A new Wine Tour began at Lidl a few days ago and the focus this time – as it was in their first such promotion many moons ago – is on France.
Although a number of the constituents are updates on wines featured before, the standard is still pretty high.
It also good to see champagne featured and, even better, it is one that drew many plaudits the last time it appeared.
Leaving aside that champagne, the average price is just slightly above £7, so keeping prices under control has clearly been part of the selection process.
That has been achieved without making major sacrifices to quality.
In addition, there are one or two unusual wines included in the selection.
Those include an orange wine – but more about that on another day.
Here, then, are six wines from the list that stood out to me for their quality, value or originality.
As is normal here, pictures and hyperlinks are provided where possible to guide you straight to the right wine on shelf.
It’s that region again
2022 Confidence de Gascogne Colombard Sauvignon (£6.99 at Lidl while stocks last and 11.5% abv):
Once more, Southwest France provides a great value white wine option by blending sauvignon with colombard.
Despite being an “also ran” in other parts of the world, colombard flourishes here which may be because it is thought to have originated thereabouts – initially for use in brandies.
With grassy aromas and a surprisingly viscous texture, this example brings us greengage, ripe melon and bell pepper flavours.
These are successfully coupled with sharp grapefruit acidity and just a touch of passionfruit.
Here is a link to the retailer’s website … https://www.lidl.co.uk/p/confidence-de-gascogne/p10016060
Moving to the east
2022 Cotin Jaillet Côtes du Rhône Blanc (£7.49 at Lidl while stocks last and 13%):
In the current fashion for fruity white wines with a bit of assertiveness, the white wines of the Rhȏne Valley are often cruelly neglected.
Using grapes such as marsanne, roussanne and white grenache, its whites tend to have a savoury texture that is not only delightfully different but also a good companion for certain foods.
If you have not sampled one recently, this is a well-priced and lovely illustration of the style and a good starting point to explore these wines.
Herbal with a smooth savoury base, it delivers apricot, pear and orange pith flavours supported by zippy tangerine acidity built into an agreeable crème brûlée texture.
Next a gate crasher.
2021 Mar y Luna Tinto Garnacha Tintorera (£6.99 at Lidl while stocks last and 13.5%):
This is red wine – not from France like most of this “Tour”, but from an area just south of Madrid.
To add to its unfamiliarity, it is made from garnacha tintorera – which is only distantly related to mainstream garnacha and is known elsewhere, and especially in Portugal, as Alicante Bouschet.
Opening with dark fruit aromas, this version has ripe bramble and plum flavours as its headline constituents.
That backbone is embellished here with balanced acidity (but little tannin) plus vanilla, anise and cocoa influences.
Now, back in France
2022 Côtes du Rhône Villages Seguret (£7.49 at Lidl while stocks last and 14%):
This is from one of the handful of communes allowed to add its name to the “Côtes du Rhône Villages” designation.
Seguret can often be less powerful wine than some of its neighbours but the value and quality is frequently – as here – hugely impressive.
Soft and delightfully smooth, it delivers damson, cherry and loganberry flavours.
These are supported by good acidity, mild tannin and suggestions of liquorice, oregano and dark chocolate.
And for rosé
2023 Concert’o Cotes de Thau Rosé (£6.99 at Lidl while stocks last and 12.5%):
One of the notable points about this “Tour” is the strength of the rosé contingent.
Not only is there a good selection but most are in the “pale and delicate” category that comes into its own when the sun shines.
I have chosen this one because it is not from Provence but from the coastal region south of Langedoc’s Pézenas, in an area more usually associated with Picpoul de Pinet.
Pale in colour and with a lingering finish, this is classic rosé from Southern France that exhibits strawberry, red plum and orange flavours.
Complementary components take the form of acidic grapefruit zip and a gently delicate texture containing mildly herbal and violet traces.
Finally, to that Champagne
Bissinger Premier Cru Champagne (£19.99 at Lidl while stocks last and 12.5%):
By and large, grapes from the premier cru villages do provide superior champagne – and that is certainly the case here.
They use grapes from the forty or so communes that sit just beneath the Grand Cru category and are seldom available at a price – like this – of £20
With small busy bubbles and mild yeasty aromas, its base is soft white currant, pear and melon flavours.
Joining the party, though, are a biscuit background that also contains a vague chalkiness and an energetic mouthfeel.
Here is a lnk to the retailer’s website … https://www.lidl.co.uk/p/bissinger-premier-cru/p10016049
Call in again on Monday when the spotlight falls on Top Tips that offer especially good value at a store near you.
16 responses
Hi Brian as we used to have a holiday home in France and used to buy a Colombard Sauvignon from Cote de Gasconge made by Les Chair de Saint Andre which used to cost about €2, I thought we would give the Confidence a try. I used Lidl plus and got a £1 off but would have been more than happy to pay £6.99. I got the melon and pepper but also sensed some gooseberry and apple, I thought it was best if left to warm slightly and not straight from the fridge. We have tried a few South African whites that use Colombard and especially like the Gooseberry Bush from Laithwaites also good value especially when bought in a 3 litre box at £25.
Thanks as always for the thumbs up on the rest especially like the look of the Seguret.
Hi Barry,
Whilst having a Lidl Plus account on my phone and duly presenting QR at checkout with modest wine purchase(s) always seem unable to secure the £1 discount often mentioned by many.
Any view or tip much appreciated ?
Regards 🍷
Hi Richard
Hard to know what has gone wrong with the use of your Lidl Plus app! £1 reductions on wine are usually operated for only a 7 day period. There’s usually a white and a red each week and maybe a fizz. They change regularly and usually apply to something from the latest Tour crates. Doesn’t seem to be one for this coming week. Unlike your “personal offers” that do have to activated individually . But all the other universal offers exist for everyone when just successfully scanning the QR code at the checkout unit that gives a ping when it’s been accepted. The operator will often say something when we do that … yes that’s OK … but we do have to “wave” our phones at the reader sometimes to make sure it has registered. Most importantly what we hope to have that reduction on .. wine, food, anything, MUST be current
Hi Richard as Eddie says for me it always gets deducted automatically at the checkout, the confidence Sauvignon Colombard was a seven day reduction which started on 25th July.
Yes you are right, that offer ended yesterday. The good news is that the wine is well worth its full price. You may be right about gooseberry influences and certainly are about it being better 2-3 degrees above fridge temperature.
Thanks all for Lidl Plus input !
Hello Richard,
I too have been caught out like you,but it usually because I have not scrolled through the offers and hit the activate button.
Hi there,
The Lidl Concerto Cotes De Thau Rose doesn’t seem to exist?!
Shame as it sounds lovely.
Keep up the good work!
Paul
Thanks Paul and good to welcome you to the Comments section. I know that wine is not on the Lidl website but I certainly had a bottle. Can you not find it instore either?
As always with Lidl, stock seems to be a bit hit and miss. I couldn’t get the Gascogne, but did get the Mar y Luna, which as you say Brian, seems to be a gatecrasher. Are UK Lidl stores even supposed to have that one? I do wonder, as it appears on the German version of the website but not on the Lidl UK site. Either way, whether it’s by design or happy accident, it sounds rather lovely with the RRP higher than the £6.99 I paid for it. I do wish the stores were a bit more organised when it comes to getting the new tours out on time though, as it’s often disappointing to leave without the wine I went in for!
Visited Tesco today and found a very good South African 2023 Reserve Chardonnay Kleine Zalze at £5.70.This is a clearance price so will not be around for long.
Also bought a Vallade Gavi DOCG 2023 12% with a useful Clubcard reduction of £2, now £7.75.Be interesting to try it with the Sainsbury’s Gavi.
Correction,reduced price is right but reduction was £1.50 not £2.
Likesay I didn’t need another white just now so this morning I took a bottle of the Mar y Luna if only because it sounded “more Portugal than Spain”! and will look forward to that over the weekend. All stock should be out now even though as Rhiannon says stores often drag their heels on displaying stuff. The Tour has been out a whole week already!!
And again re the Lidl Plus app there is a need to differentiate between your PERSONAL offers that do need to be individually activated and the universal reductions that feature the wine offers that are automatically applied at the till and indeed flagged up on the shelf where they are displayed … though again not always because of inefficient management. We can only check our receipts before we leave the store. Currently till operators are trying to encourage using a Plus app to do a digital receipt that I know is on my phone but I still want a printed one .
A reminder that WOTW at Aldi until August 4th is the excellent South African SB The Garden Route £7.99 down to £3.99.
Hello everybody
Good recommendations there. I’m close to a Lidl on Sunday, so will pop in for a bottle of the Garnacha.
To Lidl’s competitor, Aldi. Popped in today and came out with a bottle of Unearthed Montagnes du Paradis. It’s an AOC Corbières, a chunky 14.5% ABV, £9.99, but I can’t find any details about it (varietal etc). There’s an IGP in the area, Vallée du Paradis, but that’s about it. Anybody able to shed any light on it?
Howard
As every ver useful – I love the Lidl wine tour but goof get some input on where the stuff comes from. I bought a few bottles of the Seguret for a camper van trip but sadly forgot the corkscrew!
Glad the site works for you but a Swiss Army knife might be a useful addition to your Christmas list.