“How do you find great wine options without breaking the bank in 2025?
February’s alcohol duty changes and general inflation have sent wine prices soaring.
Some estimates suggest increases run at twice the headline official inflation rate.
Retailers face a stark choice; pass on costs and supplier price rises, or switch to inferior alternatives.
Either way, they risk losing customers – but either way it also makes it harder for customers to find tasty but inexpensive wines.
I have a three-cornered plan to help though.
- Getting recommendations from more than one source increases the chances of finding something new but impressive.
- Secondly, save time searching and shopping by focusing on just one retailer at a time.
- Finally setting an overall price limit to avoid things getting out of control financially
That is exactly what we did last year with the Tesco range and, methinks, it is time to repeat the exercise.
So, once again it is time to select six good value wines from one retailer yet spend a total of £50 or less.
This time it is Sainsbury’s turn.
Standard list prices have been used so that the feature works even where multi-buy restrictions apply.
Obviously, doubling it up with any applicable “25% off when…” promotions helps stretch budgets even further.
The idea behind the challenge was suggested by a subscriber (thank you Gerwyn), so it is to the MidWeek Wines community that I have turned to compile this list.
Six regular Comment contributors were invited to suggest suitable candidates.
As ever, they have excelled at the task of proving that – even now – savvy shopping can still deliver excellent value.
My observations on each item appear in red.
As is normal here, pictures and hyperlinks are provided, where possible, to guide you straight to the right wine on shelf or web page.
Let’s start in the new World
2024 Taste the Difference Chenin Blanc (£8.50 at Sainsbury’s and 12% abv)
This is Eddie’s choice which is a South African option that he feels bears comparison with versions from the Loire – an area he knows a good deal about.
Why Eddie chose it: [Chenin is a] “Super-enjoyable white grape comparing closer to fuller Savennières than Vouvray in its other natural home in the Loire. Crisp served cold, tropical fruit, juicy, gentle citrus nudging towards the exotic.”
For anyone unfamiliar with Savennières, it is a small region west of, but cooler than, Vouvray and with slate based terroir.
Staying in the New World
2023 San Pedro 35 South Sauvignon Blanc (£7.75 at Sainsbury’s and 12.5%)
This was chosen by MidWeeker Keith who picked it as outpointing other (higher priced) sauvignons.
Why Keith chose it: [This is made by] “Viña San Pedro, one of the oldest wineries in Chile. Light coloured, notes of grapefruit and tangerine, peachy and soft on the palate yet with a mild citrus edge, it’s a subtle, balanced, versatile wine and notably good value for money”
35 South was a regular in the UK but has not appeared here for several years – this is the first vintage of its return. There is also a cabernet sauvignon which I shall be praising within the next few weeks.
Then to Europe
2023 Taste the Difference Portuguese Alvarinho (£9.75 at Sainsbury’s and 12.5%)
Chosen by MidWeeker Lisa, this is a little over the average price here but is well worth digging just a little deeper.
Why Lisa chose it: “This wine delivers a lot for the price, it’s a Vinho Verde, but single variety Alvarinho. Made by Casa de Villa Verde, who have a long history in the area. So fresh and lively, high acidity, a slight spritz – bone dry and crisp with green apples, lemon, grapefruit flavours and a touch of sea salt.”
Less well known than versions from Spain but often considered richer – a result, some contend, of Portuguese regulators putting more stringent limits on vineyard yields.
Moving onto reds.
2023 House Montepulciano d’Abruzzo (£5.75 at Sainsbury’s and 12.5%).
Selected by MidWeeker Richard, this is the least expensive part of today’s recommendations.
Why Richard chose it: This “House” version is mid weight, juicy, rustic but smooth with a glassful proving just right for a simple mid week supper.
Incidentally, Richard tells me that the same producer makes the weightier Taste the Difference version (£8) but, as he says, “Sometimes lighter and simpler hits the spot!”
Next to Portugal.
2023 Taste the Difference Portuguese Lisboa (£7.50 at Sainsbury’s and 13.5%):
This is MidWeeker Paul’s choice and is a regular in recommendations involving wines from this increasingly impressive area.
Why Paul chose it: “Bold, intensely dark, deep, red and black fruitiness, herby, soft silky tannins, Atlantic salt, cracking value red wine.”
Lisboa is increasing its promotional activity in the UK and has created “three exciting new films, all of which bring the picturesque landscapes and rich traditions of Lisboa to life”.
Here is the link to access them… https://www.youtube.com/@vinhos_de_lisboa
Finally back to the new world
Hardys Crest Cabernet, Shiraz, Merlot (£8.25 at Sainsbury’s and 14%)
This is the choice of MidWeeker Dave – who has opted for a branded wine.
Why Dave chose it: “I know this is a big commercial brand, but I try not to be too judgemental, this was a perfectly acceptable red. Lots of dark cherry, plums, pomegranate, chocolate, smoky and sweet spices, moderate tannins, very easy to drink, despite the alcohol level.”
The snobbish part of the wine trade can be disparaging about branded wines (and some can indeed be distinctly ordinary) but, as my recent review of branded merlots discovered, some get the essential characteristics exactly right.
Thank you guys great choices there – and I know subscribers will bless you for them.
Total bill £47.50 – and less if any are on promotion.
After today’s single supplier review, Monday’s Top Tip selections consider budget (but great value) fare from other retailers.
20 responses
The Lisboa red wine is just £7 with a Nectar card-a nice 50p off.
Thanks for the heads up, Paul. That makes the selections even better value.
Was great fun finding the European white. Portugal often offering great value, and the red from there too
That’s a very respectable Chenin too, pretty sure it’s made by Bosman, whose wines I definitely rate!
Thank you for participating, Lisa, and I am glad you found it fun. Several of your fellow participants have said much the same.
Hi Lisa
Am I right in remembering from previous social media contact you are well informed on South African wines??
I’m really pleased you’ve run this feature again. I bought all of the Tesco ones from the last feature and they were great. I’ll be sure to do the same with these and they all sound delicious.
I am sure that these will hit the spot equally well. Keep coming with those ideas. I like trying to find something new.
Fantastic article! Thanks very much for every single post, from an avid but silent follower
Thank you Michelle for breaking that silence. Always pleased to hear from subscribers – especially with ideas, like this one from Gerwyn.
Great approach, works well for those of us who use supermarkets for our supplies. Keep up the good work
Thanks John … I am really glad it works for you and will probably repeat the exercise in a few months time.
Morning Brian …
Disappointed as I may be in one way with Sainsbury’s when favourites like their excellent Italian red Marzemino Trentino and a bottle I mentioned last Monday, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, have gone from the shelves now, nevertheless as shown here there’s enough left to go at that people enjoy and can take home at decent money. And some very appreciative remarks by your MWWers too. All round success and happiness!
Sainsbury’s is my other regular go-to shop of choice after Lidl as I value their Nectar point deals. They do well in the price-matching stakes with Aldi too. And while I thought many years ago they were just ”a cut above” affordability to me it’s not so any more but more than that the quality on offer across their whole product range is very good, starting with the bottom shelf, Stamford Street stuff, that is extraordinarily good value for money.
But I rarely buy single bottles of wine from Sainsbury’s any more mainly because they have such regular 25% off buy 6, or buy 3 TTD deals, I wait patiently and expectantly and stock up on favourites at the lowest price they can be. Then a lot of the time move up into the sweet-spot area and have better wine but at prices still affordable. I think the Stellenrust CheninB is even better still than my today choice but I felt it wouldn’t fit in easily to the under £50 remit at its usual £10.50. Today its Nectar price is £2 less, but then the SA CheninB TTD I did choose that’s excellent too, is £7.25 with a Nectar card. Cracking value for money all round really.
Thank you Brian for asking me again to participate. It’s always great fun.
All participants take this exercise very seriously and I am grateful to you – and the others – for doing so.
Both Paul and Eddie mention Nectar discounts on suggested wines in today’s comments and I calculate that buying one of each of the 6 Sainsbury’s recommended wines today would set you back £47.50 at the standard list price, or £44.00 with a Nectar card. Coming in under the £50 target spend and averaging less than £8.00 a bottle doesn’t seem a bad prospect in light of recent tax and inflationary pressures. And interestingly this is without one of Sainsburys frequent multibuy offers which would offer a significant 25% discount.
But are there any supermarket retailers these days where you can pop in WITHOUT a loyalty card and buy perhaps just one or possible two bottles at a genuinely discounted price? This is where I think Waitrose succeeds. For the majority of the year there is usually a decent selection of wines on promotion for a number of weeks before moving on to a completely new collection of discounted bottles. People often comment that Waitrose wines are more expensive than the rest but here are, for example, half a dozen white wines that have been on offer for a few weeks now and continue to be discounted until 11 March. I’ve tried all of them except the relatively new Feteasca Regala in the past 12 months and enjoyed them.
Sorcova Feteasca Regala – £5.99, reduced from £8.99
Eccelsa Vermentino – £8.99, reduced from £9.99
Laurent Miquel Nocturnes Viognier IGP Pays d’Oc – £7.99, reduced from £9.99
Terra Sagrada Blanco – £6.49, reduced from £7.49
Paolo Leo Fiano dal Salento – £7.99, reduced from £10.99
Triade Bianco – £6.99, reduced from £9.99
Good call Keith and I can fill the gap on the Waitrose sextet. The Sorcova Feteasca Regala is excellent and – like its Asda equivalent – great value for money.
Good point, Keith.
I haven’t participated in a 25% of 6 offer for quite a while. My wine racks are full, and my curiosity to try new wines and buy excellent MWW recommendations, outstrips my consumption. Especially as, although I have not cut my drinking frequency, I have reduced the quantity. I like Waitrose because, as they don’t do “double dips”, if I want a particular wine and it is on offer, I can buy a single bottle, knowing that I am not “disadvantaged”, as all offers will be removed in the event of a 25% off deal! Slightly illogical, I accept!
I used to participate enthusiastically in 25% off deals when I had the concept of “house wines”. For example at various stages the Sainsbury’s TtD Beaujolais Supérieur, from Mommessin, was my house red – I bought cases of the stuff, when on offer. But now I hardly ever buy more than a single bottle of anything – no matter how big a bargain – because I have masses of interesting wines in my racks, queuing up to be drunk.
I guess this reflects the fact that the range and quality of wines available in the UK has never been better, at all price points. If one’s favourite wine starts getting expensive, one can always find a satisfactory alternative. Long may this continue!
I’m with you on this one Richard. There’s too much wine variety to be tasted to get overstocked on a specific passion yet living almost opposite a Waitrose I am always delighted when I see an old favourite on promotion – the Les Nivières Saumur Cab Franc from the Loire, £8.99 until 11 March, I always find hard to resist. The Santa Tresa Organic Frappato from Sicily is another I’ve fallen for although it’s currently priced at £12.00 so I’ll add that to my Wine Society order where it’s still £9.95. But if Waitrose really want to make my day they should get their lovely Lentsch Zweigelt from Austria on promotion before Easter then I fear I’ll be tempted to buy two or three!
Whilst on a Sainsbury’s vibe …
Was on a NZ zoom tasting, with samples, and would like to recommend the Marlborough Heartland Sauvignon Blanc 2023. This is available at Sainsbury’s at £10.50, with Nectar Card, down from £12.50.
“Marlborough Heartland is crafted through an unequalled partnership of farming families, respected winemakers and wine pioneer David Hohnen, with an unwavering com”
This is a really lovely SB, tending towards a Loire style. Well worth trying!
PS ….. That YouTube link you provided Brian on Lisboa wines did not prepare me for the fabulous extended treat it was going to be in the company of Ms. Libby Brodie. What a delightful, knowledgable and enthusiastic personality for food and wine she is. She has my full attention!! I’ll say no more ….
Hi Eddie,
Like you I very much enjoyed Brian’s Lisboa wine video links.You could say that Ms Brodie was in her Prime!
May I recommend “Portugal with Michael Portillo “on Channel 5 , a new series and the opening episode is about Porto which is a city I know well and love.
Unfortunately Michael has toned down his clothing and his neon orange jackets combined with electric blue trousers are no more.He is still,endearingly as clumsy as ever and it is our good fortune that he does not attempt to dance.