Top Ten White Wines Under £6 of 2016 this week. And in the remaining weekly columns in the run up to Christmas they’ll also be the Top Ten Reds Under £6, plus Top Ten Whites between £6 and £9, and then Top Ten Reds in the £6-£9 price bracket.
Sparkling wines haven’t been forgotten, neither has an essential list of ten wines that’ll match all tastes and foods for Christmas Day. Plus my suggestions on ten non-alcoholic alternatives for the festive season. So there’s lots to come.
No one supermarket or High Street supplier dominates the Top Ten White Wines Uner £6 list – which is good news as hopefully you’ll be able to find something you like where ever you live in the country, and what ever your taste preferences – recommended are wines from £3.75 up to £6.
Despite rising prices there are still a few good wines to be found at £5 and under – but they are getting rarer with every passing year. The good news is, those that are in this price range are still tasty and worth getting – in bulk if you want to make sure of having something reasonably priced on tap.
Well here they are in ascending order of price.
Top Ten Whites Under £6
1
Tesco Australian White £3.75 Tesco
A blend of white grape varieties results in fruity wine that tastes of pear, apple and pineapple. Quaffable.
2
Asda Italian Garganega Pinot Grigio 1.5 litre pouch (2 bottles) £4.25 (equivalent bottle price) Asda
Down £1 in price since I reviewed this earlier this year, and it’s still a nice light wine – apple with a creamy edge.
3
Namaqua Reserve Selection South African Chenin Blanc Chardonnay 2015
£4.49 Bargain Booze (only £1.99 if you can get across to France and the Calais Wine Superstore!)
If you haven’t got a Bargain Booze near you, fret not. This wine is one that keeps popping up again and again on the reduced list across the supermarkets. And it’s none the worse in flavour for that – fresh lemon tart with balanced sweet and sour flavours.
4
Tesco French Côtes de Gascogne Blanc 2015 £4.50 Tesco
A good choice to accompany lightly flavoured meals or as an aperitif. Sweet-sour flavours of grapefruit and lemon with floral ending. Nice blend of Trebbiano and Colombard grape types.
5
Mountain Vineyards South African Sauvignon Blanc 2015 £4.75 Tesco (or 2 for £9 until November 22)
South African whites have really come on recently and this is a nice example that tastes of liquidized Opal Fruits: lemon, lime and orange blossom make this refreshing.
6
Asda Extra Special Italian Soave Classico 2014 £5 Asda
Buttery and nutty apple flavours with lemon. Nice.
7
Sous le Soleil du Midi French Chardonnay 2015 £5.99 Waitrose
Tastes of tinned fruit salad with orange blossom.
8
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Chilean Sauvignon Blanc 2015 £6 Sainsbury’s (down from £8 until November 22)
The Chilean winery Errazuriz has been coming up trumps for at least as long as I’ve been keeping wine notes. It bottles under its own name and here for the Sainsbury’s own-brand – and you can’t go wrong when it pops up. A balanced Sauvignon Blanc that isn’t too gooseberry.
9
M&S Toque Virtuoso Spanish Sauvignon Blanc 2014 1.5 litre pouch (2 bottles) £6 (equivalent bottle price) M&S
Creamy and tasty – mango and gooseberry. A nice standby.
10
Réserve de la Verdière French Muscadet 2015 £6 Sainsbury’s
Fresh pears, but with enough flavour to match your meal.
Tweet me a wine question @huxelrebe
© Paula Goddard 2016 www.paulagoddard.com
