Wine expert Becky Paskin has tasted every new wine in Waitrose's summer range and selected the 10 best bottles to buy now. The selection includes crisp Sauvignon Blancs, sparkling rosés, and chilled reds, with a notable trend toward mid-strength wines (7-10% ABV) and Portuguese wines.
Best Overall: Waitrose Loved & Found Vermentinu Rosé Brut NV
Priced at £9.50, this sparkling rosé from Corsica is described as "the funnest fizz you could buy for under a tenner." It features notes of honeysuckle, lychee, and jasmine, with juicy peaches and strawberries. At 10% ABV, it is limited edition and expected to sell out quickly.
Best Budget Bottle: Waitrose Blueprint Sauvignon Blanc
This New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc at £7.90 offers aromatic notes of peach and gooseberry, with a citrus-saline palate and passionfruit flavors. It is a classic example of the style at great value.
Best for Gifting: Quinta da Fonte Souto Florão 2024
This blend of 80% Arinto and 20% Verdelho from Portugal's Alto Alentejo region costs £15. It features chamomile and bergamot on the nose, with tropical fruits and a creamy mouthfeel. The winery holds B-Corp certification.
Best for Food Pairings: Tread Softly Pinot Noir
A sustainably made Pinot Noir from South Australia at £10, designed to be lightly chilled. It offers vibrant cherry and redcurrant notes with soft tannins, pairing well with salmon or duck.
Best for Cheese and Charcuterie: Darling Cellars Old Bush Vines Chenin Blanc 2023
From South Africa's Western Cape, this full-bodied Chenin Blanc at £18.50 features honeyed tropical fruit aromas with toasted oak and bright acidity. The vines are over 40 years old.
Other Top Picks
Royal Palmeira Loureiro 2020 Vinho Verde (£20) is described as one of the best examples of the style in supermarkets, with blood orange and melon aromas. Waitrose Loved and Found Grolleau Gris 2025 (£9.50) is a rare Loire Valley grape at 8.5% ABV. Dr. Loosen Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Kabinett 2023 (£12.37) is a delicate, low-alcohol German Riesling. Muja Rioja Rosado 2025 (£13.25) offers strawberry and rose notes with a silky texture. Gérard Bertrand Le Chouchou 2025 (£12.50) is a chilled red blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault.
Paskin notes a swing toward mid-strength wines and an expanding selection of chillable reds. She recommends the Loved & Found Vermentinu Rosé Brut NV as the best value sparkling wine, but warns stocks are limited.
