Today sees the latest of the monthly Wine Tours from Lidl.
Around 15-20 wines are featured with prices starting around £7.99.
They include the Icewine mentioned on Monday which, I am pleased to see, has been carried forward to this promotion.
Better still and, as comments to Monday’s post reveal, an additional incentive is applied to that Icewine with the £2 reduction for Lidl card holders available until 6 December.
Despite the excellence of the German pinot noir featured later, I consider this list stronger on whites than on reds, but you must make up your own mind on that.
However, all my personal picks from this new Wine Tour appear below – although I have not tried the £12 sauvignon blanc given 93 points by Lidl’s resident Master of Wine.
Adopting my traditional format, images accompany the assessments of the wines, but not hyperlinks this time as the promotion only started this morning.
Starting with that choice red
2022 Pinot Noir Baden: (£9.99 at Lidl while stocks last and 13% abv):
Baden is responsible for a high proportion of the pinot noir produced in Germany and its versions can be riper and fuller than Burgundian equivalents.
Pursuing the comparisons, Baden versions can have lower acidity levels but their flavour ranges usually tend towards the darker fruits.
And this is a particularly impressive example of German pinot.
Dark coloured with a nice brightness, this has soft loganberry, pomegranate and blackberry flavours with minimal tannin.
These are partnered by traces of liquorice, chocolate and some typical pinot earthiness, but enough acidity to keep everything fresh.
Off to Italy for some white wine.
2022 Vesevo Falanghina (£8.49 at Lidl while stocks last and 12.5%):
The next two items (both in dumpy bottles) centre on two popular and important white wine grape varieties in Southern Italy.
This example, from Benevento, features falanghina – creator of relatively straightforward white wines sought after for their freshness and that are best drunk young.
This is a gentle option that works well with lighter food.
Very faintly coloured but nicely ripe, it provides soft honeydew melon and orange flavours accompanied by nippy pink grapefruit acidity and a clove influenced texture.
Another grape from thereabouts.
2022 Feudi del Duca Fiano; (£8.49 at Lidl while stocks last and 12.5%):
Fiano, like falinghina, is a grape that does especially well in Campania but this particular example is from Puglia to the east.
With its small, thick-skinned berries, fiano tends to produce fuller, richer wines than falinghina – usually with more complexity.
True to form, this is the more substantial of the two wines and, for me, the preferable – but only by a narrow margin.
With a floral and grassy nose, it brings us fresh apple, pear and pithy citrus flavours.
These are combined with firm acidity and suspicions of sherbet and mint that lead into a long finish.
Staying in Italy.
2022 Corte Allodola Lugana (£8.99 at Lidl while stocks last and 13.5%):
Heading some way north, Lugana is from the area around Lake Garda where white wines made from the turbiana grape excel.
That variety was once thought to be verdicchio but is now considered a separate entity.
This is lovely example and one I can wholeheartedly recommend.
Aromatic with a velvety mouthfeel, it delivers nectarine, orange and lemon curd flavours enlivened by energising acidity.
Herbal and saline hints add contrast to the wine, but do so, without compromising its overall fruitiness.
Moving onto sweetness.
2022 Sárga Borház Tokaji Late Harvest Hárslevelű: (£8.99 for 50cl at Lidl and 12.5%);
Our first example is the lighter of the two sweet wine options being considered and continues Lidl’s connection with the wines of Hungary.
The grape variety concerned is hárslevelű which seems to be a relative of furmint without quite reaching the same dizzy heights.
Here, strong honey aromas are followed by stylish – but unmistakably sweet – peach, mandarin and tinned pineapple flavours.
These are supported by a roundedness and density that is lightened by counterbalancing acidity.
And for extra richness
2022 Passito di Pantelleria: (£14.99 for 50cl at Lidl while stocks last and 14.5%);
Passito di Pantelleria is a luscious Italian dessert wine associated with the Sicily satellite island of that name.
It is made by “de-hydrating” (often by sun drying) zibibbo grapes to concentrate their sugars.
OK it is a little dearer, but it will add an extra layer of enjoyment to the final segment of any meal.
Deep orange in colour but with tropical fruit aromas, the wine contains viscous lychee, marmalade and peach jam flavours with a savoury twist at the end.
Onto the bubbles
2022 Allini Prosecco Treviso Spumante (£9.99 at Lidl while stocks last and 11%):
In its distinctive gold-coloured bottle, this offers an upgrade on standard prosecco being softer and more complex than many examples.
In addition, it hails from Treviso, a small part of the Prosecco area that often produces above average versions.
With tiny active bubbles and aromas of summer flowers, it is centred on soft melon and pear flavours.
A lively mouthfeel combining grapefruit centred acidity with a gently savoury finish complete the picture.
Finally, then, to Champagne
Bissinger Champagne Premier Cru: (£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.
This version’s extra savoury (slightly austere) elements place it behind the brilliant equivalent in Lidl’s 2021 July Wine Tour, but that assessment does need context.
Where does the current one sit in the totality of premier cru champagne? …. Somewhere around the middle.
But, where does it sit among the champagnes retailing here under £20? … Easily in the top 10%.
Opening with small bubbles – but controlled effervescence – it exhibits quince, green apple and melon flavours.
These are neatly complemented by tongue tickling lemon acidity, a flint and chalk minerality and late developing toastiness.
Join me again on Monday when the usual Top Tips selections are extended to provide a shopping list for Christmas parties and other informal seasonal gatherings.
19 Responses
Many thanks Brian, I’d picked out the Baden Pinot Noir and the Austrian Sauvignon Blanc. As you know, I have become a big fan of Austrian wines, red and white. So am expecting this to be more savoury and restrained than typical NZ examples.
I see that the Waitrose £10 Fine Wine offer went live yesterday – well worth a look. I note that the 2020 Villa Antinori Rosso Tuscany, which I loved, seems to be a marmite wine with some supermarket customer reviews. Either “horrible” or “a minor Super Tuscan”! The 2015 Ch Liversan, which I also much enjoyed, fares better. It was given a good write up in Jan MacQ’s “50 Best Red Bottles” in last Saturday’s Times – so she may be next to us at the checkout!
Aldi selling a Chilien malbec for £3.49 while stocks last.
Another really good Falanghina is the Tesco Finest Falanghina 2022 £8.50.
The expected pear and peach base flavours are overlaid with a juicy sweet Clementine note which takes it above the average.On 25% off deal for a few more days.
Sticking with this Lidl theme Brian, it’s always interesting what this outlet will throw up in their now monthly Tour range.
I note what you were telling to me about the Primitivo del Salento, £7.99 also in The Tour range. I did get their shelf bottle of Primitivo Manduria that seemingly was better than that which you had tried! It was £7.25 and yet I can’t see it online, but then Lidl are like this!!
I see a lot on the shelves in-store but it’s not represented on their website. Whether the Lidl Manduria will satisfy other people at that price who can say, but personally I’d pay the extra at Sainsbury’s for their amazing version … except … it’s gone missing from the list, though it might still be in-store!
But then reliability in respect of product availability at this time of year would seem to be a problem as I struggle to find so many of my usual Lidl purchases not there.
However I will give a few thumbs-ups for some Lidl liquid products people might like to have in at this seasonal time. Their Abrachan Blended Peated Malt whisky is very good of its style for the price and I do find the gold medal Ben Bracken Highland Single Malt whisky to be exceptional for the same money too. £17.99 buys a bottle of smooth, fragrant malt that I believe most whisky drinkers’ would appreciate.
And then as I mentioned on Monday the Armilar 10 year old tawny port can be found lurking somewhere if we look hard enough. Again at the money, £11.99, it’s both lovely of its type and competitively priced.
Abrachan Blended Peated Malt Whisky – | Lidl UK
Ben Bracken Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky – | Lidl
M&S have their La Cascata Passivento on offer for eight quid just now. It’s a fruity, unoaked blend of Negroamaro and Primitivo from Puglia, and the 2022 vintage is sublime. An incredible bargain at that price. If you were a fan of previous vintages, as indeed was I, be aware that they’ve completely changed the label!
Thanks Brian, I’m a big fan of the German Pinot’s I’ve tried, so I will be looking out for this one when I’m next in-store, the Laguna and Fiano will probably jump in my basket as well. Just on a aesthetic point I’m not a fan of dumpy bottles.
Talking Lidl I managed to grab half a dozen bottles of Wirra Wirra McClaren Vale Grenache Shiraz for £7.99, great price for a decent Aussie red, first time I’ve seen a real bargain in our store.
I remember the 2021 vintage recommended in the Times back in Feb, @ £10, but on offer @ £6.65. The M&S web site, a real pain as it only shows selected cases of 6, lists it at £72 a case. It is now widely known that Ocado prices for M&S goods are not necessarily aligned to M&S prices. In this case Ocado list it at £12.50! If near an M&S I usually pop in to see what wine offers are available – hard to find out otherwise, unless posted in the press or here.
Hello Brian,
Just an update on the Lidl Vidal Ice wine which I managed to buy a bottle today.The discount now for Lidl plus card users is £1, less generous than the £2 before.The new price I paid was £12.99- still a very good price!
Thank you Brian. The Lidl Champagne is now on my shopping list for a Christmas Day aperitif. For other festivities I’ve recently discovered the Porta 6 sparkling wine at Asda. Although it’s not made to the traditional method I find it has a nice savoury taste with light bubbles, superior in my view to many Proseccos. At only £8 with the buy 6 save 25% offer still on I think it’s a bargain, as is the case with many Portuguese wines.
As I mentioned, I have yet to try that sauvignon, but the pinot noir is excellent. Good call to mention the Waitrose £10 offers as they have been good in the past. Indeed, the Broglia Gavi is a candidate for the Christmas whites being recommended in a week or so.
Thanks for mentioning those Aldi deals Dave. I have not sampled that malbec recently or the £10 Chateauneuf du Pape that, I believe, is due to follow it next week.
Yes, Paul, Tesco is strong with both Fiano and Falanghina and the current versions are usually well worth following up. As you suggest, it could be a great value “House White” over Christmas.
Lidl Whiskies are indeed good – and I rate that Highland one over the Islay and (surprisingly for me, a Speyside fan) the Speyside one. The current Tour does indeed include a Primitivo Salento and a Brindisi Riserva but I think that the 86 point MW rating (which I would support) both are awarded speaks for itself.
Thanks Steve and Richard … A good option that has eluded my radar thus far but, from what you both say, one that MidWeekers should seriously consider.
Thanks for calling attention to this Paul but – as you rightly say – even a £12.99 price is a great one.
Yes a good option for an aperitif with its slightly mineral background. There will other champagne recommendations for you to consider here on 14 December.
As for the Porta Fizz, the last time I was in Portugal the winemakers there were trying to perfect their sparkling wine. The grapes in Northern Portugal should prove especially suitable for the task, but the versions I tasted that day were – in truth – “work in progress”. The Porta 6 people, however, should be well equipped to make it work if anyone can.
Very naughty of them to alter the price of the Vidal Icewine when it’s actually in print TWICE at £10.99 In their latest Weekly magazine!!!
Strange – I bought a bottle this afternoon at £12.99, and got £2 off this using my Lidl Plus coupon.
Didn’t find the Austrian SB. There was no label for this on the shelves, so looks like it hasn’t been delivered, rather than selling out. May try again tomorrow
Hello Richard you are correct, the Lidl voucher is £2 off so the Vidal Ice wine should be £10.99.Apparently active for the next 6 days.For some reason my voucher was not active.At that price the wine is a bargain!