WEEKDAY WINES
The Decanter in-house tasting team spends a great deal of time out and about at tastings, finding new and exciting wines, or new vintages of existing wines, for everyday drinking. On these pages we bring you 25 top picks that are all ready to drink now, available in the UK and priced at £20 or less
Domaine du Clos des Aumônes, Vouvray Brut, Loire, France NV
£14.50 The Wine Society
Vibrant and approachable yet complex, with luscious texture, mid-palate weight and incredible persistence. Lemon, fresh almonds, green apple and crunchy pear mingle, lifted by a lively but soft acidity. Creamy mousse, with a velvety savoury touch. IS Alc 13%
Istvan Szepsy, Hun Furmint, Tokaj, Hungary 2020
£19.95 The Secret Bottle Shop This dry Furmint is a perfect example of what modern Tokaji can deliver. Moreish and textural, with a fleshy core of pear, quince and lemon curd, and a delicate minerality. Expressive and classical, with a firm acid backbone and a long, refreshing finish. IS Alc 13%
Creation, Chardonnay, Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, South Africa 2022
£12 Marks & Spencer
JC Martin crafts beautiful cool-climate Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs that can be twice this price, so snap this up while you can. Fermented and aged in barrel for 10 months, it boasts candied peel and spiced apple flavours, and a chalky freshness. TG Alc 13.5%
Mirabeau, La Folie Sparkling Rosé Extra Brut, Provence, France NV
£14-£15.99 Booths, Morrisons, ND John, Slurp, Tesco, Waitrose Fresh and zesty, red apple and fresh-sliced pear aromas lead to simple red fruit and grapefruit, and a distinct floral quality on the finish. A Vin de France Charmat-method blend of Colombard, Grenache, Syrah and Rolle. NE Alc 12.5%
Les Vins de Vienne, St-Péray, Rhône, France 2022
£17.99 Waitrose
Creamy and rich, with notes of white peach, honeysuckle and bitter almond, and further complexity brought by hints of macadamia and delicate white flowers. Concentrated, flavoursome, with nice weight and a pleasant, walnut skin finish. NE Alc 13%
Emiliana, Adobe Reserva Sauvignon Blanc, Casablanca Valley,
Chile 2022 O
£9.99-£12.25 Drink Finder, Flagship Wines, Great Grog, Hennings, NY Wines, Vintage Roots This great-value Sauvignon is made in a bright citrussy style, unoaked, with great concentration of lemon and lime; creaminess balanced by a note of minerality with super persistence. JS Alc 13%
Steve Bird, The Whanau Reserve Pinot Gris, Marlborough, New Zealand 2023
£14.99 Majestic
Another demonstration by Majestic that there’s more to New Zealand white than Sauvignon Blanc (also seek out the Saint Clair Albariño, £19.99), this delicious Pinot Gris offers full flavours of juicy stone fruit and spice. Dry (3g/L residual sugar) and unoaked, there is some lees contact to add a creamy texture and weight. Would be great with a Thai curry. AW Alc 14.5% ▶
Morrisons, The Best Albariño, Rías Baixas, Galicia, Spain 2022
£12 Morrisons
Salty sea minerals refresh yellow citrus and stone fruits on the nose. Saline and linear with white peach and lemon fruits on the palate, supported by great freshness. A perfect partner for lightly seasoned seafood. SW Alc 12.5%
Alpha Estate, Turtles Single Vineyard Malagouzia, Florina, Macedonia, Greece 2022
£17.50-£19.50 Hic, Lekker Wines, Maltby & Greek, NY Wines, Wine Poole
A vibrant style with textbook aromas of citrus, rose petals, honeydew melon, peach and lychee. Gentle oiliness. Lime zest and green apple add freshness. For tapas, meze or grilled oily fish. IS Alc 13%
Tesco, Finest Falanghina del Sannio, Campania, Italy 2022
£8.50
With enticing aromas of struck match, crushed stones, scorched lemons and bitter grapefruit, there’s quite a lot of wine for the money here: the flavours are intense and lingering. There’s a pleasant bitterness to the finish, like walnut skin. NE Alc 13%
Tesco
Domaine de la Dourbie, Mala Coste Rouge, Languedoc, France 2018
£18.65 Givino
A delicate, lightly perfumed wine with cranberry, plum and redcurrant scents. A blend of Cinsault, Syrah and Grenache, it’s highly drinkable, with a crunchy finish. Soft, supple tannins leave a delectable sensation of ripe cherry skin in their wake. NE Alc 14%
Yalumba, The Y Series Viognier, South Australia 2022
£10.50
A solid white from South Australia, Y Series offers all of Viognier’s exotic character: it combines wonderful floral scents with fresh and juicy stone fruit flavours and citrus pith on the finish. JB Alc 13.5%
Elia, Côtes de Gascogne, Southwest France 2022
£8.50 Sainsbury’s
This Colombard white is naturally lower in alcohol. Aromas of fresh citrus, lime and melon are followed by a textured, lees-aged palate. A peachy sweetness is balanced by fresh acidity, with notes of lychee, herbs and freshly sliced lemon. JS Alc 9%
Domaine Maby, Prima Donna, Tavel, Rhône, France 2022
O£14.50 The Wine Society
Warm and intense with flavours of wild strawberry, cranberry, redcurrant jam and juicy pink grapefruit held by a firm acid backbone and fine tannic framework. Top notes of wild oregano and rose petals. Enjoy with ratatouille, lamb cutlets or honey-glazed salmon. IS Alc 14.5%
Berry Bros & Rudd, Good Ordinary Claret, Bordeaux, France 2020
£13.50 Berry Bros & Rudd
Made by Dourthe, this is mostly Merlot with Cabernet Sauvignon and a splash of Cabernet Franc. Savoury, brambly hedgerow fruit, laced with spice and cedary oak.
The juicy palate has smooth tannins. The label by Rob
Ryan celebrates Berry’s 325th anniversary. JS Alc 14.5%
Quinta dos Roques, Colheita Tinto, Dão, Portugal 2019
£15.95 Buon Vino
A deep yet uncomplicated wine, at the crossroads of traditional and modern Dão, fermented in stainless steel and aged for six months in French oak. Intense blackberry, plum and black cherry fruit, topped with fragrant rosemary, violets and sweet spice. A refreshing sour tang hints at potential for ageing. Nice tannic framework and an elegant finish, with dried herb and vanilla notes. Enjoy with Sunday roast, lamb cutlets or tomato-based pasta sauces. IS Alc 13%
Domaine Bousquet, Gaia Organic Malbec, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina 2021 O
£16.99 Waitrose
Hand-harvested Malbec from high-altitude vineyards, aged in French oak. Aromas of blueberry, blackcurrant and raspberry. The palate is well balanced: rounded tannins, spicy black fruit – liquorice and star anise – and dried herbs. JS Alc 14.5%
Ravenswood, Old Vine Zinfandel, Lodi, California, USA 2021
£15.50-£15.95 Morrisons, Ocado, Slurp, Tesco
A full-on Zinfandel with red and dark berry fruits and sweet coconut notes. Pure, concentrated, with woodspiced blackberry and figs, more coconut, clove and Christmas spices. Soft wood tannins support the fruit. SW Alc 14.5%
Morrisons, The Best Negroamaro, Puglia, Italy 2022
£8.50 Morrisons
Sweet blackberries, damson and a hint of dried flowers. Ripe, juicy dark berries, seasoned with pu-erh tea. Ripe tannins add structure, the sweet fruits refreshed by considerable acidity. A heart-warming Negroamaro by the Cantine San Marzano co-op. SW Alc 13.5%
Weingut Braunewell, Spätburgunder, Rheinhessen, Germany 2019
£18.95 Lea & Sandeman
From grapes grown on limestone marl and partly clay marl soils, this Pinot Noir is characteristed by crunchy red fruits and spice, with good acidity on the palate, which is succulent and juicy. You can serve it slightly chilled. JB Alc 13%
Pisano, Reserve Tannat, Progreso, Canelones, Uruguay 2022
£9.95 The Wine Society
Blended for The Wine Society by Pisano with its buyer Toby Morrhall, this Tannat punches well above its weight. Saline freshness tops prominent floral aromas, juicy plum and ripe blackberries fill the generous palate. Intense tannins, robust but soft and ripe. IS Alc 13.5%
Shelter Winery, Spätburgunder, Baden, Germany 2021 O
£15.20 Howard Ripley
Bright aromas of red cherries, redcurrant, tomato leaf and sage. Hints of clove, white pepper and vanilla. Crunchy red apple, juicy pink grapefruit and plum fill the refreshing palate. Lovely finish, with lingering dried herbs and spices. IS Alc 13.5%
Viña Bujanda, Graciano, Rioja, Spain 2014
£16.99 Laithwaites
100% Graciano from 35-yearold vines, matured for 12 months in French oak. Plenty of freshness in its juicy red fruits and high acidity; some baked strawberry and spice complexity – the fruit may be somewhat front-loaded, but there’s a flourish of herbs at the end. JB Alc 13.5%
Chassaux et Fils, Specially Selected Sauternes, Bordeaux, France 2019
£11.49/37.5cl Aldi
A little Sauternes goes a long way and this will impress with its unctuous flavours of barley sugar, dried apricot and lemon sherbet, all cut by racy acidity. Aldi’s new 2023 Specially Selected Clare Valley Sweet Riesling (£7.99/37.5cl) is less sweet but also not as complex. TG Alc 13.5%
Sainsbury’s, Taste the Difference Oloroso Sherry, Jerez, Spain
£9/50cl Sainsbury’s
This medium-dry Sherry is made for Sainsbury’s by Sergio Martínez of Bodegas Lustau, using grapes from Montegilillo vineyard, aged in an American oak solera. Indulgent aromas of nuts, caramel, sultanas and orange toffee, just a hint of balsamic. The rich, figgy palate is layered with dried fruits and salted almonds, all lingering on a deliciously long finish. Enjoy it with fruit cake, caramel desserts or hard cheeses such as Pecorino and Comté. JS Alc 20% ▶