Supermarket wines

Written by N1

Christmas in Oxford, snow turning treacherously to ice, so we decided to try to get the wine for Christmas dinner from the closest store possible, which was Tesco. Luckily we opened the bottles ahead of time and, to pre-empt my review, discovered that they were very entry-level wines at above entry-level prices. So off to Oddbins.

I have heard it claimed that supermarkets can get great deals on wine, due to their buying power. But I have never been the beneficiary of one of these. (Although we did get some wonderful bargains in Pittsburgh, as recommended by Ron Dreshman of the East Liberty wine and spirits store, apparently courtesy of the buying power of the Pennsylvannia Liquor Control Board – the cost of these bargains being a mark-up on the rest of the rather limited wine selection.) I am more convinced by the argument that most good wine is made by small producers, who cannot satisfy the volume that supermarkets demand, so good wine is, in general, not to be found in supermarkets.

Tesco’s champagne was much more fairly priced. But beware the fiction of “half price” deals. Supermarkets make the vast majority of their champagne sales at Christmas and Easter so, by over-pricing their champagnes at other times of year when they don’t expect to sell much anyway, they can claim to offer cut price deals at Christmas. If you pay “full price” for these wines you will be disappointed.

Tesco Finest Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 2008 (Tesco, £14.99 reduced to £9.99)

This had been in an outside shed all afternoon so, when opened, was far too cold. There was a strong back of acid and not much else. As it warmed up, there were aromas of spices and baked fruits; on the palate baked apples with vanilla, cinnamon and a bit of ginger. A conundrum of a wine: a bit too sweet for food but a bit too much acid to enjoy comfortably in its absence. Returned to the next day, it had developed more juicy black fruit, as well as the spices, and felt much better balanced – but not worth the pre-reduction £14.99, nor is it the “finest” wine you could get for £9.99.

Prestige de Calvet, Bordeaux Rouge, 2009 (Tesco, £9.99)

Most Bordeaux is either mainly Merlot, if it’s from the Right Bank, or mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, if it’s from the Left. If it weren’t for the fact that Merlot appeared first on the label, I would have presumed this wine was predominantly Cabernet. Very juicy black fruits, a touch of mint at the end and quite a whack of tannin – enough for one person round the table to actively dislike it, although opinion was split on which wine was the nicer of the two Tesco reds. But even in Bordeaux, where entry-level wine costs more than elsewhere, I would expect better than this for £10.

Chateau Guibeau, Puisseguin Saint-Emilion, 2006 (Oddbins, £14.99)

Smells of blackberries, leather and liquorice. In the mouth it is still leather and liquorice but now red berries, especially raspberry. Rich and very juicy, with grippy tannins. With a little time, it softens out and cherries, wood, and chocolate come into the mix. Universally agreed to be better than the two Tesco reds, this was a wine that was worth its price.

André Carpentier Champagne (Tesco, half price at £9.99)

Victoria Moore wrote in the Guardian that this is “the best party champagne”. (http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/dec/13/victoria-moore-reviews-best-champagne)

As good liberal Guardian readers and aspiring champagne socialists, we took a bottle to a Christmas Eve party. Slightly yeasty on the nose, sharp apples on the palate. I can concur with Moore’s assessment, if “party champagne” implies simple, easy drinking and not worthy of too much attention. It was dry, and I appreciated that. A bit unfair of Jane MacQuitty in the less liberal Times to describe it as one of the “thin, tart, evil little paint strippers”.

(http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/article3010069.ece)

 But maybe she needs to drink it amongst more diverting company.

Heidsieck & Co. Monopole Blue Top Champagne Brut (Tesco, half price at £12.99)

Stern and unyielding on opening, with more bubbles than a can of soda. Once it had calmed down, there were toasty aromas, pear and grapefruit on the palate, and a frizzante mouthfeel. Definitely worth the extra three pounds on the Carpentier: a second bottle of the Carpentier, drunk on Christmas Day following the Heidsieck Monopole, suffered by the comparison.