The new M&S Classics range has plenty to offer wine fans

“We started out by looking for the best-loved styles of wine and then sourced the highest quality we could at an accessible price,” said Sue Daniels.

It is odd to think that a major retailer actually employs winemakers. Surely winemakers belong in a winery, usually overseas? But Sue and her colleague Belinda Kleinig are based at M&S HQ in London and it is their job to make sure that the wines on the shelves are made and blended to suit the taste buds of their customers.

They do this mainly by travelling overseas to wine producers and selecting parcels of wine while they are still in vats, then blending them to create wines that bring together the key flavour points of a particular region and grape variety.

That is how the new range of Classics has been developed. At present it is a range of 18 new wines, which will eventually grow to 34 key wines from around the world and, according to M&S, this is the biggest new product launch in recent years.

“These are not just repackaged existing wines. We have sourced many of them from current suppliers, but part of the remit was to benchmark our new wines against other wines, and that is how we discovered some new suppliers,” said Belinda. “We wanted the range to over-deliver in terms of quality and price.”

The presentation is simple yet stylish, with a theme running through the range. Cream labels, clear lettering and they all have red capsules, whether the wines are red, white or rosé. And all the wines are bottled in the region of production, in bottles that reflect the area. So the Provence bottle has a curvy shape, the Côtes du Rhône is embossed with the local coat of arms and the Loire bottle carries the traditional Fleur de Lys. Overall, the wines look good as a group, although I am not sure that they need numbers as well as names.

This range is just in-store and apparently will not be part of the usual price promotions. But the real test is the taste, so I pulled the corks and twisted the screwcaps of a significant chunk of the range. These are the ones I like best...

Pinot Grigio delle Venezie 2019, No. 4, Italy, £7: Supermarket shelves are awash with Pinot Grigio, much of it soft and anonymous, but this one has flavour – ripe pear and crisp apple fruit, with lemon zest mid-palate. Good enough as an aperitif, but this is a wine that will happily see you through a summer lunch.

Touraine Sauvignon Blanc 2019, No. 32, Loire, £8: If you are used to New Zealand Sauvignon, you will like this, yet appreciate its difference. It is aromatic and fresh, with leafy, white flowers and ripe pear notes and a long, dry finish.

Gavi 2019, No 3, Italy, £8: Gavi is in the beautiful Piemonte region of northern Italy, and it is the Cortese grape that gives this wine its greengage, fennel and herby character. Dry, with a mouth-filling texture that will stand its ground against risotto, creamy pasta or even salmon.

Mineralstein Riesling 2019, No. 2, Pfalz, Germany, £9.50: Most new wine ranges wouldn’t bother to have a German Riesling, but I am delighted to find this one. If you haven’t drunk a German Riesling for decades then why not start now? The supplier, Gerd Stepp, was a winemaker with Marks & Spencer for several years and with that experience behind him, he knows exactly what this retailer is looking for. The grapes come from Gerd’s own vineyard and those of his neighbours, and the wine’s name, Mineralstein, reflects the minerally content of the soil. The taste is lean and racy, with lime-shot, yellow peach fruit notes and a crunchy pebbly finish. Team this with Friday’s fish and chip supper or a grilled Dover sole.

Côtes de Provence Rosé 2019, No. 22, France, £8: The curvaceous bottle shape reminds you that, if this year hadn’t taken such a strange turn, you might be in the hills of Provence, enjoying the sunshine, the wine and a good salad Niçoise. But even in your back garden, you can enjoy this wine’s strawberry and redcurrant fruit and its silky texture that will partner grilled sardines perfectly.

Claret 2019, No 34, Bordeaux, £7: This starts off rather like an old-school claret with touches of cigar-box aromas, but then the fruit just piles out of the glass, all plums and blackcurrants, with a soft edge yet still enough structure to accompany roast lamb. Mainly Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, it has a serious slug of Cabernet Franc in the mix which lifts the aromas and gives it a lively, delicious style. Red Bordeaux at this price often has a thin, edgy finish, but not this one. It tastes well above its price point and is one to buy in quantity, to enjoy from Monday to Sunday.

Côtes du Rhône Villages 2019, No 20, France, £7: Astonishing flavour for money, this is packed full of soft damson and black cherry fruit, edged with freshly cracked pepper with a long, soft, structured finish. Team with anything that comes off the barbecue.

Beaujolais-Villages 2019, No 35, France, £8: A serious style of Beaujolais with bags of raspberry and red cherry fruit, a touch of spice and a delicious weight. Almost too good to chill down and enjoy in the sunshine, I would prefer to wait until sundown and drink this with barbecued lamb.

Lomas del Marqués Rioja Reserva

2014, No. 21, Spain, £9: The name means the “hills of the Marquis”, presumably because the hillsides grow better grapes than flat land. That shows in the wine which is packed full of dark red fruits, layered with vanilla oak and finished with a dusting of spice. It is complex, rounded and long and really shows best if you open the bottle early, or maybe even decant it before serving, just to let the flavours fill out.

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