiorgitiko, £6.99 Smooth and opulent but not too heavy, this is lifted by perfumed scents, violets and crunchy cranberry fruit.

Perfect pairing: Stuffed butternut squash with feta

BEST FULL-BODIED RED WINE

From mainstream classics such as malbec to lesserknown nebbiolo.

Asda Extra Special Carménère, £6.50 Terrific value for this classic carménère, full of peppery black fruits lifted by a herbaceous finish. Perfect pairing: Beef shin rendang curry

Tesco Finest The Trilogy Malbec, £12 Crowd-pleasing malbec – muscular with plummy fruit, spice and a hint of chocolate.

Perfect pairing: Try our perfect steak

BEST MEDIUMBODIED RED WINE

Varieties such as montepulciano, carménère, chianti and cabernet franc.

Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Beaujolais Villages Coteaux Granitiques, £9.50 Made from the delicate gamay grape, this has vibrant rose petal and blackcurrant scents, with a little warming spice. Perfect pairing: Warm aubergine, pomegranate and onion salad

Ocado Terreo Malbec, £11.99 Plummy fruit, brisk acidity and a touch of clove and vanilla spiciness. Perfect pairing: Roast duck with plums and star anise