Promotions are a popular mechanic with retailers and customers alike.
They boost sales for one and give the other a welcome chance to sample something they may not otherwise buy.
Indeed, riding the wave of those “special offers” is an important focus for sites such as this one.
A possible downside is that they take the spotlight away from some of the core ranges in the store concerned.
Sometimes, however, those “overlooked ones” turn out to be surprisingly good.
Here, then, are two “unsung heroes” that I think deserve a day in the sun.
Once again, pictures and hyperlinks are included where possible to make it easier to track down the wine in question.
First then to Chile
2022 Extra Special Sauvignon Blanc Gran Reserva (£7.75 at Asda and 12.5% abv):
Although the term “Gran Reserva” is merely indicative in Chile and without official status, this has won awards in two major wine competitions.
Who says sauvignon has to be from the latest vintage?
Grassy but golden in colour, it is based around delicately measured nectarine, apple and herbal flavours.
These are attractively embellished with sharp citrus acidity and a complexity that includes traces of jalapeño.
Here is a link to the retailer’s website …. https://groceries.asda.com/product/sauvignon-blanc/asda-extra-special-gran-reserva-sauvignon-blanc/1000332797282
And on to an Italian standard
2022 Montepulciano D’Abruzzo (£6.50 at M&S or with Ocado where they operate, and 13%):
Good to see another reliable example of this popular Italian red, and one that is well worth seeking out.
Dark with sweet spice aromas, it has at its heart soft cherry, plum and pomegranate favours.
Accompanying support comes in the form of a clove and oregano influenced, medium bodied texture, firm tannin and counter balancing acidity.
Here is a link to the retailer’s website …. https://www.ocado.com/products/m-s-montepulciano-d-abruzzo-622905011
Join me again on Thursday when the post takes on a very different air – although still with the focus on good value wines.
7 responses
Afternoon Brian
Interesting that your two selections today do not pass the naughty £8 average and indeed the Asda bottle could have been as little as £5.80 a week or two back on a deal. I’ve had it before and enjoyed it. The steady-away red M&S bottle for £6.50 is terrific value.
When it comes to ”the deal” whatever it might be, and with the Big 5 this usually looks best on 25% buy 6, plus occasional double dips, who doesn’t appreciate that when we shop at a supermarket.
But the online wine specialists are fast-learning and have deals too and we just have to be alert to them for the benefits they can give. As ever though especially with these ”specifics” we do need to prefer what we buy, not just get stuff because there’s savings on offer. So here’s a little story and adventure I’m currently involved in.
My attention was drawn to a Super Tuscan by positive remarks from Oz Clarke, Saracosa Governo Rosso that he describes as ”headonist’s heaven”. Originally advertised as been £22 it’s now down to £10.99!! And me a devotee of these Italians my interest immediately peaked.
Where was this found? Well an email from the Times Wine Club/Laithwaites. But very quickly, surprise surprise this exact same promotional stuff quickly followed from Averys of Bristol!!
I’m already a customer of Averys Wine Cellar so an offer for new customers of 20% discount and free delivery can’t be mine, fair enough, but others here might benefit. I ordered bottles from the Times Wine Club prepared to swallow their basic delivery charge of £7.99.
But right-away I had another email under the guise of Laithwaites that said ”why not become an Unlimited Member”, that usually costs £29.99 to join but you can have it for £7.99? This gives us a year of FREE delivery on ANY NUMBER of bottles, just like TWS does. And other benefits too. I took their offer and immediately the delivery charge on my proposed order got taken off. Bingo …
Has Averys been taken over/gone into partnership with Times/Laithwaites? Their catalogues seem to match now.
Certainly I have recently had a couple of very decent deals on a range of Portuguese reds from Laithwaites over the last couple of months. I’d stopped buying much from them. They’d pushed the price on their best selling wines that I didn’t desperately want anyway. I don’t subscribe to all that ”black red” stuff they promote so heavily and their most popular Cabalié isn’t what it used to be. Mind you, I’m always happy to have their #1white South African Gooseberry Bush Colombard/SB now at £6.99.
Given I was tempted back into the fold and offered a good discount to encourage me, with no charge for delivery I did make an order and then discovered these very good and reasonable priced Portuguese bottles that I now can have again with ”free” Unlimited delivery. People here might want to check out what is happening with these people and see if their arrangements/discounts/wines suit.
This Italian Saracosa Governo does look like a sweet offer. When I’ve opened one …. later … I might be back to one or other of them for more even though it’a a bit more money than I usually budget to pay for a bottle. But £22 down to £11 is quite a deal if the quality is there.
Hi Brian
A couple that capture my interest, at a very good price and ones I probably wouldn’t have noticed.
Interested in Eddie’s comments about Sunday Times/Laithwaites I have the £7.99 unlimited and it very useful, I recently got o bin end deal on the black label Cabalie which worked out at £7.50 a bottle. I now just dip in and out and often get a box without the burden of extra carriage, it is very useful now that they have any six in addition to twelve bottle deals. I use these to top up with my favourite Portuguese reds. I also think the standard of the ordinary Cabalie has declined being much sweeter than it used to be and slightly less alcohol.
I bought some Cote du Rhone Mourchon and Domaine Piron Beaujolais from Avery’s some years back. I “gamed the system” by using discount codes and I think a cash back offer as well, so my buys were very attractive prices for good wines. And one had the reassurance where the wines had good reputations and/or were available elsewhere – to get a price reality check.
I was slightly indignant, at the time, when I realised that Avery’s, Sunday Time Wine Club and Laithwaites were all under the same ownership, and offered a lot of the same wines. Because the marketing implied that Avery’s was independent, and made a big thing about its heritage. But I was not indignant enough to resist a bargain!
I notice that Avery is now described as owned by, but independent from, the Laithwaite/ Sunday Times Club. I haven’t bought anything from them for several years, so the mail shots have dried up. But bargains can always be found by astute enthusiasts!
The Saracosa Toscana Governo 2021 from Averys £10.99 was duly opened. The power of professional endorsement and reduced pricing eh? Oz Clarke said it was ”hedonist’s heaven”!
I once had a case of claret from Averys that was said to be the best for the money that I would ever taste. It certainly wasn’t and I asked for my money back with an objective appraisal of what I thought. A wine buyer actually phoned me to apologise and said in confidence that she agreed with my evaluation and yes, the glossy, colour promotion did look to be over the top. I was given a mixed case to replace it of very much more expensive Bordeaux as way of an apology. Generally speaking the professional wine specialists do seem eager to correct, reimburse and improve relations when criticism and disappointment is valid is valid.
But here with this super Tuscan whatever hype might look to attach in the blurb, it’s all pretty much on the money. For the half price deal of £10.99, and yes it has to be an order of ”mix 6 min” to get it, I have to go back to earlier this year and TWS Spätburgunder bio Ruppertsberg 2021 at £9.95 to remember a recent bottle that could come close to matching something as deliciously appealing as this Averys offering.
Merlot and Sangiovese in a cuvée as seductive as liquid velvet in the mouth from the first sip. Terrific red wine, not too heavy, a little translucence here, the Governo element of production shines through with such intense, sweet, ripe, sumptuous black cherry fruit, fig for me and some chocolate too. Only IGT, not DOCG, but just goes to show it might not matter what classification. It’s what’s in the bottle that counts.
Just a small point especially in this somewhat recent warmer weather. It does benefit from 20 mins in the fridge before drinking, when some chilling will better retain its freshness and overall character.
Hi Eddie
I bought a bottle of the Avery’s Claret a while ago, on the strength of advertising I’d seen for it, and the staff at the shop even endorsed the recommendation, luckily I only bought one bottle to try, and as you say I was pretty underwhelmed by it (as I am with a lot of Bordeaux’s), the rest of the wines I bought that day were good, I didn’t return the Claret, too far as I bought the wines whilst on holiday.
On chilling red wine, I always put mine in the fridge for 20 minutes or so, summer and winter and I take my whites out 20 minutes before drinking, (20/20 rule)
Your 20/20 rule really comes into its own when the sun shines as it has in the last week or so.
Interesting stuff emerging about Super Tuscans so it was good to hear about that one. Oz does not get much wrong when it comes, especially, to tasting.