Picture this. You are standing in front of the Lidl Wine Tour boxes confronted by over a dozen wines all with compelling “Buy Me” demands.
But, which one(s) to choose from the “Tour” that starts in store this morning?
Perhaps, because these popular events offer multiple good value options, it can be difficult to find the best, or the most suitable for you.
So, here is my “indispensable” guide to what I consider the stars in the collection.
The current Tour has 15 or so wines mostly at £7 or £8 – but one is £9 with another at £10.
All but two of the Wine Tour components are Italian.
Based on my 15 years selecting wines for folk who enjoy inexpensive but reliable wines, here are ones that I think offer broad appeal.
Once again, pictures are included where possible to make it easier to track down the wine in question.
First up is a Wine Tour favourite
2023 Greco di Tufo (£8.99 at Lidl while stocks last and 13% abv):
As its name implies, the grape involved here is thought to have originated in Greece but these days makes its best wines in Campania.
It is a regular in Lidl’s Wine Tours and many observers attribute its distinctive flavour profile to the sulphur rich, volcanic soils of its vineyards there.
Delicacy and clarity are the first impressions this wine gives but these are later joined by vibrant citrus acidity and a contrasting savoury twist to round things out.
It also has an extensive fruit taste-alike palette that includes apple, greengage, quince and melon components.
Another great 2023 pinot grigio.
2023 Pinot Grigio delle Venezie (£7.49 at Lidl while stocks last and 12%):
Perhaps because Italy’s Venezie region had a cooler summer than in 2022, acidity levels in 2023 were a welcome step higher – giving its pinot grigios extra zing.
Whatever the reason, there are some laudable versions from that vintage and this is certainly one.
Floral and delightfully clean, it delivers modestly textured peach and ripe melon flavours.
These are nicely supplemented with zesty grapefruit acidity, rounded flavours and just a tickle of sweetness.
Switching to reds now.
2022 Casato dei Medici Riccardi Chianti Rufina (£8.49 at Lidl while stocks last and 13.5%):
The Chianti Classico region has produced really attractive modern chianti recently but it is the Chianti Rùfina subregion that often steals the headlines..
Its height and cooler breezes, it is suggested, gives sangiovese grapes grown there extra finesse.
Deep and dark in colour, this (actually quite traditional) example exhibits textured cherry, tomato and loganberry flavours.
Traces of clove, mocha and aniseed join the party, as do lively acidity and firm trademark tannin.
Don’t let the label mislead you.
Gran Selone Rosso D’Italia (£7.49 at Lidl while stocks last and 14%):
Wine listed simply as Italian red may not ordinarily send the pulse racing, but this one outperforms some with more prestigious names.
Perhaps, like Vin de France, the flexibility this label offers may be the key to its use.
The fact that it is non-vintage points that way – but dally no more on the reasons, let the wine do the talking.
Full but with only muted tannin, this has concentrated bramble, cherry and red plum flavours as its centre piece,
Supporting those elements come lively acidity, a herbal twist, caramel aromas and suggestions of star anise and nuttiness.
Finally to Sicily
2023 Nero D’Avola Appassite (£7.99 at Lidl while stocks last and 14.5%):
Appassite, apparently, is often a term used to describe wine that has undergone the Appassimento process.
This is where grapes, once picked, have been dried to concentrate their flavours and add richness.
With port-like aromas, this certainly has – as it foundation – rich, full and dense cherry and strawberry flavours.
In addition, there are chocolate and allspice elements accompanied by firm acidity and just the right level of tannin.
Other Creditable Options
- 2023 Ponte Giulio Orvieto Classico (£6.99 and 12%): Needs time to open but cultured baked apple and greengage flavours slowly emerge along with a gentle lemon acidic tingle.
- 2023 Duca di Sasseta Viognier Terre Siciliane (£7.49 and 12.5%): Gold coloured with honey aromas, it features mango and cooked apple flavours.
- 2021 Nero Di Troia (£7.49 and 13.5%): Smooth with rich, medium bodied chocolate and damson flavours.
- 2023 Flaureo Prosecco Rosé (£7.99 and 10.5%): Vibrant with small gentle bubbles to accentuate its raspberry and apple flavours.
After today’s glimpse at a single retailer offerings, it’s back to a wider search for budget (but great value) fare in Monday’s Top Tip feature.
8 responses
Good morning Brian,
If you have a Lidl Plus app, the Greco di Tufo is on offer, £8.99 Lidl Plus Price, £1.50 off, so £7.49 between 27/3 – 02/04.
Chin, chin!
James
Thank you James. It is hard to keep up with all the promotions
The words ‘great’ and ‘pinot grigio’ in the same sentence. That’s surely got to be as rare as…well a great pinot grigio…! 😉
I’ll take your word for it Brian. Actually I’ve got so much white in my modest cellar I’ve stopped buying it for months. Winter is the time for red (though I am a past fan of that Greco).
I have no doubt, Mark, that as increasing numbers of producers clambered aboard the pinot grigio bandwagon, so quality went down. With warmer climates, the result was that floral, tropical fruit influences rose but that important balancing acidity reduced. The variety can be brilliant (as Alsace and New Zealand demonstrate) and this example has a welcome nod in the direction of increased acidity and that is what impressed me. By contrast, I didn’t think that the current Greco – while still sound – was quite as good as some previous vintages but be interested in your view (as a Greco enthusiast) – and to be fair, Richard B scores it at 89.
No chance yet to pick up any of your recommendations today, but I quite fancy that Gran Selone Rosso D’Italia.
As to the dismissiveness of some for Pinot Grigio, snooty mockery I think is a term you chose in your review Brian, of March 17th, for the Pinot Grigio Garda 2023 in that edition of MWW, from the regular stock shelf also at Lidl priced £5.99, I’m drinking that now and enjoying it.
Most agreeable grapefruit acidity, zippy it is and at 12% abv will satisfy many for lower alcohol without sacrificing some quality characteristics, complexity as you describe. Not massively of course, few would ever assert PG was ever so massively complex but the year was a good one around Verona. Coming as it does from Lago di Garda I can get the Soave comparison too. At the money for enjoyable drinkability I’ll willingly take that.
Yes, Eddie., it was those Soave comparisons that first struck me – helped of course by a slightly cooler year to slow ripening and preserve acidity. Fascinatingly, it is now felt that increases in sugar as grapes ripen is co-incidental to reductions in acidity – and not the direct conversion of one into the other.
The 2023 Nero D’Avola Appassite was as described, however, a bit muted when first opened and came into its own the next day.
Thanks for joining in the Comments section. You are very welcome. Yes I think you are right – this is sound when first opened but gets even better with time. Even after 72 hours, my example was still going strong but then, I guess, the style is built for longevity so perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised – but, I admit, I was