Tipples for £8 tops
The odd glass of wine is a welcome treat right now - here are 20 great-value wines worth stocking up on.
With another long weekend ahead and probably a very long stay-at-home summer too, here are some suggestions for the wines to keep you company. All are under £8 and all of them offer great flavour for money, so stock your trolley or arrange your delivery slot and be prepared for a siege.
Stellenbosch, South Africa, Waitrose, £6.99: Fresh crisp, honeysuckle aromas, with white peach and crunchy apple notes on the palate. Team with fishcakes and pork chops.
Finest Passerina 2018, Abruzzo, Italy, Tesco, £7: Passerina is a rare, old variety that is gradually being reintroduced to Abruzzo. One of its local names, Scacciadebito, means “chasing the debts”, which suggests that its naturally high yields is a good way of making a lot of wine. But this wine has been made with a clear eye on controlling yields to allow the fresh, peachy flavours with a touch of herbs to shine through.
Yalumba Organic Viognier 2019, South Australia, Waitrose, down from £9.99 to £7.49 until June 2: Yalumba is the expert in Australian Viognier and this one comes from a single farm that decided to go organic 25 years ago. Slightly less floral than many Viogniers, it makes up for that with juicy apricot and peachy fruit with a definite savoury edge. Food-friendly, team this with chicken and spiced prawns. Santa Julia High Altitude Chardonnay 2019, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Sainsbury’s, down from £8 to £7 from Wednesday until June 18: Made from grapes grown at high altitude on the slopes of the Andes, they retain freshness while still developing rounded melon, pineapple and ripe pear fruit. A small percentage is fermented in oak to add texture and a hint of vanilla. Team with roast chicken, pork or salmon. Finest Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2019,
New Zealand, Tesco, £8: Fresh, lively crushed blackcurrant leaf aromas with gooseberry and pineapple flavours make this a wine to team with grilled sole and salads.
Chianti DOCG 2018, Italy, Tesco, £5.25: A light, juicy Chianti with cherry, berry fruit, spiked with herbs. Great value and it goes well with tomato-based pasta dishes or grilled lamb kebabs.
Fairtrade Bonarda-Malbec 2019, Famatina Valley, Argentina, Co-op, £5.25: We have all got used to the word “Fairtrade”, but it actually does work. This wine comes from a co-operative where sales to the UK Co-op have helped fund a new reservoir and a 600-pupil secondary school. The wine is terrific, all juicy, bouncy plum fruit with some serious Malbec notes. And it tastes even better for being Fairtrade.
Viña del Cura Rioja Crianza 2018,