A drop of the ‘Finest’: Christine Austin's favourites from Tesco
All supermarkets have a range of own-label wines that they think are great quality and good value. Well, that is what they want us to think. That is why Sainsbury's has its Taste the Difference, Asda has its Exceptional Range, while Aldi has Specially Selected. Morrisons stepped a little over the line by labelling their range ‘The Best’ – a term I have to use when I recommend their wines, but it really does irk me, because some are very good, but perhaps not actually the best.
However, having tasted through the Tesco Finest range recently I was pleasantly surprised at an apparent leap in quality in some of the wines. Master of Wine, Beth Kelly who is one of the product development managers at Tesco, responsible for South Africa, France and Champagne, said “We have done a lot of work on the Finest’ wines, and we are pleased the way they are showing.”
There were 153 wines on show at the latest Tesco tasting and I valiantly ploughed through them all. The real challenge of any own-label range that boasts the name Finest, is to keep quality high.
These are the ones that I thought fitted the description, offering great flavours and good value for money.
Fizz
Tesco Finest Crémant de Loire Brut NV £12.50: Bubbles are not just for special occasions. Friday is always a good day to celebrate whatever is happening in your life, and at this price, the bubbles taste even better. Made from Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay and Cabernet France grapes, sourced from the Loire valley then made in exactly the same way as that famous fizz, aged for 15 months in bottle, this has crisp apple freshness and just a hint of peachy roundness on the finish.
Tesco Finest Vintage Champagne Brut 2019, £32; This wine has spent 7 years cooped up in its bottle, with all the yeasty lees from its second fermentation, gathering depth, complexity and tiny bubbles. The result is a silky, soft elegant champagne that I scored higher than a brand from the same region at twice the price.
White
Tesco Finest Viognier 2025, France £9: Early morning grape picking, when temperatures are low, ensures fresh flavours in the grapes which were gathered from selected plots across the Rhône, Luberon and Gard areas. The result is a wine with creamy apricot and peach notes, backed by a fresh, orange zest finish.
Finest Terre di Monteforte Pinot Grigio 2025, Veneto, Italy, £9.50: This wine totally surprised me for its flavours, freshness and balance. It comes from the north-eastern part of the Veneto region where cooling breezes from the Dolomites keep temperatures down allowing the grapes to ripen slowing. Slow ripening gives bigger flavours, and this PG has plenty. Crisp red apple, ripe pears and melon, with a bright citrus finish.
Finest Macon-Villages 2024, France, £11: When many 2025 vintage Macons are now on the shelves, why has Tesco decided to stick with the 2024 vintage? Beth Kelly MW explained “We decided to give the wine more time to age, to build up the savoury notes’, and it has worked. This has delightful complex, rounded, light peach and melon notes with citrus freshness and a long savoury finish.
Finest Black Birch Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2025, Marlborough, New Zealand, £15.50: When the shelves are full of decent Kiwi Sauvignon at under a tenner, why pay over £15 for an own-label version? Because this one is really good. The aroma is so much more inviting than the standard peapods and grass clippings. It builds gradually, complex, fresh and inviting. The palate is a mix of flavours with orchard fruits, capsicum, fennel and passionfruit, and then there is the long, elegant finish. A dinner party wine.
Reds
Finest Garnacha 2024, Campo de Borja, Spain, £8.50: Not all Finest wines are expensive, and this one is a bargain. High altitude vineyards produce grapes with juicy, vibrant, lively raspberry and bramble flavours. Easy-drinking for a mid-week supper or chill it down and pour alongside jamón as an aperitif.
Finest Argentinian Cabernet Franc 2025, Mendoza, Argentina, £9: Famous for its Malbec, Argentina seems to be developing a particular skill with Cabernet Franc. This wine comes from Zuccardi, where Sebastian Zuccardi has taken over the job of winemaking from his father José Alberto. This wine is full of juicy plum, black cherry and blackcurrant fruit, with a hint of leafy background.
Finest Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2023, Italy, £11.75: There is 85% Sangiovese in this wine with an undeclared 15% of other varieties, but the way that the cherry and truffle notes shine out from the glass makes me suspect that the ‘other varieties’ are just a handful of local grapes rather than international Cabernet Sauvignon. Supple tannins and a rounded generous finish make this a wine to pour alongside a plate of pasta.
Finest Langhe Nebbiolo 2025, Italy, £12: Made by the same winery (Fratelli Martini Secondo Luigi) that makes Tesco’s gold medal winning Barolo, but this is around half the price and frankly, I prefer it. There is more rounded, elegant, cherry and raspberry fruit, underpinned by savoury spice, and an earthy note adding complexity. Think of this as a weekday Barolo – what a treat!
Finest Central Otago Pinot Noir 2025, New Zealand, £15.50: There’s a saying in the grape-growing world that if you can grow apricots on a piece of land, you can grow great-tasting grapes. This seems to be true for Pisa, halfway between Wanaka and Cromwell in Central Otago where just a generation ago it was home to hundreds of apricot trees. Pisa is the source of the grapes for this wine which has that perfect balance of freshness and depth of flavour, with dark cherry, strawberry and cranberry fruit, with a complex savoury, finish.
Finest Chateau Abelyce Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2022, France, £18: Christmas is the time to bring out a special bottle of Bordeaux, and if you are thinking ahead, then this is one to buy and tuck away. Merlot dominant with a substantial chunk of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, this has the magical soft, elegant style that makes St Emilion so good. But you don’t need to wait until Christmas for this wine. Try it alongside an autumn Sunday lunch and then stock up.