Over time, Lidl Wine Tours have introduced numerous spectacular wines, but want to see what’s next?
If so, read on…
These Wine Tour promotions appear monthly as short-term supplements to Lidl’s core wine range.
And a new one started a few days ago – with South America as its central theme.
I have chosen my “stars” from that promotion‘s main components, using reliability and value as the minimum requirements.
Some selections, however, go way beyond that.
Remember, though, that these are limited time options unlikely to be widely available much beyond the middle of this month.
I believe some Wine Tour offerings only appear in certain regions, so I have concentrated on those that should be available throughout the UK.
Taken together, my selections represent either enticing local twists to international grape varieties or are especially keenly priced – or both.
The background provided to these recommendations should help you make informed decisions about which are the best choices for you.
As is normal here, pictures and hyperlinks (in blue) are provided where possible to guide you straight to the right wine on shelf or web page.
Let’s start in South America.
2023 Alma Mora Select Reserve Chardonnay (£7.49 at Lidl while stocks last and 13% abv):
This Argentinian chardonnay has appeared in previous Wine Tours when I have described it as pleasant and enjoyable but not spectacular – I think the same applies this time.
Starting with tropical fruit aromas, it moves on to a melon and peach depth embellished with toast, vanilla and nutty traces within a somewhat viscous texture.
Then over the Andes to Chile
2023 Sauvignon Blanc Gran Reserva (£7.99 at Lidl while stocks last and 13.5%):
Sauvignon blanc from Chile’s Leyda Valley can sometimes – as here – add tropical fruit influences to its traditional aromatic apple flavours.
Nevertheless, coastal influences ensure that crisp acidity also figures prominently in its textured depth.
So, behind its sweet pea perfume, this contains sweet-edged nectarine, apple and passion fruit flavours accompanied by tangerine acidity and an attractive depth.
My top choice white
2023 Müller Grüner Veltliner (£7.99 at Lidl while stocks last and 12.5%):
Austria’s signature white grape, gruner veltiner, seldom fails to please even though its youth here means it has less trademark minerality than more expensive versions.
Nevertheless, it still exhibits enough of the classic freshness, spiciness and herbal background to make this an excellent buy.
Floral and herbal, it features fresh apple, greengage and ripe pear flavours complemented by white pepper influences and a prickle of sherbet and acidity.
Moving to the reds
2022 RCH Shiraz Gran Reserva (£7.99 at Lidl while stocks last and 14.5%):
The climate and geology in Chile’s Colchagua Valley allow several grape varieties to prosper including quite bold and robust versions of shiraz like this.
Winemakers there seem to like showcasing the fullness and complexity shiraz can provide, as they have done here.
Inky coloured and opening with mint and black fruit aromas, it provides full blackberry, black cherry and fig flavours.
These are coupled with sharp acidity and a depth containing cocoa, milk chocolate and black olive influences.
Staying in Chile
2021 Carmenere Gran Reserva (£7.99 at Lidl while stocks last and 14%):
And, of course, that country leads the world with carmenere, producing versions that highlight the variety’s distinctiveness and pronounced herbaceous elements.
Remember, though, that carmenere offers very different flavours with vegetable, chocolate and spices all pushed to the fore – it is certainly a “one-off” grape.
Dark and rich, it has smooth cherry, green pepper and chocolate flavours as its centre-piece.
Additional support is provided by savoury aromas, hints of vanilla and robust spices along with firm acidity and proportionate tannin.
My personal top choice red
2021 Pinot Noir Sommelier Edition (£7.99 at Lidl while stocks last and 13%):
Germany’s Baden region has a growing reputation for pinot noir and this kindly priced option nicely illustrates what they can do.
Do not expect the earthiness, complexity or texture of Burgundy but the softness of the fruit here and overall freshness and lightness make it a lovely summer red wine.
Herbal and gentle, it exhibits ripe raspberry, red plum and pomegranate flavours supplemented with firm acidity (but minimal tannin).
Later on, suggestions of caramel, baking spice and floral elements all join the party to provide a harmonious and very agreeable wine.
Call in again on Monday when the spotlight falls on great value Top Tips from other retailers.
11 responses
Great minds think alike Brian! I happened to be in Lidl yesterday and picked up both the GV and pinot noir you chose as top picks. We had the GV yesterday which was sweeter and more honeyed than I expected but certainly heavy on the apple and pear characteristics you outline. We’re yet to have the pinot noir but looking forward to it. I also picked up their wine of the week which is a Gavi, specifically because I noticed the DOC>G< label, having remembered the importance of the fourth letter from a previous post!
Pleased to see we are on the same page Gerwyn and welcome to the Comments section. That pinot is bright and fresh with well-defined fruit flavours. To manage the expectations of your taste buds though it does not have the weight, complexity or earthiness of classic pinot noir. As for Gavi, you are right that the extra letter does signify a higher classification so is a very good omen – I am flattered that you remembered that post. The (apparently) tautologous Gavi di Gavi indicates that it comes from the commune itself and local pride means that it is often regarded as being of higher quality. Hope you enjoy the pinot noir.
Morning Brian
Thanks as ever for your terrific information/insight service especially for me who already shops weekly at Lidl stores in my area. Once I know what you propose I can get a bottle with confidence, of something that looks to interests me as well. The German Pinot Noir will be it later today.
TWS just credited me nearly £20 for 2 bottles of their 2023 vintage Spätburgunder Bio Ruppertsberg that I complained to them I didn’t prefer, so it’s money in the wine tin to be used and I’ll throw some towards Lidl here for another German pinot, fingers crossed.
Just to mention about Lidl too, their stock bottle Torre de Ferro Dao £7.49 has just come up on Decanter as their unmissable Weekday Wine red for September. I think you might have been in earlier with that recommendation??
I also tried Lidl’s Plus Card app offering a week or two back, Masabele South African Chenin Blanc with 50p off at £3.49 that we might say is giving it away at that money! Even at £3.99 for a lower, 10.5% abv, an advantage for those wanting to restrict their alcohol intake but still enjoy quaffing down a glass, inoffensive, very easy on the palate, it’s an introduction to the grape that really does suit something like a prawn/seafood salad. Won’t set the wine world alight, OK it doesn’t have alcohol driven depth in this instance but it just goes to show the under £4 bottle of acceptability still exists.
But buy their stock-bottle Marlborough NZ-SB at £6.99 and when it was down to £4.99 especially on the Lidl Clubcard app, we really are cooking with gas on that one.
Cheers for now …
Thanks Eddie… Pleased that the post works for you but, equally important, is the additional information and recommendations that Midweekers such as you provide. They complement one another well.
Hi Brian,
I’m in the other pinot camp here as that one did absolutely nothing for me. Might be nicer in the sunshine, slightly chilled from the fridge but those days are long gone up here I’m afraid to say. The carmenere I preferred over the shiraz, still a lovely example nonetheless but not as enjoyable as the Barossa version in the everyday range. The GV and SB were both enjoyed.
I see that the labours of wine buying from Felix Solis have paid off as the white and red Mucho Mas are now available in store.
Drink well
Chris
Fair point about the lightness of the pinot noir – but I was still mightily impressed by its flavour range. Yes, I was surprised to see four points separating the shiraz and the carmenere on the MW scoresheet – and, from your standpoint, the wrong way round too! As you can see, Eddie was also very happy to see the arrival of the Mucho Mas in Lidl.
PS got the Peter Steger Pinot Noir .. plus that Dao was reduced to £5.99. Rarely a Decanter recommendation is that affordable . They are doing both the red and white Mucho Mas as well these days for £7.49.
The subjective nature of wine appreciation eh? Some we like and some we don’t. Not as easy to apply objectivity where personal taste is concerned. Of course if there’s a proposal of something it certainly is not, that’s problematic. But here it’s not the case.
The German Pinot Noir is exactly as Brian describes. Accurately he says it doesn’t come at all with Burgundy in mind. No sous-bois, and not complex or deeply textured, light and semi translucent it is and yes the acidity is firm, agreed.
But this is not a tannic offering, far from it, a lot of ripe and sweet fruit in there and without elegant perfume. Maybe it will struggle to find some suitable food application is something I’d suggest. And for me 20 minutes in the fridge door won’t hurt. Maybe work better as a glass before a meal than with but that’s being picky. The cheeseboard maybe afterwards. Have a burger with onion, melted cheese and sliced gerkin like we will for tea and it will be fine. Nothing too fancy.
All in all I like it for its individual characteristics even though it will never feature on my search list for a dead cheap Romanée-Conti substitute!
Interesting having mentioned the Mucho Mas that too has its detractors here on MWW as being ”over-sweet” for their typical taste in reds. Again that’s fine, but not so my wife’s appreciation of that specific tinto so I buy lots for her even though I don’t prefer a lot of it myself. She of course making comparisons has said too how much she liked the German Pinot here, with its ripe, sweet fruit. I guessed as much.
On a broader note of discussion what interests me over 45 years of German red appreciation, Trollinger, Spätburgunder, Dornfelder, Lemberger, etc. and drank some at source made by people I met who supplied small quantities to local pensions, hotels and the like, then seeing dozens of bottles of red racked up on German supermarket shelves, how come their 84 millions of population only a few hundred miles away have access to that purchasing opportunity when we hardly get a chance in Britain to have it. But conversely happily import masses of wine stuff 13 thousand miles from Oz and New Zealand. Nothing to do with brexsh*t …it’s always been like that!!!! A pity I’ve always though and me still with my foot quite firmly in the old world, European, Germanic camp.
I guess it is the subjective element you mention that makes it all fun. Human minds crave consistency (witness football managers disgruntled with referees) and it is often reassuring when consistency appears. It is no surprise, though, that Chris (who has a fantastic palate for Rioja Reserva) will find that pinot noir light – and it is important that he says so here because that will help guide the choices of other fans of full, intense, stone fruit driven reds.
But it is when someone goes “left field” that it becomes fun – folk who reject sauternes discovering that they love Ice-wine or people unhappy with most sparkling wines finding a minerally Alsace cremant ticks boxes for them. Those unexpected discoveries are the joy of trying a range of wines and, of course, of writing about them.
Age is also a factor. Not the wine vintage but the quaffer.
Despite our insistence that our taste buds are still as active and accurate as ever, even as we age, the scientists will tell you that they aren’t and sadly can’t be. In particular our olfactory senses diminish fairly quickly and that is where most sense of taste derives.
I am in the distinctly ageing group but can still enjoy my wine, yet must confess that their aromas are almost out of my reach nowadays.
I enjoyed both the Shiraz and Carmenere, and would also echo the points about the Masabele – no world beater but, at that price, a very acceptable everyday drink. I must check out the Barossa version as mentioned too.
So much great information and advice on here.
Boomers may not be able to sniff as much, but they do have a lifetime of experience to draw on. That experience says “keep trying new things” and I am pleased that those slightly different Shiraz, Carmenere and Masabele hit the spot. I think you will also like that Barossa Shiraz, Alf.