October 5th 2024.
Hey there wine lovers! Have you been on the lookout for some new and exciting wines to try? Well, I've got you covered. I've recently had a change of heart and won't be recommending any wines that cost less than £6. That is, unless they completely blow me away.
You see, I recently came across some eye-opening statistics about the cost of a bottle of wine. Take, for example, a bottle priced at £6.31. Did you know that the excise duty alone is £2.67? And that's not even including the VAT, profit margin for the retailer and importer, logistics, and packaging costs. It's not until you reach the £10 price point that the actual wine in the bottle costs 29p. Shocking, right?
If you're interested in these numbers, you can find them in the annual Bibendum Vinonomics report. It's like the go-to infographic for the wine industry and is regularly updated whenever there's a new budget. It's definitely worth checking out. And here's a fun fact: for a £20 bottle of wine, you're actually only getting £6.33 worth of wine. So, it's like the opposite of the law of diminishing returns. Maybe we could call it the law of increasing returns?
But let's be real, who's really spending £20 on a bottle of wine for a mid-week night at home? Not me, that's for sure. I'm more of an £8-£12 kind of person for my everyday wine. But every now and then, you come across a wine that is just too good to pass up, especially when it's priced under a tenner. It's like you've won the wine lottery.
But how can you tell if a wine is really worth the money? That's a question that could fill a whole book, and many people have written about it. In the end, it all comes down to personal preference and how much you enjoy the wine compared to what you paid for it.
So, without further ado, here are some of my top picks that you should definitely have on your wine radar.
Let's start with the Pierre Jaurant Bordeaux AOC from Aldi, priced at just £4.99. I know what you're thinking - how can a wine that's less than £5 be any good? Well, let me tell you, people have compared it to a £3,000 bottle of Chateau Mouton Rothschild that David Beckham is a fan of. Now, I'm not saying they're completely comparable, but it's definitely a juicy and delicious bottle with tons of plums, damsons, and hedgerow fruit. A real gem for under a fiver.
Next up, we have the Chassaux et Fils Côtes du Rhône from Aldi for £5.19. This wine has gained quite a bit of attention, with customers raving about it and even a cap on how many bottles you can buy. It's the same producer behind the viral Chassaux et Fils Atlantique Rosé, and their red Côtes du Rhône is just as impressive. It's silky, black-fruity, herbaceous, and even has a touch of spice. Let's make this one just as viral, shall we?
For those of you who prefer shopping at Tesco, I highly recommend the Côtes du Rhône Palais St Vigni priced at £5.45. It's simple but effective, and I even have 'best value' scrawled in my tasting booklet above it. It's produced by one of the largest wholesalers in France, which means they have economies of scale and can bring down the price. This red is 50% Grenache, giving it a ripe and ready sipping experience.
If you're feeling fancy, you could try the Bordeaux AOP Superieur from Lidl for £5.99. This is what I like to call the "weekday wine" - it's perfect for when you want something a little more elevated but don't want to break the bank. It's been aged in oak and delivers those classic Claret flavours of blackberries, cassis, and mint, with a hint of tannins. And just for comparison, Lidl also sells a Saint Emilion Grand Cru for £15.99, but I didn't feel like it was worth the price.
Last but certainly not least, we have the Chassaux et Fils Costières de Nîmes from Aldi for £6.69. This wine is 70% Syrah, making it spicier, richer, and deeper than its Côtes du Rhône counterpart. I've described it as having notes of coffee, mocha, and caramel, and I've even given it two stars in my tasting notes, which means it's a good one. This wine comes from the most southerly appellation in the Rhône Valley, which means it has a unique marine influence that brings freshness to the wine.
And for all you non-spend thrifts out there, I've got something special for you. It's the Château Troupian Haut-Médoc from Ocado, priced at £16. This Merlot-dominated wine is a bit of an anomaly in the Haut-Médoc, which is known for its higher concentration of Cabernet Sauvignon. It's informal, fresh, and bursting with flavors of crunchy red apples and frangipane. Some have described it as having a feminine flavor, but let's be real, there are no masculine or feminine flavors - just great wine.
So there you have it, my top picks for wines that won't break the bank but will still impress your taste buds. And if you consider yourself a purveyor of the finer things in life, make sure to check out Metro Drinks Club, where you can stay ahead of the curve with the latest and greatest in the world of drinks. Cheers!
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