Good wine doesn't have to be expensive. Supermarkets are full of great bottles now, whether you want a fresh white wine for drinking outside or a big glass of red wine to pair with a Sunday roast. With feeds full of genuinely good, low-cost bottles, social media has played a big part in making wine feel more accessible.
From the viral £10.99 “chicken wine” (La Vieille Ferme rosé) to Aldi’s award-winning sauvignon blanc and Asda’s playful alternative to Whispering Angel, Screaming Devil, plenty of bottles have blown up online and actually live up to the hype. TikTok personalities like Lucy Hitchcock, known as @Partnerinwineuk, frequently cause bottles to dry out at M&S and Waitrose, as their recommendations fly off the shelves.
“Wine is a whole aisle now, as people want more variety as well as value, and supermarkets have wisely chosen to invest in their wine buyers and relationships with producers – because this is how most of us buy our wine,” says Libby Brodie, wine consultant and columnist. According to Sinead Murdoch, sommelier and co-founder of restaurant Tasca, supermarkets are increasingly appealing to more discerning drinkers. “Now top wine buyers are working for supermarkets, and the growing competition is raising the standard of what ends up on the shelves.”
Sommeliers and trusted wine voices share their top supermarket wine picks. If you like crisp and fresh wines, try an Albariño – zesty, with apricot, lime and a salty edge, perfect with seafood. For barbecue season, a South African red blend, predominantly Pinotage, is smooth, fruity and a little smoky – serve slightly chilled with grilled meats. For a food-friendly wine, a dry Greek rosé offers a fragrant, zesty twist with citrus, peach, cherry and a hint of rose, at less than £10.
An elegant Provence rosé blends seven grapes into a silky-smooth wine bursting with raspberry, peach, citrus and rosemary – a perfect sunshine sipper. Vinho Verde from Portugal is aromatic, zesty, with a tiny spritz and just 10% ABV, making it refreshing on a warm day. English sparkling wine from Sussex has real energy, with racy lemon and green apple skin notes balanced by raspberries and strawberries – ideal as a summer barbecue aperitif.
