Northern supermarket chain Booths can boast not only twenty-eight stores dotted about the north-west of England but also a mighty wine range of 800 wines. And within these are their own-label wines: all classic styles and flavours and priced around £8, and offering a creditable alternative to the likes of the own-label offerings from M&S and Waitrose.
Booths Touraine Sauvignon Blanc (£7.50) provides a tasty orchard-fruit alternative to the lip smacking gooseberry flavours of the more usual house Sauvignons originating from New Zealand. This subtler French version provides pear and apple flavours with a nice zing of lemon peel – a nice match to fish pie or a smoked salmon sandwich.
Traditional red wine enthusiasts won’t be disappointed by the Booths Bordeaux Rouge with its damson and dark chocolate flavours. At £7.75 a bottle this blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon marks the price and standard to compare to similar own-label up-market supermarket wines and it isn’t found wanting. In fact if you wanted your daily house plonk to cost between £7 or £8 then the Booths range of own-label wines provides a safe and reliable bet.
If you don’t live within striking distance of the stores in Cumbria and Cheshire then your wine choice is unfortunately dramatically reduced to the deliverable Gifts by Booths which includes ten wine selections, including the White Wine Gift Set (£30 including wooden box for two wines) and the Dinner Party Wine Gift Box (six wines including Booths Bordeaux Rouge and the Touraine Sauvignon at £85 including wooden box).
It’s a shame the entire range of wines (and groceries) aren’t deliverable to the whole of the UK so we’ll have to make do with a supermarket dash when next we are Clitheroe or Kendal.
PG Wine Reviews
Booths Italian Pinot Grigio 2016
£6.75
Aromas of peach and pear, followed by subtle flavours of apple and almond.
Booths French Touraine Sauvignon Blanc 2016
£7.50
Flavours of pear, melon and apple with a zing of added lemon peel.
Booths Bordeaux Rouge 2014
£7.75
Damson, blackcurrant and dark chocolate flavours with a ting of burnt toast.
Booths Argentinean Malbec 2016
£9
A really exceptional blend with flavours of plums, cherries, raspberries and chocolate – plus hints of Bisto. Match to the Sunday joint.
Booths English Sparkling Brut (made by Ridgeview Wine, Sussex)
£21
Made with exactly the same types of grapes and method as the French sparkling wine champagne, this English version is not only better balanced than many supermarket champers but tastes nicer too: apple, lemon and white bread flavours plus quite a dollop of grape flavour. Which makes a change.
Tweet me a wine question @huxelrebe
© Paula Goddard 2017 www.paulagoddard.com
