Chapel Down, Brut, NV, England
Sparkling English wine, it’s really good nowadays and Chapel Down is a big producer in the UK. However, there are some that are better than others. Unfortunately , this one from Chapel Down is a bit lack luster. Fizzy with little flavour and high acidity. At £20 a bottlei can’t recommended it. It’s like an Austin Alegro car. Sorry Chapel Down.
Crooked Mick, Shiraz, 2021, South Eastern Australia
Good quality Australian Shiraz is the best I can come up with for this Crooked Mick Shiraz. Its not bad, dry with reasonable amount of black fruit, spice and hints of leather and chocolate. At under £10 a bottle its a good wine at a good price. Think of a cheap Skoda car, solid.
Aldi, Bottelary Winery, 2024, Western Cape, South Africa
Could this be the best £5 bottle of white wine of 2025. Dry, crisp, and fresh with citrus, pineapple and apple, its got lots of flavour, a bit strong, its not subtle. It’s not Gold medal winning wine but it’s a wine to just drink by the case or a party. It’s like an old fashion mini car, great fun and one you want to have. Great work Aldi.
Pondview Estate, Bella Terra Meritage, 2016, Ontario, Canada
Canadian wines are getting better and better and can age very well. This 8 year old red wine from Pondview Estate is a classic example. Red and black fruit is beautifully integrated with notes of oak, tobacco, vanilla and hints of an earthy under note. With great length and smoothness its a red wine that say to be sipped and enjoyed rather than to be guzzled. At CAD35 a bottle its decent value.
This Syrah from San Juanito in Mexico is pretty good. Bold and dry with reasonable length and rounded flavours of black fruit, oak and spice. Its a wine to try with friends and ideally with food, but its good enough to drink on its own in front of the fire.
Quinta Vale D Maria really knows how to make good red wine. This is pretty good although at £45 a bottle it should be. This is an issue as many people won’t try what is an excellent dry red wine. Red and black fruit are here in bucket loads, hints of strawberry and spice poke through with an under note of Vanilla. Its all very well integrated and make as a wonderful package.
I did like this dry, smooth red italian wine. 90% Sangiovese with a bit of Merlot and Canaiolo. Its a juicy wine with plenty of black cherry that has long length and while not as complex as many Chianti Classico’s its very easy drinking and at £16 a bottle its very good value and one to try.
Makaraka, Pinot Noir, 2022 Marlborough, New Zealand
Purchased from Aldi for the reduced price of £5 I was not holding out much hope that this Pinot Noir from Makaraka would be any good. I was right too. Its a red wine and thats the best I can really say. Some red fruit flavours and sourness make this wine a no from me. It needs much more flavour and depth with a better overall structure, its flabby with no direction. Sorry Aldi but its not a good wine.
Asquith Gardens, Sparkling Wine, UK
At £16 a bottle from Asda this english sparkling wine is a blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier made in the Champagne method and delivers a Champagne taste. Bronze medal at Decanter in 2024 and Silver at the IWC its a quality wine. Dry with toasty notes and flavours of Citrus, red apple and a little floral hint its a good english sparkling at a very good price. Can another supermarket beat this?
Sainsburys, Taste the Difference, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2021, Coonawarra, Australia
Sainsburys like all supermarkets has some great wines under their own labels and this Cabernet Sauvignon under their Taste the Difference range is rather good. Its not gold medal winning but its a solid dry red wine. Plenty of red and black fruit, hints of tobacco and spice sitting the back ground. Its like a well spec’d Ford Fiesta car, not your first choice but worth a try for a meal or two. At £7.50 a bottle its great value.