Here are some of the top ten wines you can buy from Waitrose

Just like the rest of life this year, the tasting season has been a bit strange.
James and Catherine Kinglake.James and Catherine Kinglake.
James and Catherine Kinglake.

Twice a year I am usually given a preview of new wines and new vintages that will be on each supermarket’s shelves. This usually means pitching up at various retailers’ head offices or some large room in central London where a hundred or so wines (in the case of Waitrose, make that 200) are laid out.

Even the Northern-based supermarkets choose London for these tastings, so if I want to taste, that is where I must go. Unlike the drinks party it might appear to be, there will be around 10 to 12 wine writers ploughing through the bottles, with the occasional greeting, but essentially this is a quiet activity of sniff, swirl, taste and spit.

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But this year is different. Some supermarkets have decided to send out a case or two of wine, with a Zoom conference arranged with the buyer to explain the new wines, while others have kept the tasting format as before, but with social distancing. It was under those conditions that I attended the Waitrose tasting last week which was held at its usual London venue, with masks on.

Harvesting grapes for Chianti  in Tuscany.Harvesting grapes for Chianti  in Tuscany.
Harvesting grapes for Chianti in Tuscany.

Instead of the usual bottle-laden tables for me to pick and choose what I want to taste, I was shown to a tasting table, a clear two metres from anyone else, and wines were poured 12 at a time. To be honest it was a rather good format. There were not as many wines as usual, only 90, but they were delivered to me promptly and carefully, so I managed to taste them all, in reasonably quick time and make enough notes to tell you about them.

Everyone knows that Waitrose stands for quality, and that goes for the wine as well as the food, but it also has an image of being just a little bit more expensive than many other retailers.

That isn’t necessarily so. While it does have a range of wines that covers all parts of the price spectrum, its programme of offers frequently chops 25 per cent off the price of dozens of wines every month. In addition, usually twice a year, the store extends that 25 per cent off to cover all wines over a fiver when you buy six bottles.

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These offers are sprung on me, just as much as they are sprung on you, but Waitrose usually does one around this time of year so it might be worthwhile writing your shopping list now and then keeping an eye on your local store so you can snap up the bargains when the offer is announced. If you don’t want to carry large boxes home with you, the www.waitrosecellar.com website is brilliant, allowing you to mix cases and get all the discounts available.

The “click and collect” service also brings the whole range of Waitrose wine within reach in just a few days. In these days of staying at home, rather than going shopping, it might be a good idea to stock up for the festive season now.

Out of the 90 wines I tasted, here are my top ten, and all prices quoted are before any discounts or offers.

Whites

Domaine Begude Sauvignon Blanc, 2019, Languedoc, France, £9.99: I have loved the wines from this estate for many years. Earlier this year, when I caught up with owners James and Catherine Kinglake, who are occasional Yorkshire residents, they said they had some Sauvignon Blanc which normally goes to a top London restaurant. “I hope a supermarket will buy it,” said James, and it seems that Waitrose did. Grapefruit on the palate, crisp, fresh flavours with minerals and elegance. Pour alongside grilled sea bass.

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Rustenberg Grenache Blanc 2020, Stellenbosch, South Africa, £9.99: More usually found in southern France, the Grenache Blanc grapes for this wine come from a vineyard planted high on the Simonsberg mountain to preserve acidity. With pear and greengage fruit, and a nutty, savoury character, this is food-friendly and delicious.

Yealands Reserve Grüner Veltliner 2019, Awatere Valley, New Zealand, £12.99: Grüner is Austria’s own grape transported to a blustery hillside in the Awatere Valley, New Zealand, where it produces a wine with stone fruit flavours and a touch of spice. Try it with grilled fish or chicken.

Kaapzicht Bush Vine Chenin Blanc 2019, Stellenbosch, South Africa, £13.99: Seventy-three years ago the Steytler family planted Chenin Blanc vines on their Kaapzicht estate. Still owned by the same family, those old vines contribute some of the juice for this wine, which is full of crunchy apple and sun-ripe yellow fruit with hints of honey and a dry minerally finish.

Hidden Spring Bacchus Fumé 2019, Sussex, £14.99: Bacchus is becoming the signature grape of English still wine. It combines aromas of elderflower and grass with hints of tropical fruit and a clean finish. This wine has been partially fermented in oak, adding texture and depth. The result is a bright, fresh-tasting wine with savoury weight and balance.

Reds

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Blueprint Pinot Noir 2019, Dealul Mare, Romania, £5.99: This shows that Romania can produce some outstanding wines at great value prices. It has fragrant strawberry fruit and a silky texture and is a perfect wine to enjoy alongside a midweek chicken dinner.

Ch. Capendu la Comelle 2018, Jean Claude Mas, Corbières, France, £6.99: Jean Claude Mas has become the beacon of quality winemaking in the south of France. This is a simple, great value, flavour-filled wine with bright, plum fruit and a dusting of herbs.

Tierra Sagrada Tinto Organic 2019, La Mancha, Spain, £6.99: Mainly Tempranillo with splashes of Garnacha and Shiraz, this has dark, raspberry and damson fruit with a sleek, silky texture. Great value Tuesday to Friday night drinking.

No.1 Chianti Classico Reserva, Piccini 2015, Tuscany, Italy, £15.99: Gorgeous cherries and truffles in this wine, perfect with any dish that has tomatoes in it. Meat, mushrooms, herbs and game are also great food matches.

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Ch. Pey la Tour Reserve 2015, Bordeaux Supérieur, France, magnum, £24.99: I suspect that there is a limited stock of magnums, so buy yours now. Even if we are restricted to just six people around our Christmas tables, a magnum is the right size.

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