Valentine’s Day is imminent which means, as well as sharing the love, many of us will be sharing delicious food with a bottle of top-quality vino to toast to the occasion. And, whether you’re looking for a full-bodied red, a crisp white wine or a bang-on-theme rosé to serve on your date, you definitely don’t need to splash out to enjoy something superb.
From the viral £10.99 “chicken wine” (La Vieille Ferme rosé) to Aldi’s award-winning sauvignon blanc and Asda’s playful alternative to Whispering Angel, Screaming Devil, social media has played a major role in opening up the wine world.
TikTok creators such as Lucy Hitchcock, aka @Partnerinwineuk, often see bottles from M&S and Waitrose vanish from shelves, while wine influencers such as Hannah Crosbie and Tom Gilbey are making wine feel more approachable and less intimidating.
“Wine is a whole aisle now, as people want more variety as well as value, and supermarkets have wisely chosen to invest in their wine buyers and relationships with producers – because this is how most of us buy our wine,” says Libby Brodie, wine consultant and columnist. A similar trend is happening with supermarket champagne and whisky, where growing demand has led to a wider selection and higher-quality offerings.
According to Sinead Murdoch, sommelier and co-founder of restaurant Tasca, supermarkets are increasingly appealing to more discerning drinkers. “Now top wine buyers are working for supermarkets, and the growing competition is raising the standard of what ends up on the shelves.” This means that shoppers can now find bottles that rival those in specialist wine shops, without having to spend a fortune or hunt for rare finds.
That said, picking a truly exceptional bottle can still be tricky. So I asked the experts for guidance, ranging from sommeliers to wine influencers. Keep scrolling to discover the best supermarket wines recommended by experts.
Read more: We blind taste-tested champagnes and crowned a £35 winner
Dining and Cooking